Title: National Great Rivers Museum in Alton - Tours and Activities | Expedia.ca

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# National Great Rivers Museum Tours and Activities

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## Visit National Great Rivers Museum

Activities

[Alton travel guide](https://expedia.ca/Alton.dx6108)

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#### Next to the wide Mississippi River is a museum filled with activities and displays explaining the history and importance of the river. 

Learn all about the mighty Mississippi River at National Great Rivers Museum. Over a dozen exhibits of different types provide information about the past, present and future of the river and its inhabitants.

The museum is located near the confluence of three rivers: the Missouri, the Illinois and the upper Mississippi. Learn about the Melvin Price locks and dam, built in 1989 to replace an earlier structure. Take a tour of the locks and look down on tows guiding barges while raptors fly along the shoreline. Inside the museum, stand in the life-size replica of a towboat pilothouse where you can try steering a barge under a bridge and through a lock.

Operate the Stairway for Boats exhibit. Try to control the water levels in four stair-stepped pools simulating how water levels are controlled in the locks. Another exhibit explains how and why the locks along the Mississippi River were designed and built by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Communities: Habitats of the Mississippi depicts the three ecozones of river habitats: the river, its floodplains and its bluffs. Learn about the plants, animals and birds that live in these different habitats. Bald eagles are often sighted flying nearby early in the year during nesting season.

In the museum aquarium, view the longnose gar and shovelnose sturgeon as they have appeared in the river since the Jurassic period. River Timelineis a large display showing the history of the Mississippi itself. Mississippi in Motion shows how river forces have changed the course of the river over time.

Learn about sedimentation, moving water and the Mississippi River watershed. Ecology exhibits explain the importance of water quality and quantity and describe why limiting personal water consumption is important for conserving overall water resources.

The National Great Rivers Museum is in Alton, Illinois, about a 30-minute drive north of St. Louis, Missouri. Join one of the lock tours, which take about 45 to 60 minutes and are provided three times daily. Museum entrance and locks tours are free. Visit the museum during the Great Rivers Festival in June for music, crafts and activities.

## Plan a trip to see National Great Rivers Museum

Price found within the past 48 hours. Click for updated prices.

![HoteLumiere at the Arch - A Caesars Rewards Destination](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/2000000/1830000/1828900/1828851/96d30602_y.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=900&h=506&q=mediumHigh)

### HoteLumiere at the Arch - A Caesars Rewards Destination

Downtown St. Louis

CA $964

per person

May 14 - May 17

found 12 hours ago

Roundtrip non-stop flight included

Edmonton (YEG) to St. Louis (STL)

6.8/10 (1,000 reviews)

Definitely needs some updates and a little TLC

Reviewed on Mar 9, 2026

![The Cheshire](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/1000000/30000/26100/26061/24983857_y.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=900&h=506&q=mediumHigh)

### The Cheshire

CA $1,372

per person

May 14 - May 17

found 12 hours ago

Roundtrip non-stop flight included

Edmonton (YEG) to St. Louis (STL)

8.6/10 Excellent! (1,009 reviews)

It had unique decor which was fun. Staff was nice But the lights were broken and there was a leftover can under a chair

Reviewed on Apr 1, 2026

![DoubleTree by Hilton St. Louis Forest Park](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/2000000/1090000/1082400/1082373/ce4899f0_y.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=900&h=506&q=mediumHigh)

### DoubleTree by Hilton St. Louis Forest Park

Central West End

CA $1,289

per person

May 14 - May 17

found 12 hours ago

Roundtrip non-stop flight included

Edmonton (YEG) to St. Louis (STL)

8.2/10 Very Good! (1,001 reviews)

Kevin at the front desk was kind, courteous and most friendly— super nice and accommodating young fellow. Also, Liz, who works her rear end off at the morning breakfast is amazing— worth a good tip every day. Super disappointed, however, in the breakfast—NO fault of Liz or her crew that works for breakfast. Have been going to this hotel at least once a year for many years now. They always have various college, possibly high school teams in the Hotel. This year, the teams seem to be less courteous and have to wonder how their rooms look when they left. They would come to the breakfast and devour simply everything. As an example this morning, I was there before 8 AM and basically all that was left with scrambled eggs and some sausage links. No fruit, no milk for cereal no oatmeal no bagels or pastries and even all the juices were empty. Several people in my party did not have breakfast included with the room and I paid an extra $20 a day to get nothing to eat. Several people that came after 8 AM were very upset and I feel Hilton will lose customers over having these teams in House. Wondering if these teams are more stable than the average paying customer. Also in the room itself I feel the bathroom desperately needs some updating. Old-fashioned very low toilets and the caulking in my shower around the toilet was not only unsightly, but I wondered how clean. Also, the bed in the room I was in with dreadful. very disappointed in our trip there this time.

Reviewed on Mar 29, 2026

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#### Lincoln Douglas Square

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#### Riverview Park

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