Erie Canal Museum Reviews

I learned so much about the canal that I didnt know. It is fun and educational. There are interactive things to do. Kids will love it. They have a room upstairs for kids to play, read or be kids. There is an actual boat in the area that used to be the canal. You learn things that I can bet you didnt know. I think all kids should go, adults too. The gift shop has something for everyone. The girl at the front desk when you come in is very knowledgeable and friendly.

This museum is wonderful. Great displays, some interactive. We marveled at this amazing undertaking and how hard the work was. I have wanted to go here for years growing up in western NY and now live in Watertown. It did not disappoint. If you love history don't miss it. Find out how NY became the Empire State. The staff were helpful and friendly. I did wonder why the Black River Canal was not included in the display.

We were on our way to Niagara falls for a helicopter ride when we learned that weather cancelled flights for the day. On the Thruway we saw signs on the historic Erie canal. Stopped in Syracuse for the museum. Very pleasant morning - dry and warm. We learned a lot about the canal, had fun and plan to torture our grandchildren with facts about the growth of our nation during the first hundred years.

The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse is a great way to learn about the tremendous impact the historic waterway had on the development of New York State and the nation. It is housed in the historic Weighlock Building, the only remaining structure of its kind that still exists. Its photographs, displays, and artifacts are laid out in a way that leaves visitors of any age with a feel and appreciation for the era. Admission is by donation.

This place isn't promoted as well as it deserves. Though small and hard to find, it is well worth an hour to see one of the few remaining artifacts of one of the great engineering achievements of early America. Inaugurated in 1825, the canal literally opened the Great Lakes region to commerce with and settlement by the newly formed nation. You see a segment of the canal, a restored canal boat and a nice, small museum of the history of the canal. Highly recommended for anyone who cares about American history.

I've lived in the Syracuse area my entire life and finally visited this museum. The exhibits and history were outstanding. Well worth the visit!

I think I have already stated in a "draft"(? , maybe the T.A. editors can figure this out....)that we were quite pleased to find this place: It is well presented at a good price and got us into Syracuse and the history of the EC.

I have been here many times. I have gone by myself and with kids and there is always something new to learn. I think the kids really enjoy the ships and the different scenes set up inside the museum. It is also really awesome that after you leave the museum you can walk along the many of the landmarks that the museum points out. It is on Erie Blvd. which is built right over the Eire Canal. It is a great piece of history and a lot of fun for everyone. It takes maybe an hour to walk through but then you can take a walk around or eat lunch downtown.

Though I grew up in upstate Pennsylvania and traveled to New York frequently, I never had the opportunity to see this wonderful museum! So many informative displays! I absolutely loved seeing the original weigh lock as well! Multiple rooms to roam through and very informative museum staff. This museum is a must see!

Located in downtown Syracuse - where the Erie Canal once ran (who knew?) - this pleasant museum offers an interesting, detailed look at the Canal's history. Housed in a former "weigh house," where canal boats were weighed and assigned a toll to be collected, the museum includes a replica canal boat that you can walk through. Convenient on-street parking is available right in front of the museum. I really enjoyed my visit.

My wife and I had a free morning on Saturday so we stopped in at opening at 10am. Plenty of street parking ($1.25 per hour using a credit card in a machine). We spent 2 hours that simply flew by - there are so many interesting exhibits, explanations, hands on exhibits, a genuine canal boat, immersive learning about weighlocks exhibit, short movies, a terrific section on donkeys mules and horses, and much much more. The upstairs floor has interesting mockups of stages, taverns, stores from long ago. we learning so much about the canal, the politics, the funding, the history of Syracuse, the original and newer canal routes. Highly recommended - easily could spend two hours at a minimum. The children we saw were having a grand time especially upstairs.

We stopped here during a 1-day visit to Syracuse, and we are so glad that we did. It's packed with information that is presented in a way that kept my 12-year-old (and the adults) interested. We learned about the people who built the canal through first-hand, written accounts and the history and mechanics of the canal. There was a replica boat that you could enter, and just enough hands-on learning. We spent just under an hour there, and could have stayed longer, but were hungry for nearby Dinosaur BBQ (go there as well!) The greeter was friendly, and we liked that although admission is free, there is a suggested donation of $10, which was absolutely worth it!

Not only is the museum manned with very sweet and informative volunteers; you will learn about one of the great construction projects in New York which helped build our country.

We stayed in Syracuse one night during a road trip. My teenagers both said that this was their favorite stop while here. Both really enjoyed how interactive the museum is and took a lot of photos. I enjoyed it as well. It's well worth any visitor's time, and they had a reasonably priced gift shop too.

It's a great place to learn about the history and those engineering behind the canal. It can provide a bigger picture about the impact. I learned it after some reading and realized how important this canal is for the region.

This museum is interesting for kids and adults alike! Great history of the canal system and explanation of how they function. They even have a canal boat to explore. The exhibits are great and I know they they are continually adding new exhibits. Great small gift shop too!

The museum was kind of difficult to find, mostly because we're not used to cities and the streets did this weird redirecting thing, but once we did find it, it was so cool. We three were the only ones there, as it was REALLY cold outside and a Friday night, when no one's up for learning. The man working there was friendly and patient with us, answering all of our questions, and then he let us roam! I was a little sad to find not all of the exhibits up and running, but again; only ones there. The museum itself had a lot of really neat displays and original documents, and some decent explanations on why and how things worked the way they did. And there was a display boat you could climb on and check out, which I think made the learning part more tolerable... all in all, it was really neat to walk inside of a piece of the past that's so well exhibited. I would definitely go back to spend more time if I get the chance.

We were passing through PA and stopped here based on reviews. Very well done museum, esp considering its small footprint, with cute gift shop and very friendly staff. Layed out well and interestingly. Elizabeth Cotten exhibit was a highlight. Wish we had the kids with us — they would have loved the interactive exhibits (canal-lock systems explained, etc), reproduced period rooms, and exploring the canal boat even more than we did!

Great small museum & is definitely worth a stop. Exhibits are well prepared with good pictures of the period & east to read content. The walk through the original hallway out to the lock, scale & boat brought it to reality. The museum host is also delightful & shares his enthusiasm.

A visit to the museum will deliver insight into the impact he canal had on the development of the region. The railroad supplanted the importance of the canal as a mode of transportation that connected the East to the Midwestern States. Nonetheless, the canal led the financial, public and labor force infrastructure that eventually would make the regions attractive to manufacturing - little has replaced the influence of the canal once manufacturing employment began to decline in the region. Very interesting exhibits.

Wonderful first experience at the Erie Canal Museum. Lots to learn, volunteers and guides were very pleasant and knowledgeable about the Erie Canal system! I highly recommend to anyone, any age looking for a two or three hour educational and fun experience to go!

It was a great museum. We checked it out during our trip during the expo and weren't disappointed. So much history!

Great exhibits and John, a strongly knowledgeable tour guide (exhibits some of which were hands on could be done self guided as well). If you love American history this is an absolute must!! Defines the system of tolls based upon barge weight which is the basis of trucking weight assessment for the future interstate highway system. Identifies the changing requirements of the original and subsequent Barge Canal System.

It doesn't take much time to tour the museum, but you will learn everything there is to know about the canal if you spend some time reading.

This museum was a weighlock building used for the collection of tolls and inspection of boats and barges in the old day. We learned so much about the history and design of the Erie Canal. The children had fun playing dress-up and the hands-on exhibits.

The Erie Canal Museum is a small space that is packed with great information and exhibits. The building sits alongside a historical portion of the canal. The second floor has a "historical play area" for kids. Recommend getting a bite across the street at JJ's Miss Syracuse Diner and then going to the museum if you have elementary aged kids. Recommended donation for admission. Budgeting an hour would be more than enough time to take it in.

We didn’t know where to park our car. We asked the one in charge of this museum where we could park our car. She told us that on Saturdays we can park on the other side of the Museum. There is a warning that cars will be hauled out. However, no one verity the cars on Saturdays and she was right.

The museum was dedicated to the Erie Canal. It was the golden days of that time. They were erecting waterways so that goods and people could head to any town in the vicinity of the Erie Canal.

We were able to get into one of these boats. As long no one was in the way of the crew, the passengers could do anything they wanted. Some fished at the top of the boat, others read and some slept.

Lots of hotels and grocery stores started to build the necessity for all these travelers.

Eventually the Erie Canal was not profitable anymore. Trains were faster and were the latest fashion for traveling.

There was so much to see in this museum and I learned quite a lot here. It’s worthwhile to visit it. Wow! I There were so many exhibitions!

Historical sites are educational and informative. Often, they can help visitors learn more about an event or something else for which little is known among the general public. The Erie Canal is definitely something that most are aware of, but few know much about. A good way to change this is by visiting the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York.

