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ALTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, will be celebrating 20 years since the opening of its National Great Rivers Museum. The celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 4, and will include informational tables and children’s activities at more than 20 stations, as well as several food trucks.
Previous media announcements have outlined the many activities occurring as part of this event, from the volunteer recognition at 9:30 a.m. to the official commemoration of the Museum at 12:00 p.m., to a river recreation public Q&A panel at 1:30 p.m., but more is yet being added to this family-friendly day for the community.
“We’re going to have a towboat, open for public tours, all day,” said Allison Rhanor, Natural Resources Specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Director of the National Great Rivers Museum. “It had been our hope all along, but with harvest season underway, compounded by low water conditions, spare tows are hard to come by. It’s a busy time on the river, so we are thrilled by this last-minute addition.”
Another component of this Saturday’s event that has proven extremely popular are the 90-minute behind-the-scenes tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam. While open tours of the typical public tour areas are available to all for the duration of the event, these special in-depth tours, though free, require advance registration due to limited space. “We knew the spots would fill, but I think we were a little surprised by just how fast they went,” said Rhanor. “Many are disappointed to see that registration is already full. We have found a way to add a very limited number of additional spots, so I encourage everyone to check that registration link again and see if you can’t snag one of those extra spots we released.”
Anyone who doesn’t get an advance registration spot secured for one of these special tours has the option to show up to the National Great Rivers Museum on November 4th to get on a waitlist, should one of the registered attendees not show and a spot becomes available. “Now that we see the demand for this kind of offering, we’ll definitely be looking into how we can provide something like this on a more regular, perhaps annual, basis. We’ve heard loud and clear that there are many people out there eager to hear and see more from us, so we’ll work to make that happen.”
The free tow tours will be going on from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., as are the open tours and the rest of the festivals activities, but those wishing to sign up for a spot on one of the behind-the-scenes tours can do so at this link: https://bitly.ws/YCgK .The behind-the-scenes tours are not ADA accessible, and proof of U.S. Citizenship is required upon arrival.
“Food trucks, activities for kids, guest speakers, tow tours, and it’s looking like good weather to top it all off,” said Rhanor. “I really don’t think this is a time to miss out on a visit to the National Great Rivers Museum.”
The National Great Rivers Museum is located at 2 Locks and Dam Way, Alton IL and is open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The National Great Rivers Museum is a congressionally approved Class-A Regional Visitor’s Center, one of only about a dozen such facilities owned and operated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers across the country. Since opening its doors 20 years ago, this Alton staple has seen more than one million visitors, with an additional 300,000 community members reached by museum staff at off-site locations across the region. With its offering of free, daily tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam and its location along the Great River Road and the Meeting of the Rivers National Scenic Byway, the National Great Rivers Museum has become an international tourism draw as well as a local favorite for school groups or friends and families looking to spend a day together.
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