The National Great Rivers Museum is a free museum that is not a huge building but packs a lot of well-presented information into that small space. It features quite a few interactive exhibits that are really neat, including one where being a barge pilot is harder than it looks. Visitors can take advantage of the locks tour for some great views, though tours have been canceled indefinitely at times. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and extremely friendly. While photos are not allowed inside, the museum offers a well-organized plein air competition. After visiting, a drive on the nearby scenic byway provides views of barges and nice bluffs.
Me and my siblings use to swim and play in the water and looking back we probably shouldn’t have, but nobody stopped us and even when we saw a dead bird in it our father said it was fine and to just not go near it. (Father of the year am I right?) but yeah, it was still fun and we even went inside one time and it was... read full comment
January 2026
Great place to take the family and a very good tour of the locks.
November 2025
Really neat (free) museum and tour, staff was extremely friendly, only a bummer that the elevator to go to the top of the damn is out of service at the moment.