The Erie Canal Museum is dedicated to the engineering feat that helped stimulate the New York economy and helped make transporting goods more efficient. The original canal connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie and was over 360 miles in length. The strenuous work that went into the construction of the canal, its impact on business and life, and many other factors are covered well at the museum, with a combination of audio and non- audio educational material.

The exhibits at the museum are informative and one of the items included that will interest many is a reproduced packet boat. Guests can walk on board the boat and get a feel for what life was like for those who used the Erie Canal for transportation purposes. The canal was not that wide, so boats were limited in size. There are more interactive exhibits to be found throughout the museum.

Parking can be an issue when you visit here, as there are no directly adjacent parking lots designated for guests. However, there are parking lots in the vicinity- you just have to look for them. The spaces intended for guest are labeled as visitor center parking. I found it was best to just park on the street, close to the entrance. It required far less walking and the price was low. There is no entrance fee to the museum itself, so paying for parking is a small thing to ask. They do, of course, accept and recommend donations to the museum and all are encouraged to give.

The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the Syracuse Weighlock building, one of the actual places where boats on the canal would pass through, to check their weight and determine their toll. It is definitely a well- executed interpretive museum and trust me when I say that you will come away knowing more than you did before.

My Girl Scout troop and I have been to a couple events held at the museum, and each time they went above and beyond to ensure that the girls had a great time & learned about their local history. It was a lot of fun for me, too!

Much to learn here in this historic museum. Well documented history and great staff . The site is easy to find with parking nearby. Their gift shop was limited but with good books and such. Estimated 1-1.5 hour time to enjoy it all,

Nice little museum. No set admission fee, but they do ask for donations. Multi-level museum. You get to walk onto an old canal boat and get a sense of what it would have been like. Unfortunately, some of the exhibits weren't functioning. An okay way to spend about an hour or so.

The museum is a must see for Central New York history! Family friendly and educational and conveniently located downtown Syracuse.

Much information about the companies that built up along the canal route. A replica of a canal boat. And the interior of the old weigh station reflects interior design of the time.

Many interactive displays, including a play area for children.

Definitely worth the time to visit !

A great museum with period photos and details. Incredible information about the canal and local history with donation admission.

We stopped by this museum on our first full day in Syracuse and it opened our eyes to what you don't see when you visit - the canal that used to run through the heart of downtown and made the city what it was before the railroads. The museum boasts informative graphics, a historic canal boat, and historical information in a historic weigh lock for the canal ( we didn't even realize the historic nature of the building until we went in). I would definitely recommend the museum for folks getting to know the early years of Syracuse and the contributions of the canal.

Admission is by donation, though they suggest a more than reasonable $10. Give what you can to help!

The museum is housed in a unique historic building tied to the Erie Canal. Like most people I am not an Erie Canal aficionado, and I remember little about it from history. This simple museum does a great job of telling the history and the incredible importance the Erie Canal, and other canals in the US, played in the positive development and growth of our country. Two floor, with most of the museum on the first floor does a very good job of telling the story and can be covered in 1 to 2 hours.

This makes for a unique and fairly quick stop for people in Syracuse or just diving through (it is close to the highway ramps in downtown).

A nice gem to add variety to your trip

My husband and I were on a senior tour when we stopped here to visit the museum. How thrilling! How shameful since we lived in Syracuse and are former Buffalonians and never visit here. We viewed the Locktender's Garden designed by the Syracuse Garden Club. It is a representation of gardens typically grown at locks since the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. It features plants popular in the Victorian era. It is a great museum to visit and very educational. Illustrates the actual building of the Erie Canal and the locks. We took one of the lock cruises and it was enjoyable. Took lots of pictures. Great exhibits and you can actually go on one of the replica boats on display. Nice pic too! Don't miss this one!

I got the recommendation from this site to visit the Erie canal museum. We have 5 children under 9yrs old, so sometimes things can get a bit pricey, this place was FREE!! and was very educational and hands on. We could even walk on a child like size boat and experience what it is like to ride on the Erie canal. We will be back!

We walked to this museum from our hotel. It was about a 10 minute walk. It was a nice surprise. We thought it would be a small cheesy museum but it had wonderful artifacts and interactive displays for everyone. We learned a lot about the history of the canal and the area. It was really fun.

Lots for the kids to learn here ..great family activity... went there with my children on a school outing and was quite impressed

It was exactly as advertised. Not fancy but exactly what you would expect. Worked for me. The history and artifacts were well done.

I love New York State history. We are very fortunate that this building was saved. The Erie Canal Museum is worth seeing. Unfortunately we had difficulty finding it even with the GPS. It is very close to the highway and kind of blends in with some small businesses in the area. Parking is difficult and limited close by. Better to go on a Sunday when the area is not very busy. Enjoy. In fact make it a point to start a journey in Albany and trace the canal all the way to Buffalo.

This is a small well contained museum
If you are interested in locks and their role In the economic development of North America you will like this museum
The Erie Canal was an incredible achievement stretching over 360 miles
At the museum you learn about the politics involved to build the canal, how it was built and its
impact

There are parts of U.S. history we seldom think about, but some have been so influential that they should be more closely remembered. This is the case with the Erie Canal, and the Erie Canal Museum tells us why.
Located in downtown Syracuse, the museum is housed in the Weighlock Building, which operated as a lock that weighed the boats, in order to determine how much a boat’s toll would be to traverse the canal. Built in 1883, it is the only surviving weighlock building.

Within the museum, open in 1962, one can learn about the canal’s engineering and its significant contribution to commercial shipping, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Reading ahead to learn about the museum, we felt we needed to visit it. A gentleman inside greeted us and gave us a nice introduction. He pointed outside a window to a byway and bridge where the canal used to be open and in service. Now, this lock has been built over and filled in. The canal was very narrow.

We followed the green taped arrows on the carpet, which wound around the exhibit halls and read the info on the history of the canal. The museum holds a boatload of information on the canal’s accomplishments. The Erie Canal was the first navigable waterway that ran from Lake Erie to the Hudson River. Dubbed “the Nation’s First Superhighway,” it allowed the entire Great Lakes region to grow and prosper by bringing goods and people across the Appalachians. Building began in 1817 and was completed eight years later. Within a year, revenues had paid for the cost to build it. Thus, it was declared a civil engineering success.

The canal was the second longest in the world, covering 363 miles, was forty feet wide and four feet deep. Now, it is 351 miles long, 120 feet wide and twelve feet deep. With thirty-four locks, it rises and falls with a 565 foot difference. These days, since other more proficient means of commercial transports have come into use, the Erie Canal waterway is used for recreational purposes.

A part of the museum is dedicated to showing how life was along the canal with its different businesses and entertainments. Small sets were built to show a bank, a tavern, a general store and a theater. One room portrayed a canal master is at his desk, no doubt working out what the fee to be for a certain canal barge that is in the weighlock. Extra trunks were on display, samples of what a passenger might use to travel with. The museum displays over 50,000 items: tools, canal boat equipment, models, furnishings, household items, costumes, sketches, drawings, paintings, photographs, rare books, maps, receipts and manuscripts. Then we could go outside the main building into an enclosed room, and step on to a life size replica of a canal boat, called the Frank Buchanan Thomson. An elevator, fully painted to look as if one is standing on the bow of a canal ship, goes up one floor to more displays and a lecture hall.

Also on display was a blue wedding dress, an 1886 classic fashion style during its day. White was not worn yet for that special day. This type of dress was intended to also be worn for other social and formal occasions after the wedding. Next to it was a hair wreath. To the modern viewer, this might seem peculiar and a bit eerie, but during the Victorian era, it was a customary art, made as a memorial and a token of love. A small amount of hair was taken from the most recent deceased of the family and usually fashioned into a flower, and hang from the center. This remained until another relative died, and then it was moved to the side and made part of the outer décor of the wreath.

We thoroughly enjoyed this walk down memory lane to a era where transportation on a barge was an ongoing adventure. One is left to wonder how marvelous it must have been to cruise down the Erie Canal and see the world go by.

My wife and I were cycling the Erie Canal Path from Buffalo to Albany. As we stayed 2 nights in Syracuse, we made time to visit the Erie Canal Museum. In a nutshell, it was very interesting, with some interactive exhibits, and allowed us to better understand the history of the region through which we were traveling and the engineering feats that allowed the canal to be built. Additionally, the staff at the museum were extremely helpful, to the point of calling ahead to hotels to help us find lodging after we left Syracuse.

Anyone with interest in the early history of our country should love this place. And it's FREE! (donation suggested)

Great little museum...would have loved to listen to all the exhibits we passed by. Several had outdated hand held phones where only one at a time could hear. It would have been real good to have listened to Ms. Cotton playing the guitar. No button to push, etc. All in all, a lot of reading and wonderful pictures. Still worth going.

Well designed and packed with interesting facts and stories, this was definitely worth the visit. The museum is free but assume a $10 donation per person. The attendant at the front was welcoming and very helpful. He provided a nice overview and a historical perspective on how the canal was moved from Syracuse and where we could drive to see the old canal. We enjoyed our time there.

