Over the holiday break, we found ourselves at one of our favorite museums in the St. Louis area. Just across the river up towards Alton, Illinois sits the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, and as a bonus this one welcomes visitors
There are 29 locks and dams along the Mississippi River which ensure ships are able to traverse the elevation changes from the upper Mississippi river. The Melvin Price Locks and Dam, named for a former member of the House of Representatives born and raised in East St. Louis, offers three daily tours of the locks. If you get lucky, you can get a great vantage point to watch a barge come through
The locks and dam are accompanied by the National Great Rivers Museum, dedicated to teaching the history, the habitats, and the function of the locks themselves
Most importantly this is the ONLY place I've found Barge Simulator. Take a barge through the Locks, or under the bridges of St. Louis. Don't hit the walls, they don't like that!
The view from the Missouri side of the dam. These areas are always full of fish, so this is a popular fishing spot
The museum boasts many taxidermied animals representing the various wildlife which makes up the Mississippian ecosystem
This is one of my favorite museums, and we tend to find ourselves here once a year. Be sure to swing throught the gift shop for all your barge pun needs.