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Location
Best time
Visit during fall harvest season (September-November) when barge traffic is at its peak. This significantly increases your chances of seeing barges in action during the lock and dam tours, making the educational experience more impactful.
Visitor tip
Plan to take one of the three daily free tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam (10am, 1pm, or 3pm) as a centerpiece of your visit. Combine this with the barge pilot simulator exhibit inside the museum to understand how commercial river navigation actually works.
Visitor tip
After visiting the museum, drive the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway toward Grafton to see barges in their actual operating environment. This real-world context helps visitors fully appreciate the scale and significance of what they learned indoors.
About National Great Rivers Museum
Mississippi River exhibits & tours. Educational exhibits about the Mississippi River & tours, plus a working lock & dam.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Natural History Museum
- Focus
- Mississippi River history and education
- Admission
- Free
- Hours
- Daily 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Tours
- Free Locks and Dam tours at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
What visitors say
It's not a huge building but it packs a lot of well-presented information into that small space. Quite a few interactive exhibits (being a barge pilot is harder than it looks). Take advantage of the locks tour for some great views.…
My 6yo really enjoyed the interactive exhibits. It's not a big museum, but we stayed for over an hour. I also participated as an artist in their plein air competition which was well organized.
If you're looking for something to do Monday-Friday go check out the Lock and Dam! It's 100% free, they have tours at 10am, 1pm and 3pm which is very educational and really cool! During the fall we are told is the best time to visit…
From 783 Google reviews
Did You Know?
- The museum features a barge simulator interactive exhibit where visitors can experience piloting a barge, with multiple reviews noting that 'being a barge pilot is harder than it looks'
- Offers completely free admission to both the museum and public tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, with three daily tour times (10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.)
- The museum hosts a well-organized plein air art competition, indicating it serves as both an educational and cultural venue for the community
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