The Erie Canal Museum is a small museum that documents the amazing history of the building of the Canal and the profound effects that it had on New York City, New York State, and the Mid-West. The museum was well presented and it will probably take an hour or two to explore. The suggested admission fee is $5. The museum was interesting and it is worth a trip while in the Syracuse area, but it isn’t worth traveling to for the museum alone.

Lets face it, how much history about the Erie Canal is there? We did the whole museum in 30 minutes and the $12 pp price tag was way too high. I would prefer it be $7 and then ask for additional donations.
There are a couple (like 3) interaction features and the boat is fun to walk through. Other than that. Its just eh. We went for the gingerbread house display which was a total waste of time.

We stopped by on our way to Niagara Falls. Only spent an hour and half there, but it's worth the trip to go there. I wish we we had more time to explore Syracuse.

If you haven't visited the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, NY, you're missing a peak into creation of a historical landmark. From the pictures, to the artifacts, to the replica water vessel, it is amazing and informative. Don't miss it if your planning a visit to Syracuse, NY, or if you live there!!

We are not from the area, so I was a little hesitant about the subject of the Museum but was I pleasantly surprised! It was a short walk from the our hotel and was very inexpensive (donation of $5). The information contained in the Museum is very thorough. I learned a lot about this are of the country and about how important infra-structure is. We spent about an hour and a half exploring. Just a note that while in part of the museum, you are actually in one of the weigh locks from the original canal.

A few years ago, I read "Wedding of the Waters," and have hoped since then to visit the Erie Canal Museum in downtown Syracuse. I enjoyed it a lot. The museum's try at engaging exhibits for children fell flat, in my view, and if you are an adult who is not already intetested, this likely wouldn't grab you, but it was good for me. Great maps and photos, and the curator did a good job of hitting the high points of history. Separately visited 3 old canal sites to supplement the museum.

Nicely curated history and artifacts from when the Erie Canal existed in Syracuse. Great for kids with interactive exhibits (a school group was here during my visit). You'll get to go inside an actual canal boat replica to get a sense for size and what it might have been like to travel the canal, learn about how the canal and its lock system, and better understand the role it played in our country's expansion.

Small but nice gift shop at the entrance, and chatty and knowledgeable staff just waiting to make sure you get the most out of your visit. There is a recommended "donation" for admission - pay it as it's a really nice collection and so much a part of American history. Don't miss the mule sculpture across the street!

If your looking to visit the CNY area then you must include this museum in your itinerary. No matter what time of year there is always something to learn about the areas history but a holiday season visit brings a special warmth to the canals part in make Syracuse the city it is today.

We were fortunate the have John as our tour guide. We have lived by the canal our entire lives but learned a lot from his presentation and the museum

All of the other reviews are spot on. Parking on Sunday is not an issue. I parked across the street in the designated spots under the overpass (I just drove around the block until I found entrance to the parking area. This town was DEAD on Sunday. I did see some homeless/pan handlers in the area.....they weren't bothering anyone....just be aware.

This museum has street parking so can be hard to find, I went here on a Sunday so parking was available. The museum has a lot of interesting information about the Erie Canal, it’s founding, lengthening and widening. The museum is the actual weight house, where weight was added or removed to navigate through the locks of the canal. They have a example of what a canal boat would look like. Altho the actual canal is not close to the museum now, it was filled in to make a street, Canal. I recommend this museum for the history of a long gone past that helped establish a nation.

While traveling through Syracuse, I stopped at the Erie Canal Museum to check it out. I was able to connect with a guided tour already going through and learned a lot of history about the Erie Canal. This site was a weigh station, where the vessels would be weighed to determine what it cost to travel through the canal. There was also a boat that you could walk through to see what it was like "back in the day" to see where people stayed, where the cargo was held and where the crew bunked. This was a great tour and should be accomplished if you are in the area.

My husband and I visited the museum this past week. The welcome was warm, the price was reasonable, and the docents were so knowledgeable. Folks who visit this museum have questions or stories that have to do with genealogy, art, travel, and so much more. The exhibits were very multisensory, learner-friendly, and engaging for students of all ages. The two floors were not enough, and were packed with something for everyone. From theater to industry: fine china-manufacturing beer production, and so much more. It would be easy to spend two days exploring this museum. Their ideas for fundraising inspired me!

Not just for school kids... this is a wonderful museum that tells you everything you always wanted to know about the Erie Canal and it's history... but were afraid to ask! An incredible engineering achievement which tends to get overlooked as time goes by. Fascinating history and facts. And a terrific and friendly staff that will answer any left-over questions you might have after.

Wonderful museum about the Erie canal and its history. Helpful, informative staff. Thank you for perserving this wonderful historic building. Amazing!

I am a history buff & live in Syracuse. I've only gone there once and that was several years ago. It's worth about an hour's visit.

Learn about the history and topography of the Erie Canal through interactive exhibits. Audio guides are worth the investment.

The Erie Canal runs from Lake Erie in Buffalo to the Hudson River in Albany for about 500 miles. The presentation in this museum is a well thought out historical sequence explaining & pictorially depicting the canal in 1825. All of the engineering aspects were explained. Many sections were hand dug through long hours of hard labor. Pictures depict the building of the canal & even life on and along the canal. They have the original boat/barge weigh-in station for charging the tolls which paid for the canal. It also explained the demise of the canal caused by the railroads. The Erie Canal has since turned toward recreational endeavors such as pleasure boats, canal boats, and hiking trails.

Located in downtown Syracuse this museum tells you the history of the Erie canal thru a number of maps, poctures and exhibits. The second part is the original weoghmen's building. It is the only one still in existence where the canal boats were weighed to determine the canal tolls. Great historical place.

We spent a full morning learning about some of the most important projects in the New York state, and interestings facts oo Syracuse´s history. And it was for free!

A family or just adults can all enjoy and learn about an historic time in the building of New York and America.

Museum includes the original weigh master's building on the original Erie Canal. Nicely curated exhibits explain the history and importance of the Erie canals (there were 3 different iterations of the canal). Staff not particularly helpful, just minding the store. Can do in an hour.

Located in the only remaining weigh lock on the Erie Canal, this museum is entry by donation. A weigh lock actually weighed barges to determine use fees in the early years of the canal's history. This has been preserved (1850) in downtown Syracuse where the canal originally ran before enlargement and rerouting through Oneida Lake to the north. Lots of informative displays, a canal boat, interactive activities for children, and your typical gift shop make this a good history buff stop. An extensive collection of memorabilia.

Really enjoyed spending the afternoon at the Erie Canal Museum! The Museum was recently updated and was highly informative about the Erie Canal system. There were two floors- the first had lots of memorabilia and information. The second floor had vignettes of a saloon, store, theater...and a play area for children where they could play dress up in the era of the Erie canal. We really enjoyed the part of the museum that was an actual building from the Era that had weighed the boats on the canal! It had a boat you could enter and feel how it felt to be on the canal path. This museum asks for a donation ($5). Well worth the donation we made!

This was well worth the time spent to go through this wonderful museum of the Erie Canal. Informative, eye appealing and can be done in an hour.

This museum is fantastic! The gentleman who took us around was very interesting. His family worked on the canal. He emphasized the unbelievable achievement of the time and the impact it had on NY, the US and the World.
There is free parking across the street.

While passing through Syracuse on a two day trip, I discovered the Erie Canal Museum. It was very interesting. The museum is housed in a surviving canal weigh station building. The exhibits provided real insight into how the Erie Canal helped to shape New York City into the country’s largest city and commercial center, as well as shape the whole of New York State. The canal’s importance to the development of Buffalo, Syracuse and Utica was brought out. It was also interesting to learn of the canal’s role in bringing immigrants to the Midwest, and learning about the mechanics of building and operating the canal.

A good experience for children and adults to understand the origin of the Erie Canal, construction process and it's impact along the cities of the canal. Good interactive exhibits and kids will love the actual canal boat. Weigh station is interesting and the origins of the toll system. Admission @$5 is reasonable. Go in December for the annual Gingerbread House exhibit.

So those 8 spots they mention on their website? They are tucked away across the street in a state employee parking lot with lots of signage warning against towing. The spots are marked with brown signs saying “visitor center”. Once we got parked, the museum was interesting, but very hard to understand regarding which direction you should go inside to follow the progression of the exhibits. Some museums have a natural flow, and this one did not. Bathrooms upstairs FYI.

We made an impromptu decision to visit the Erie Canal Museum while we were visiting Syracuse. And boy, are we glad we did! We were greeted enthusiastically by Dick, who shared the story of the museum and the Erie Canal as it once was in downtown Syracuse and answered our questions. The museum is set up for self-guided visit as one follows the arrowed pathways throughout. The museum exhibits are well executed, with lots of pictures and tons of information. There is a real canal boat on display. And this is all housed in an original Weighlock building from the Canal days! Nearby are a historic marker and a statue relating to Canal history.

