Chris Izworski

Split Rock Lighthouse / Visitor access desk

One landmark.
Three different tickets.

You can come for the lantern-room story, the historic grounds, or the famous view from the state park below. Those are not the same admission. Before you pay, find the access you actually need—and where to park.

Historic site · MNHSState park · Minnesota DNRMemorial · special event
Real photograph of Split Rock Lighthouse perched on the Lake Superior cliff, seen from the shoreline
Photograph: Randen Pederson · CC BY 2.0 ↗

01 / Choose your experience

What do you want to walk into?

Different visitors can be at the same landmark and need completely different passes. Choose your purpose first; the ticket and parking rules follow.

Regular 2026 MNHS hours were published for May 1–October 19. Outside that range, special access needs separate confirmation.

Reduced tickets: qualifying seniors, college students, or military. Eligible MNHS members and children age 4 and under may be free; check the official site for discounts.

Published data, not ticket inventory. Admission figures come from the 2026 Minnesota Historical Society schedule. Park vehicle permits and event admission are separate. No booking or live parking capacity is checked.

2026 REGULAR ADMISSION

Know what this ticket opens.

Select an experience to see the authority, entitlements and your estimate.

Minnesota Historical SocietyWho sets the entry rules
Historic-site lot · site hoursWhich parking rule applies

Your visit, without surprises

    Official hours and tickets ↗Parking policy ↗

    MNHS / the buildings

    Walk into a working-era lighthouse.

    General historic-site admission covers the lighthouse, keeper's home, and visitor center, subject to site programming. You're stepping into a 1910 landmark built above one of Lake Superior's most exposed shorelines.

    Not included in a park permit: lighthouse building admission.

    MNHS / the grounds

    See the station from outside.

    A 2026 grounds pass was listed at $8. It lets you experience the historic site's setting without entering the lighthouse or keeper's home. That distinction matters if you come specifically for the historic tower interior.

    Not included: interior lighthouse access.

    DNR / the shoreline

    Look up at the cliff from the lake.

    The famous silhouette makes more visual sense from below: the tower sits high above the rock face. State park access and vehicle permits are managed by Minnesota DNR; that vehicle permit alone does not admit you to the historic buildings.

    Before arriving: verify state park vehicle permit requirements.

    The November 10 ceremony

    29 names. One beacon.

    The Edmund Fitzgerald memorial is not an ordinary afternoon tour. It commemorates the 29 mariners lost in 1975, as well as the Great Lakes' wider maritime history. The lighthouse's beacon is lit as part of the annual observance.

    2026 event grounds and historic buildings scheduled to open.

    Lighthouse temporarily closes for the reading of names and bell tolling.

    Beacon lighting and tower reopening, subject to MNHS event programming.

    2026 published schedule only. Special event ticketing, seating and parking capacity are not guaranteed by this tool.

    Official memorial details ↗

    On the ground

    The practical details that matter.

    Parking: Historic-site visitors park free during operating hours. Outside historic-site hours, MNHS says a state park vehicle permit is required. The two arrangements are not interchangeable.

    Accessibility: There is a paved path from the historic-site lot to the visitor center and marked accessible parking. Don't assume all lighthouse interiors or nearby shoreline trails are step-free.

    Pets: Service animals are permitted at the historic site; pets are not. Drones are prohibited. Current construction may change some programming.

    Official visitor information ↗DNR state park ↗

    Source desk

    Verified against the operators.

    Reviewed October 12, 2026. Rules shown here are a published snapshot, not real-time inventory or a promise that tours will operate. Special-event schedules and future-season hours require a fresh check.

    MNHS site hours & admission ↗ Historic-site parking ↗ Memorial event ↗ DNR park information ↗