mississippi river visitors center

If you have never seen barges go through the locks on the Mississippi go here. Kids will find it very interesting, along with the adults. And it is free.

This was better than I thought it would be and the staff were very knowledgable I'd recommend it timanyone young or old, it's worth it!!

Helpful staff. Lots of materials, brochures and maps, to take with to make the most of the visit. Nice facility.

Recently visited Rock Island Arsenal for business, and had enough free time to visit the visitor's center before heading home. The staff were very smart, and they knew the history and mechanics of the lock structures. Comparing the size of a typical river barge to a semi-truck/trail car really puts the sheer volume and tonnage that can be carried up and down the river in perspective. In additon, the swivel bridge built in 1890's that crosses the barge channel and connects Rock Island Arsenal and Davenport, IA is cool. It's amazing that a steel/iron structure built 100+ years ago in a humid river environment can still function properly with minimal corrosion and issues associated with moving a heavy bridge span several times a day. The exhibits showing the local culture and wildlife along the river were also helpful in planning a brief day trip along the river and Quad Cities area. Recommend checking out the visitor's center if in the area. Remember that it's on a military installation with a 25 mph speed limit in most areas, so be aware of base access procedures and watch your speed when driving on the island. Also be aware that the bridge traffic flow from Davenport, IA to Rock Island Arsenal will be disrupted for several (30+) minutes when a barge is actually crossing the locks.

This is a nice place to stop. We like the Mississippi River area. We camp along the river a lot. It is nice and it's free, if you take your time going through it, you can learn a lot.

Very friendly worker at the center. Willing to give us lots of goon info and maps of things to do in area

We went to the dam and visitor center on a weekend. It was harder to get on the base since not all of the gates were open. Be sure to have a driver's license for every adult or they will not let you on the base. They are also very strict about the speed limit. The visitor's center is small but it has an observation deck over the locks to easily see the locks in use. We were lucky that a barge was going through the lock as we arrived so we got to see it be lowered. The river was running very high so there was not a visible drop in the water. The NPS rangers were very informative about the process. It is worth about an hour if you watch a barge go through.

This place is worth a visit if you are in the area. The attraction is on Rock Island Arsenal so you have to go through the military gate to get there. No big deal but adults do need a picture ID with them to enter. If you have children with you, this is a hurry up and wait sort of place. We were wanting to see a barge go though the lock and dam. Luckily, there was a play area for our kids while they waited between stages. There was a barge getting ready to go through but it was almost an hour long process from the time the first gate opened to the bridge closing its 360 degree swivel on the other side. The river traffic varies so there is no way to be sure that something will pass through when you stop. There was an excellent movie that we saw before hand that was perfect to explain about the river and the locks and dams. My six year old learned a lot from the movie. There is an outdoor viewing area which was cold and windy the day we were there but does provide an unobstructed view. Great learning experience for all of us.

The Mississippi River Visitors Center is located in the Rock Island Arsenal. It provides a good view of the nearby lock and a working model to aid the understanding of how a lock works. It is an educational stop for young and old alike.

We got to see the largest tow boat on the Mississippi river go through the locks. It was awesome. There was film about the river and the history of the locks.

My wife and I still don't understand the need for locks on the river, but that isn't the fault of the center, because it does it's best to present the information several different ways. There is an interesting video telling about the river and the locks, but I think the best part is being able to see the locks in action. I jsut wish we could have had that chance! Anyway, it was a very nice time and I'm glad we stopped. The people working there are very informative, and there is even an opportunity to take a guided walking tour of the lock and dam system.

Glassed overlook of river locks. We actually got to see a boat enter from downriver and pass just below us on its was upriver. Interesting 15 minute video explaining the lock system on the Mississippi River.

We visited this center on June 9th. It is located on a military base. You need a picture ID to enter. There are park rangers present and they answer all your questions. In June on sundays they do a guided tour, but because of the flood it was cancelled. They are in the progress of changing the exhibit. Do not forget to watch the video which explains how the boats pass the lock. If you are lucky you see it happen in real time.

THe visitor center has a working model of the how a Lock & Dam works. You can also view Lock 15 for the real thing. Worth visiting. The information guides are so informative. A must see.

There are museums throughout the mid west, but how often can you actually watch an actual Tow Boat with a Load of Barges travel through one of the Lock-and-Dam systems on the Mississippi? Come experience something that you may never have seen before.