Don't miss this museum if you want to know about the Erie Canal! Many hands on exhibits, movies and artifacts!

An informative museum about the history of the Erie Canal from its origins to its current state. A small museum but we spent at least hour and half walking through reading and viewing videos.
The person at the counter was very knowledgeable about the museum. No charge but asked for a donation. Worth the visit.

This is a small museum but holds volumes of information about the Erie canal and its place in Syracuse history.

The building housing the Museum was built in 1849-- and was used to weigh vessels in order to determine the applicable fee/toll for using the Canal. When the fees were abolished, the building was vacant until 1962 when it was converted, over a period to the present into the Museum [by local residents]. The collection includes a full size (reconstructed 50 foot bat as well as about 50,000 diverse and interesting items related to the Erie (and other) canal(s). Its definitely worthy of a visit. A donation ($5.00 is recommended) can be made upon entry.

I hope that this Review was helpful.

As others have said, it's a small museum. I like that. It has a focus. It was interesting to see the politics that went into building the canal and choosing it's route and how it's changed over time. If the canal still ran through Syracuse it would be a completely different place than it is today. It's good that the museum building was preserved to share that history and spark the imagination! I had just mentioned that there's a canal museum in Honesdale, PA to my husband and at the top of the stairs to the second floor he pointed out an illustration of the Stourbridge Lion - referencing Honesdale's history as part of the canal system and railroad. The museum is well done! Anyone interested in history will enjoy it. It's not specifically a children's museum. It's appropriate for all ages.

This museum presents the history, from conception to present day, of this monumental effort of 200 years ago. The cleverness, the inventiveness, and the dedication of our forebears is beyond impressive as it was initially brought forth without the use of engines,

It’s small but so informative. I had a wonderful time walking through the museum and looking at all the exhibits and displays. The staff is so nice and friendly. Great place to spend a couple of hours.

The Erie Canal Museum is rather small. Located on a side street, one should not need much more than an hour, maybe 90 minutes, to tour the place. The exhibits are very good and really bring home the importance of the Erie Canal system that thrived until railroads came along. Admission is on a donation basis - $5 per person is recommended. We parked on the street - there is a charge but it is minimal.

Has some interesting exhibits. But packed too much with information and really didn't have fun or enjoy going there. But it has value for people who like a lot of information.

All members of the family will enjoy a visit to the Erie Canal Museum. the docents are friendly and highly informative.

This is a must do when visiting syracuse. It is free which is always nice, but it has great history and it is really fun place to take pictures and have a family day out.

The museum has really come a long way over the years. My friend and I had a great time perusing the exhibits.

Every year we come to view the display of gingerbread submitted by community groups, families and professionals. The creativity is remarkable and evokes memories along with making them. It is not too large and perfect for younger children to view easily.

Housed in the last remaining weighstation building on the Erie Canal this museum offers a comprehensive history of one of 19th century America's greatest engineering feats. We stopped in Syracuse and spent an hour at this delightful little museum. The admission price of $5.00 was money well-spent. The short (@12 minute)film sets the stage for the exhibits and the difficulty of building a canal across New York State in the 1820 era is well documented with displays that include a recreation of a canal boat as well as a general store of that era. An elevator is available to get to the 2nd floor, clean bathrooms, and the gift shop is well stocked with books, postcards, etc. I learned a lot and have a much greater appreciation of the tremendous work needed to clear a wilderness, dig a 40 foot wide "ditch" with numerous locks in a time when construction was done without modern machinery. Well worth a visit when traveling through the Syracuse region.

Visited the Erie canal museum in Syracuse. Wonderful historical facts and pictures about the ear canals history. Lady at the front desk was very helpful and informative. Great place to take your young folk to learn about how the canal was made and how it helped expand America. Free admission of the a $5 donation is suggested. Parking is a little difficult but if you look you can find somewhere to park.

My wand I visited on Thursday in October. It was awesome. Truly enjoyed the visit. The staff was friendly and informative. Learning so much about the Erie Canal and it’s history. The suggested donation upon our arrival was well worth it. We should never forget what the past has taught us.

How did they ever pull this off over 200 years ago?
An amazing engineering achievement to consider.
The whole story is well explained here from start to heyday to its demise

I took my 5 yr old granddaughter here on xmas break to see the gingerbread houses--its a lot of fun for both of us, after we went to Clinton square ice rink for skating. lots of info & relics from the past--history of erie canal, many hands on exhibits for young kids & an actual replica of the boats they used on the canal, kids can go on board & investigate & touch everything. a fun day for adult & child!

Absolutely loved this visit to museum. Great pictures of canal being built. A boat to tour so one could see the actual space family's lived on. Nice gift shop friendly staff.

A great and information history museum with fabulous antiques. I got a wonderful overview of NY history. Suggested $10 donation worth every penny.

It's small but it has a lot of photographs from the old days and even has a canal boat. I guess this museum used to be a weigh station along the canal so it has all that paraphernalia, too. They have educational videos explaining the history of the Erie Canal. All in all, a nice visit.

A great little museum! I took my 6th grader and I learned so much! Lady who was working was knowledgeable and helpful.

This is a great place to go if you have some time available, and you are in the neighborhood. It gives you an idea of how the canal was built, and the mechanics of the canal. The staff was very nice.

The museum is quite nice and I enjoyed it, once I was able to find a parking place. The directions given on the website didn't match what I was able to find on a Sunday morning driving around underneath the freeways. The streets were parked full because of chuches in session. There was NO sign directing one to the Museum Parking space, and no cars were parked anywhere in that lotso I was loathe to make my rental car a target. The only brown signs I saw were for the Syracuse Visitor Center, not the Erie Canal Museum. I ended up parking in a sketchy parking garage about 5 blocks away (see my Warren Parking Garage review) that overcharged me and is falling apart inside. So a little better signage in the lot you recommend people use would be helpful. The $10 "donation" is pretty much required.

A well curated and informative museum experience. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the museum property is well maintained. This is a must for anyone interested in peering into the city of Syracuse's formative years, and learning about a pivotal period in New York State history.

Neat Museum, able to learn about the Erie Canal, trials and tribulations of living back then, nice pictures and exhibits.

I absolutely loved this museum. I learned so much about the history of the Erie Canal through very interesting and informative displays and short films. Kathleen, the woman who works at the front desk, was extremely helpful and knowledgeable, not just about the museum, but also about sites of interest in the area. I highly recommend a visit to this museum if you are in town.

Located on the site of the Erie Canal as it passed through Syracuse, NY. The building is a restored Weigh-lock. We spent 2 hours getting a terrific overview of the history of the Erie Canal. No admission is required, but a $5 donation per person is requested. It was worth the stop!

What a wonderful museum! Time well spent on a trip to the area. Upstairs and down, a great history trip through the building and use of the Erie Canal and it's importance to New York. Loved it!

the museum provides a thorough history of the Erie Canal. Displays are well organized, exhibits are excellent and the museum is very clean. Staff are excellent, polite, friendly and very helpful

What a great way to spend a cold snow day. The staff were extremely friendly. From the outside this place is deceiving, doesn't look very big. Once inside, it just keeps going. So much information and history, very well displayed.
I enjoyed sitiing and watching the DVD, it was about 30 mins long and it gave great insight to the towns and the canal.
Loved how the boat was displayed, you can actually go in it! I really enjoyed walking through and seeing what it was.like. It really takes you into the era. Upstairs, 2nd floor was fabulous, the displays were full of so much memorabilia from years gone by. We spent 2hrs here and still that wasn't enough time.
There is free 2hr parking across the road of the museum, under the overpass. Not easy to find, a parking officer was in the lot and directed us to the spots. We were told only to park in those spots or we would be fined.
The 4 car spaces are on the right hand side, closer to the intersection and road. Keep in mind the parking inspectors are around!

My son and I had a few hours to kill in Syracuse and decided to pay the museum a visit. Admission is free; but a donation is strongly encouraged - recommendation of $10/person was worth it. Coincidence would have it that we had an elderly tour guide named Peter who took us in as members of his small tour group. Being in his company for 1.5 hours was delightful. He was extremely knowledgeable, personable, witty and humorous. I can't remember the last time I was entertained and learned so much at the same time.

so many displays with tools and artifacts original to life on the barge. an actual barge that you can walk on, well maintained and historically accurate.

Excellent presentation of Erie Canal's history. An abundance of period artifacts, including a canal boat! Do go!!

Being from the West, I wasn't versed enough to know the Erie Canal spanned 300 miles of NY state. The canal opened the US in 1825. Syracuse was one of 5 towns where the boats were weighed to set the payment of goods and people traveling the major water way. The exhibit includes a boat in the weigh buidling. One interactive exhibit is wonderful for self paced learning for both adults and and young students. There is one room showcasing music of the era. On the second floor, there is a place for children of all ages to stage a show with costumes and hats that are in the mini theater. The postcard exhibit is very enlightening and actual writings of those who had gone the canal are on display and some are very entertaining. Well worth the recommended $5 donation. I was expecting it to be at least $10. The gift shop is a small tiny room with books, children's books and. a few wooden toys. Old candies (NECCOs) were for sale as well. I plan on visiting the National Park site in Albany in the future, because of the spark ignited by the museum in Syracuse. Recommendation for history buffs. Great place for all "kids" to learn and enjoy

Great little museum. Well worth the time to stop. Interactive exhibits for kids. Full of historic facts for everyone. Has a real boat inside, as well as photos.

My husband and I were excited to see this museum. We were so disappointed to learn that this museum still requires visitors to wear masks. As a result, we declined to visit. Masks should be a matter of personal choice. No institution has a right to tell people what to do with their bodies. I look forward to visiting when the museum comes to its senses and institutes more reasonable policies.

A really fantastic museum, I went with my father when he was in town. I was new to the area and did not have a strong knowledge of the canal's museum. This was a spectacular vehicle to share the history and information about the area. It left me wanting to learn more and the topic has become an area of interest for me since. A must-visit for anyone with a passing interest in local or US history

I've been going to the Erie Canal Museum for 30 years and was very happy to see the new first floor exhibits when my husband took family visiting from out of state to see the museum. Great graphics and illustration and lots more history and artifacts. This museum is a must see to understand the Erie Canal and is a very unique building as it used to weight the canal boats as they came through Syracuse. If you havn't been lately you should def check out the new exhibits.

We went to the Erie Canal Museum during the gingerbread house display so admission was mandatory $7 for adults and $3 for children, but the regular museum has a suggested donation of $5. The gingerbread house display was small but really nice. You got to vote on the best one. I really enjoyed it because I love miniatures and detail.
It was a bit pricey for the size of the display. I was happy that we had not gone to the museum before, so it was new to us and made the entrance more worthwhile. They had a few kid friendly things to do with gravity pulls. One exhibit a life size boat that you could tour and truly see how it was to live on one of these boats that was really cool. Great for young children too. I brought my 3 1/2 year old, so it worked out well. The museum had some terrific, interesting logs of wages people were paid back when the canal was being built. There was a nice exhibit replica of how they removed tree stumps. I found that interesting. Overall, I think it was a thing you should do once and I am glad I did. This would not be something I would do year after year.

Looking for a quick stop that's fun? You'll find it here at the Erie Canal Museum. From the stunning murals outside to the genuine, original canal (location and width) with boat in place, to the hands-on opportunity inside, this museum has it all.

Now, you could spend significant time reading all the placards and information and come away with a very in-depth understanding of the changes the Erie Canal created. Or you can dash quickly through the museum enjoying on the hands-on displays and STILL come away with a good appreciation for the effect the Erie Canal had on the Syracuse area. The choice is completely yours.

And at a mere $5 donation (per person) requested, either way you will feel like your got your monies worth.

My partner and I closed the place down as we only had 2.5 hours before closing when we arrived. My biggest disappointment was not discovering the 12 minute video upstairs that shared the story of the social and economic changes brought about by the building of the Erie Canal until 5 minutes before closing. Ask about the video when you enter (as its location keeps changing I was told) and take in this little gem BEFORE you spend tons of time reading all the placards downstairs and save your eyes a bit. ;)

Although we had no children in my visiting party, we still had fun playing the "does this boat pay a toll" game and visiting the actual canal boat replica where the original weighing station was, oh so many years ago. It was amazing to stand at the back of the boat replica, looking out on the original Erie Canal path... and seeing how Syracuse built up around the Canal...even seeing an original bank building still standing...in view... sharing history even during its operation today.

This was a great little museum that offers a lot, or simply as much as you want. Well worth your time. My only challenge was the very limited places to sit and rest a minute during our visit. My feet got weary from all the standing (and reading).

Even if you don't go in, take a moment or two to check out the beautiful and colorful mural painted on the front of the museum as well as the "cut away" mural opposite the museum entrance. They're free...and they, too, tell a powerful story filled with history.

Parking is paid on-street parking.

A well put together informative museum. Small but packed with good interactive displays. An enjoyable couple of hours.

I have been driving Great Lake Circle tours whenever I can. This was to circle Lake Ontario, which was the last Great Lake that I had not circled. While so close, I wanted to learn more about the Erie Canal which I had heard much about, but I had never seen the canal. This (and two other stops) helped fill in my knowledge about the Erie Canal.

If you are in the Syracuse area. Please visit this wonderful museum . It tell the history of how the Eric Canal was built and the work that when into building the Canal.

Right downtown where the canal used to be, this museum explains the history of the canal, its construction, the people involved, how it was used and expanded, and its eventual demise. Many photos and displays, plus a boat to climb and and walk through. Even puppets and other toys for kids to play with.

These displays explain so much of that time and how it affected life there, it is well worth the visit.

Ask the staff there for directions to sections of the canal in the Syracuse area that have been restored and are available for walking on the former towpaths. Even some aquaducts, etc., have been rebuilt.

We stopped in here on our way through Syracuse. They have a ton of displays and it's really, really well organized. We thought we'd spend half an hour here but ended up there for 3x that. Staff also very friendly helpful knowledgeable. They ask for a $10 donation but in theory it's optional. Highly recommended.

My grandson's had a good time visiting the canal. A few of the exhibits were not working but over all not a bad trip for them.

This interpretive museum is extremely well done and can easily be included in a walking tour of downtown Syracuse near Clinton Square and Hanover Square where the packet boats used to arrive in the days when the canal reached the center of Syracuse. The museum is built around what is believed to be the last remaining weigh lock in the world. Visitors can actually walk onboard a reproduction packet boat. This compact museum can be enjoyed in as little as half an hour but I would recommend spending at least one hour here. Totally accessible with clean restrooms. Gift shop. Food venues nearby.

A great little museum showcasing the history of the canal. Having a canal boat that you are able to walk around in is a nice touch. A section for little ones with coloring pages, books and a puppet theater is located on the top floor. So much information that at times it became overwhelming. The bar and general store on the second floor are a nice added touch!

We were in Syracuse for a wedding and had a few free hours. We figured the Erie Canal Museum was something we would find just anywhere. The exhibits were wonderful, and included some hands on activities. The woman at the desk was very knowledgeable, and they only ask for a small donation. It taught us how transportation can shape the world.

This is a great stop if you're a history buff of the Erie Canal, complete with an actual boat from the time period. Kids love walking through it. They do school field trips as well

Just happened by this place looking for a place for lunch and decided to stop in for a quick look. The first floor has a nice history of the Erie Canal with some artifacts, an Erie Canal boat and a small garden outside. It also houses the historic 1850 Weighlock Building and contains exhibits about the financing of the Canal, the function and operation of the Syracuse Weighlock, and Syracuse-specific topics, such as folk musician Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten.

The second floor has a children's are and exhibits replicating a Erie Canal town including shops, bars, theatre, etc.

Overall, there was more here that I expected and enjoyed the exhibits for their variety and depth of info. I nice place to learn about the history of the Erie Canal.

First thing to know....the canal itself is closed. I foolishly expected that I'd see a building right next to the water! However, the museum is an incredible look into how the Erie Canal changed life in the U.S. Not only was it an engineering marvel, the canal impacted farming, financing, slavery, immigration, and women's rights. Most of the museum is pictures and text and is not for the impatient or hands-on learner. Space is tight, leaving little room for energetic children.

Well worth a visit, loved the knowledgeable and personable tour guide. Friendly, welcoming staff and interesting exhibits that really tell the story of this historically important canal.

Great little museum with lots of good information on the Erie Canal. Made our annual trip to see the gingerbread exhibit. Grandkids enjoy voting for their favorite gingerbread house.

Excellent place to engage with history. After this visit we now understand how the Erie Canal of the 1800’s became the engine for tremendous growth and expansion in the entire U.S. Do take time to watch all 3 short documentary films. Do climb aboard the canal boat and walk through the onboard exhibits. Do take the elevator/time machine up to the second floor. And do come down via the stairway and pay attention to the walls in the stairwell. Look for the pictures of Syracuse with a canal running through her midst. And do stand in front of the museum and picture the canal water rushing by where interstate overpasses now loom. This little place about the past left us humbled and hopeful about the future.

A detailed and very interesting history of the Erie Canal -- much more interesting than the song! Good for kids (not too little) as there are plenty of interactive exhibits and the full size canal boat and dock is really fun to go into. This place was quite a surprise, highly recommend a visit.

Exhibits are very good, you learn about both the canal and life when it was being built. Good use of an hour for adults or older kids visiting the area

The museum is self guided. You can take as long as you care to reading the informative cards and enjoying the interactive displays. We were a group of four adults and two younger teens. We spent approximately two hours learning local history.

Finding a parking place is the most difficult part of visiting this museum. The lot across the street, is a permit lot only, but there are about 10 parking slots with a small Erie Canal Museum free parking sigh, by the sculpture of the mule. ADMISSION IS FREE, DONATIONS ACCEPTED. The visit begins with the planning of the canal and as you walk through, you learn about why this canal was suck an amazing project, the people who built it and the problems they faced. The exhibit is very informative. As I entered the original toll house, and went on a boat, I was sad to discover there was not remnant of the Erie Canal here.

Like any venue in a big city, parking can be a challenge, and not inexpensive. I read about free museum & visitors center parking, but was hard pressed to find it. When you go, know there is an area in the government parking lot under the highway across the street. The few spaces (a dozen +/-) are first come, but there were several available once we found it mid day. They are closer to the building, and identified by brown signs. Don’t try the other spots, I understand they are very aggressive enforcing the permit only areas.

This is a terrific museum, well done and very informative. It is well laid out, and takes you from inception to today. There is a lot to take in, and we easily spent several hours here. There are multiple rooms, and an area showing videos about the canal, a boat, and a second floor that has a bar and a general store setup. They also provide interesting information about the mules that were so important to the success of the canal system. There is also a small gift shop.

I learned stuff that I didn't know before. The collection of artifacts and written materials was superb and gave as good a glimpse as possible in our day and age what living along, working on and traveling on the canal was like.

It also delved deeply in the politics surrounding the construction, the construction itself, the subsequent enlargement and the morphing of the canal from industrial and transportation to recreational use.

I was impressed and would recommend it.

Very interesting and informative museum well worth the time to visit learned a lot from the time there

I can't believe I live so close and never knew this history. I knew of the Erie Canal but that's it. The museum is excellent. So many pictures and so much history. It is wonderful. What an amazing feat to build that. It changed the landscape of many areas. The original weighlock building is right there to wander through. Just to imagine that canal running right through where we were is thought provoking. The building and boat are beautifully preserved and so interesting. We had no idea this even existed. Now we really want to take our boat through some of the canal this summer . Go see this museum. It is by donation. Be generous.

Backed up with a multitude of old photos this museum is a fascinating look at the industrial revolution from the point of transporting goods.

Like many locals, my husband and I only visited this museum when we had out-of-town guests. However, I was really pleasantly surprised. It has very good exhibits, including a replica canal boat, excellent historical explanations. It really explains the origins, importance of the canal, and reasons for its decline. There were many interesting people, who were shown, whom I had not known were involved with the canal. There is a small, but worthwhile gift shop. I recommend this museum, especially for anyone interested in history.

We were traveling Pine Bush NY to Uxbridge Canada and enjoyed this museum as a 1 hour leg stretch break.

Great little museum about the history of the Erie Canal and the city of Syracuse. Exhibits for kids too. Only complaint there was only one kind gentleman working at the front desk. Group of kids running around the museum and getting into exhibits. Otherwise it would have been a perfect visit.

We have been going since my own children were young & home educated & now my grandchildren love it! Not only the talent & creativity of the houses but the ship itself that they re-enact on & we take pictures on. I love it s as a great historical site! It never grows old.

We visited this museum on a rainy day. It was very interesting, and they did a great job of showing the challenges of building the canal and the suffering of displaced people. It is located in an original 1850 weighlock building. They have free parking 2 blocks away under the viaduct.

Eight free parking spots are located in a lot across the street (under the highway) from the museum. We spent an hour and a half viewing the exhibits, learning about canal history, canal life and its impact on the growth of NY. They have a life sized replica of a canal boat. Many hands on exhibits. There is a short film. This building was an actual Weigh Station on the Canal and Erie Street was the Canal. Elevator to second floor. Easily accommodates wheel chair or walker.

Super cool little museum with a lot of artifacts and old photos. Interactive enough for maybe kids 10+, depending on maturity. Friendly staff. Fyi, masks required (their rules) - but they hand them out. “Suggested” donation of $10 a person, but not required.

We were looking forward to learning more about the Erie Canal but found the museum somewhat disappointing. The museum didn't give an overview up front, it assumed that you had some knowledge of the canal, which I didn't. The layout wasn't chronological, and information was repeated several times in the museum. I do have a better understanding of the canal, it wasn't easy to get the information. There is a video part way through that helped. I would recommending providing close captioning for the video as it was hard to hear with other guests. I wouldn't recommend the upstairs portion of the museum, it was scattered and the analogy used for how the locks was very poor. I really did want to like the museum, but I never got there.

Went to Syracuse for the eclipse on the 8th and needed a place to sleep before making the long drive home. Stayed at the Red Roof Inn. Not a luxury place by far, but certainly suitable for the night, and very reasonable. We saw the Erie Canal Museum the next day before going home - it was interesting.

The highlights of the museum are a canal barge that visitors
can walk through to get a feeling of what travel was like on the canal and the building itself, which is the last remaining weighstation on the Erie Canal. Excellent mix of modern technology - there are audio clips so visitors can hear opinions & experiences from people involved with the canal - and traditional museum displays. The museum piqued my interest in the canal's history, and I can't think of a better compliment than that! Open all days of the week, unlike other tourist sites in Syracuse. Two floors of exhibits. Friendly, informative, and helpful staff. Gift shop. Clean bathrooms. Pick up a brochure at the front desk with a walking tour of Syracuse's historical area.

I toured the Welland Canal Museum in St. Catherines, Ontario Canada several years ago and can draw parallels between this museum and what I experienced in Syracuse, New York today. The Welland Canal was built shortly after the Erie Canal was built in the early 1800's. After my self guided tour today I can now understand how the Erie Canal had on the transportation of goods within New York State and impact on commerce along the waterway. It certainly was a large undertaking at the time and some people didn't welcome this change. There are numerous static displays, items related to the canal, samples various small tugs and even a life size tug you can actually walk in. There is a area open for public school tours for educational purposes. In fact. a group of airplane flight people toured the museum today. Your suggested five dollar donation given at the front door will go along way in keeping up the importance of this museum in teaching others the history of this museum! Small gift shop is located by the front desk and staff on duty are willing to answer all of your questions posed to me.

This museum was a ton of fun to dig into their very interactive and many life size exhibits. Really enjoyed examining their maps, including old maps from the early canal days. We loved exploring the life size canal boat and our 9 & 11 yr old daughters had a great time pretending to be canal boat hands. They also loved the dress up room, donning period canal clothes and boating off in their imaginations. Listening to the accounts of canal boat workers & riders was neat. This place is worth revisiting because we couldn't soak & read it all in during our 2 hour visit!
The staff was very knowledgeable, friendly and very excited about their museum.

I was in the area over the weekend looking for some things to do, and since I enjoy specialty museums I checked this place out. Perfect location in what is apparently the only remaining weighhouse building in the world; I commend the people who fought to preserve the building and prevent its destruction in the name of "progress".

There are various types of exhibits that all add to the general experience of life in those days and how shipping was accomplished, in addition to how the system of locks actually works. The amount of hard labor that went into the construction of the canal and its locks is absolutely mind-blowing; the scope of the project was so vast that it must have been hard for the laborers to believe it would ever be finished. (The very next day I found a piece of Syracuse china in an antiques shop and brought it home as a souvenir... I wouldn't have known anything about it or even recognized it if I hadn't paid close attention to the museum's exhibit on this china! My piece has the backstamp used from 1895-1897, so it might actually have been shipped on the canal.)

Important to note: the museum is in the same building as the Visitor Center, so you can park in the free Visitor Center spots in the parking lot under the overpass across the street. It looks like parking by permit only from the street, but drive in anyway and look for the brown signs that say Visitor Center Parking, close to the street and right across from the museum.

this is a great place to see how the Erie Canal started and where it went and some of the ways that I haven't go on a family day it's wonderful

It is a small museum but it has lots of history & facts jammed in it .An authentic canal boat ,pictures the kids love it .The winter exhibits are great also. Easily worth more than one visit.

Excellent exhibits about travel on the canals in early 19th century America, clean and well lit, for both young and old.

We dropped by this free (donations suggested) museum expecting to spend maybe 30 minutes there, but ended up not seeing everything after almost two hours. There are extensive displays from the construction of the Erie Canal, models (some sadly not functional) of important canal artifacts (like locks), a reconstruction of a canal boat, and period clothing (some of which your kids can try on). The docents are knowledgeable and friendly and happy to talk. My only disappointment is that nobody knows what happened to the old boat scales that used to occupy the basement of this original canalside building.

Nice small museum which covers nicely the history of the Erie Canal. The life size model of a canal barge is a big hit with everyone.

My Sweetheart and I were facinated and in awe as we read the history of the Erie Canal. It was truly an amazing place and it was amazing to see the work and sacrifice that was made to make such a project a reality.

This is just a fabulous little museum which basically explores the growth of New York State thanks to the building of the Erie Canal in the early 1800's. It took us 2 hours to go through everything. The highlight was an actual canal barge which you can walk through. There are many panels to read, old photographs which have been made larger, a video, and even folk guitar music from a local resident who has since passed away. Everything was explained clearly and in a logical fashion. We greatly enjoyed it. The Museum itself is housed in an old barge weigh station, the only one left.

There is a lot to know about the history of the Erie Canal, the politics and the physical challenges involved. The economic benefits were surprising, as well as many other things. Not a huge museum, but well put together and interesting. A real river boat/barge was specially fascinating to see and walk on. Neat displays and good stuff!

I've been wanting to see anything related to the Erie Canal for years and this was a great place to start. The displays that tell the story are awesome and the staff was very informative. This is a must stop place to learn about this historic canal.

Great history and testament to hard work and determination. It also demonstrates that if a business is successful, money should return to those who use it. Unlike today when greedy business men just take and don’t return profits to the customer. Starts at the TOP!

This is a hidden gem in Cuse, very nicely setup. More interesting than I expected. Being originally from the starting point of 'Clinton's Ditch', I thought I heard all this before in grade school. Anyone who likes boats and early industry will find a couple hours well worth it. I'd leave the kids home - not enough to keep them busy. You can't beat the price. No admission but a pot for donations in the lobby, so don't be a cheap skate and donate a few bucks.

I admit to having been interested in the Erie Canal for a long time so it was a great pleasure to find this small but highly informative museum about this engineering feat that changed the history of the U.S. and made it possible for New York City to become the world class city it is today. The canal opened the West and brought its riches to the eastern ports.

The Erie Canal and its importance in the growth of the United States economy and transportation is displayed magnificently in this The Erie Canal Museum is housed in a Weighlock house from the original Erie Canal. Thi Canal weigh station operated when the Canal first opened until the newer route moved through the nearby Lake Oneida. The old canal through downtown Syracuse was filled in leaving only this Weighlock, Clinton Square and beautiful bank buildings. The Erie Canal Museum exhibits how the Canal was planned and funded. The engineering feats accomplished by the new country is amazing. How the Canal was built, who worked on the Canal and how they designed this engineering marvel are major parts of this museum. There is an actual barge, as well as exhibits on life on the Canal and the people associated with the Canal. The effect on the Erie Canal on commerce, transportation, crops, banking and life in the 1800's prior to the railroads is explained and displayed in interesting and informative exhibits. The elevator has a mural drawn in it to make you feel like you are on a barge on the Canal also. This was so informative and amazing to see how important this part of U.S. history is to the development of the new country. A must see museum if you are at all interested in what makes the U.S. great.

To learn a bit about the history of the Erie Canal and what it did for commerce in the US this museum would be helpful. If you are a history buff it would probably be more meaningful. I found it to be just OK.

There is no admission charge, but you are suggested to pay $5 per ticket as a donation.

Excellent experience
Very interesting; learned how instrumental the canal was to the development of the USA. Staff were great.

I used to live in Fairport, New York near the Erie Canal but never knew, until I visited this wonderful museum, how ground-breaking (pun intended) this massive and historic engineering experiment was.

If you have interest in the Erie Canal this is a great museum. It is house in an original weigh house that survived the canal being filled in. The exhibitions show the development of the canal from the inception to the present.

we made time to visit the museum during a brief stay in Syracuse. So glad that we did. we left with a MUCH GREATER appreciation, and understanding, of the Erie Canal. Definitely recommend a visit, when in the area.

This is two stories that tells the story of the life of the Erie Canal. There was a tour guide that walked you through the highlights of the first floor. It took about 2 hours

This is a great museum, whether you’ve just heard of the Erie Canal or are a canal aficionado. There are multiple exhibits explaining the history of this fascinating waterway. Kids will surely enjoy the replica packet boat resting in what was the building’s weight scale. Definitely add to your itinerary.

A strange little museum in downtown Syracuse. It was closed by the time my wife and I could get there on a Wednesday afternoon. It supposedly is located on land that used to be part of the Erie Canal, but that isn't really evident when you walk up to it. It had a strange display of one and a half canal barges inside, then outside the museum. Not sure I'd go there if I could catch it during its open hours.

Excellent historical collection that traces the history of the Erie Canal and the economic impact on New York State and America.

Learning the fascinating history of the canal and its impact on upstate towns like Rochester, Syracuse and Utica was made enjoyable by the indefatigable energy of docent Kathleen, a fount of information and enthusiasm. The unique historical weighlock structure was incredible. The interactive exhibits, models, manuscripts and musical instruments rounded out the visit. Well worth a visit and not just for kids!

We stopped here to see the museum. Hard to find but worth the time time! We really enjoyed the quality of the displays and the pictures. Difficult if you're shorter, or if you don't like reading.

spent several fun hours here, there is lots to see and do. A good gift shop with good gift and take hope items

We love visiting this museum with the kids (aged 5 and 7). They love walking/biking on our local canal trail, so being able to learn more about the canal's history was great, and the museum has some interactive kids activities. Great staff, and a nice place to visit.

Having the museum in the only surviving weighlock on the Erie Canal lends a wonderful air of history to this place. There's an awful lot of information to read, but there are plenty of pictures and diagrams and maps to break up the reading. There are some hands-on activities, although a couple were broken. Still, learning about the Erie Canal and then being able to go on a life-sized canal boat and all the fun facts and artifacts that they had made it a really enjoyable hour or so. Plus, upstairs were historical photos of the canal building, all very gritty and so different than the fancy posed pictures you normally see of the construction. It was fascinating to learn about the cities that boomed just because of the canal's proximity to them, and also the cities that basically died when the canal passed them by. Plus, there was a decent amount of information about Syracuse's history, so that was a bonsu. An excellent museum and well worth an hour or so of time and they just ask for a $5 donation and it's definitely worth more than that.

Well done museum, inside & out. Staff was very friendly, knowledgeable & informative. Plenty of history, well presented. Excellent gift shop for all ages. Love the period clothing.

The Erie Canal Museum is small but mighty on artifacts and information. The canal influenced the phenomenal growth of the whole of upstate New York.
Admission is nominally priced just above $5. Good value for families with kids. We spent a little over an hour marveling at the tools and equipment used more than one hundred years ago and the work that was done.
Finished the trip with a walk down the paved “canal path”.

Small, but informative museum. Lots of interesting facts and displays. Parking is a little tricky to find - across the street, under the overpass.

A great part of Syracuse History. Mt grandkids love the barge and pretend to be working on the boat as a family. They enjoy dressing in the clothes provided

Spent a lovely morning here, greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable staff member. A very informative and professional museum. Lots of hands on displays to interact with. Really educational!

One of the better well put together museums on one specific important piece of history I've probably ever been to, beautiful historical displays with an actual canalboat in it and lots of little set ups from that era, so much information you won't be able to take it all in but it's worth the read, everybody should stop through and see this little piece of history that had a huge impact in New York

Were walking past and thought we would pop in for a quick look, 2 hours later we emerged having had a great lesson on the history of the Erie canal. Well worth the donation they suggest.

This museum is on the site of the last weigh station from the old Erie Canal, when it ran through downtown Syracuse. Some interesting exhibits, especially the repro of a canal boat. Across the street is a statue of a hogee - the boys who worked the mules and horses who pulled the canal boats. There is also an interesting video.

I went in with low expectations.

Which turns out to be totally unwarranted. I learned why the canal was built, how, why it matters to Syracuse, and even got to walk across an old barge! Honestly, it was cool, with or without kids.

This is an amazing museum. The work put together to really showcase the history of the Erie Canal and the amazing contributions that Western New Yorkers put into developing and building the area is very impressive. Originally we didn’t know about the museum so didn’t plan on visiting it but once we came across it and decided to enter we were so happy we took the time to explore what the museum had to offer which is a lot. The museum is worth every minute and every cent. There’s a donation suggestion of $5 and before we even entered we thought they were so nice and helpful and we were curious about what the museum offers that we immediately paid the suggested donation price and we were so happy we spent time there, it is an absolute must see and absolutely worth it, literally, in both cost and time.

This a nice small museum that you can see in about hour. I remember learning about the canal many many years ago but this really shows you the entire history of the canal. The exhibits are well staged and the descriptions are well written. Since the building was an actual weigh station for the boats really makes it special. Also the street that is sits on was actually the canal in the past. Admission is by donation of $5.00 which is less than a glass of wine these days.

I saw this museum when I was researching for things to do between Niagara Falls and Boston and was keen to visit. This museum did not disappoint. Fantastic history into the entire Erie Canal and it's impact on the development of Syracuse.

Went here while passing through on business. I was pleasantly surprised at how thorough and informative it was. Two full floors, life size model canal boat, interactive exhibitions, elevator, gift shop, and artifacts all blended well to explain the significance of the Erie Canal in 19th Century America. Admission was a reasonable $5.00. We parked on the street across from the museum, 2hour limit, metered for a total of $2.50. Takes coin,cash,or credit. There is a diner, and a beer garden to eat or refresh before or after the visit! Right off the highway, located downtown.

Well worth the time to visit - be sure to walk to the boat exhibit, and through the old "weigh-dock." Free Admission or you can donate.

This is MUST DO: There is a NY State Park about 5 miles east that you can visit and actually cross a bridge over the water filled canal - spectacular!!!

The Erie Canal Museum delights with its boats and other memorabilia. The museum gives one a fascinating perspective on all sorts of societal forces that shaped this community over the years.

Walking thru the exhibit and you learn how important the Erie Canal was for commerce in New York State. Located on the stop where boats were weighed added some interest.

I would highly recommend that anyone in town for the tournament take the time to take in this small but very informative museum.The history and importance of the canal is explained in a collection of displays of artifacts and visual and audio displays.The cost of only a 5.00 recommended donation is an excellent bargain.

I thought we would more or less "run in" to this museum, but we stayed for about an hour and learned a lot about the Erie Canal. Displays, hands-on displays, and boat you can go in make this a very worthwhile stop. A requested $5 donation is easily appropriate. There are 2-floors of displays. Good for all ages. Second floor even has a play area for kids. The lady at the entrance is very helpful with information.

If you want to know how Syracuse got its start, this is an excellent place to start. Good exhibits, nice level of information (didn't dumb everything down to pablum) and we learned a lot about canals.

Really like coming here during the holidays to look at the great artwork of handmade gingerbread houses. We were greeted by mother and daughter who had exhibits on display and were very informative and enthusiastic. All supplies on display must be edible and were very creative. Very well done.

Toured the Erie Canal Museum. A number of the interactive exhibits, like how a lock works, were not operational. The information provided was interesting, but the displays did not give a sense of wonder. The second story exhibit, a Smithsonian traveling piece on water, was superfluous and a water of time. Total time spent was one hour, and I don't think we could have stretched it out any longer. Donation suggestion of $5 is reasonable.

Love. This place. So much to learn. Especially homeschooling parents wanting to teach history. Erie. Canal.museum. Is a great place

We visited on a Sunday and it was not busy. Give yourself an hour or so. It does a great job of explaining the why and how it was constructed. Very fascinating actually and amazing that it was such a local initiative. There is no charge just a suggested donation. After this we went and visited locks 2 & 3 which are still used today and got to see the double lock system in action (not in Syracuse but in Seneca Falls)

Very cool museum for all ages! Always learn something new about the uniqueness of this area. Covers engineering, history, politics, social life and commerce.

The Erie Canal Museum is packed full of multi media as well as printed displays that are setup to guide the visitor, from the fight for and against building the canal, to the surveying, thru the monumental task of actually digging and supplying enough water to allow barges to traverse it, all the artifacts especially the canal boat, and the Whitlock building make this a truly awesome experience. If you visit plan on spending a couple of hours to experience the canal in it's glory

Great way to learn about the Erie Canal complete with history and story of why the canal was so important to commerce. You get the story about the way the canal boats operated to the way the canal opened up trade to upstate and western New York. I thought we would be about 30 minutes but ended up spending about 2 hours. Don't miss if in the area.

Such a great place to visit when in Syracuse, got a lot of information about Syracuse and surrounding area. Good to visit with the whole family or just as adults. The lady that manages the place was so wonderful. Highly recommend spending some time here!

Very nice and interesting. Took us about an hour to look at everything. Has a real canal barge to walk thru. And explains what life was like living/working on the barge. Only had trouble finding a close parking area. Some are by permit only, some for electrical cars only. We did park a few blocks away. Make sure you pay at the pay stations and put the ticket on your dash.

Very nice place to start a trip.This museum was a weighlock building used for the collection of tolls and inspection of boats and barges in the old outstanding place... The children had fun playing dress-up and the hands-on exhibits.Good to recommend.

We have been going here for the past 7 years and the museum has been adaptable over those 7 years as an interest for our children. There are hands on exhibit its, a dress up area and an amazing gift shop. The walk on canal boat is a great hands on and I formative experience. The video display is good for mom's and dad's!

Great organization. Good way to spend a couple hours in Syracuse on a very hot day. Exceptional days, well organized and very interesting. The replica of the canal boat was well done. Learned so much about the history of the canal and the area.

Brought a few out of town guests here on the way to the airport. We had a great time. Very small, but informative museum. A fun little thing to do downtown if you have time.

The Canal Museum is actually built next to the former Erie Canal. They have fantastic old photos of Syracuse showing the canal and many old landmarks and businesses. Inside you'll find a replica of an actual canal boat and knowledgeable staff to answer questions. Many old books canal related line bookshelves in the small rooms off of the canal boat display. A great place to visit.

This is a great little museum which tells the story of the Erie Canal and is in a Weighlock Building which operat3e as a weighlock from 1850 to 1883. Built between 1817 and 1825, the Erie Canal went from Albany to Buffalo, a distance of over 360 miles. It was greatest public works project in North America and put New York on the map as the the leader in population, industry, and economic strength.There are several interactive exhibits which show how the canal works. This is a unique museum, so if you are in Syracuse this is a must-see.

This place is a must see by all. Even if you live in Syracuse you have to go here at least once. At the Christmas season they have a gingerbread house compatition that is a must see. Fun for all.

if you have an interest in the erie canal this is another piece of the puzzle in upstate new York...great overview of the building of canal which led to new York states and Americas growth...and you can walk on a real canal boat...very nice

This museum, set in the last remaining Erie Canal weigh house, is perfectly nice although not very big. When we asked the admissions desk employee what else we should see in downtown Syracuse, he said there wasn’t really much more. That’s it in a nutshell. This small museum with dated displays geared towards fourth graders wouldn’t get much visitation elsewhere. In Syracuse, it’s pretty much your only choice. That’s not really a recommendation, just a matter of fact.

I don't mean to be disrespectful to the museum but I only went because my husband thought it sounded interesting. It WAS!!!! The museum used to be the weigh station for boats going up and down the Erie Canal -- since it's hay-day the area around the building was filled in and building built around it -- NO CANAL anymore but the station survived! They have lots of interesting things inside. The kids would love the full sized canal boat! We loved that a lot of the original items were still inside the museum. The guy at the desk was very knowledgeable and when all was said and done; it's worth a stop!
(Beware though--parking is an issue!!! Their flyer says there is free parking but we looked around and around for it - finally paid for parking. Another guest INSIDE the museum came up to us and asked about where we parked?? He was frustrated about hunting for the free parking and after finally finding the 'area' it was locked off as city staff parking. Tip: Don't waste your time hunting; just pay for parking.)

This is a wonderful museum. we met friends here with their grand-daughter to see the annual gingerbread house display. While the Holiday houses were clever and well-done, the museum was the real hit. What a local treasure situated where the Canal use to travel through the city of Syracuse. Highly recommended!

An interesting and informative Museum where one can spend a couple of hours learning about the construction and history of the Erie Canal at what was the Syracuse Weigh Station on the now largely back-filled Syracuse section of the original canal.

What I feel would be an interesting addition to the museum, but perhaps limited space does not permit, would be a small exhibit that tells more about the history of feeder canals such as the short lived Black River Canal and the network of other canals both in North America in their heyday.

Many international visitors and history buffs were there. Very excellent and well explained exhibits. Docents are especially good. A Weigh Lock building weighed the boat and contents to assess charges for traveling on the Erie Canal.

We were interested in the canal and its history but we did not expect this museum to be so good. Staff were very nice and helpful. The exhibits were interesting and informative and, especially the interactive ones, were fun. Admission was free but voluntary donations were welcomed, so we did that as it was so worthwhile. Best thing in Syracuse!

I’ve been to the museum a few times before so I was familiar with their displays. This time I went to see the gingerbread house displays decorated by area organizations. I know gingerbread houses are really hard to do, but one of them looked like a pile of puke. It wasn’t worth the $7 per adult admission price.

If you are into local history this is a great find, the museum is right on the canal path, and part of the exhibits is an actual section of the canal

Our guest really enjoyed the visit to the museum. He knew little of the Syracuse area and said he was quite impressed with the information at the museum. The antiques intrigued him as well. We too enjoyed the time there as we hadn't visited the museum in a number of years.

If you're not interested in the Erie Canal don't go, it's all about the Erie Canal, now there's a surprise. It's set up mainly for school trips to educate the little darlings into the importance the canal places in the development of their x-boxes and play stations. As a collection the exhibits are put together well and there's something to engage even the most cynical visitor (i.e. me. Sorry us English have more history than we can shake a stick at and sometimes scoff at how Americans treat what we consider "recent events" as history. I'm learning to not be so critical).
Do I recommend this establishment? Certainly yes. Value for money? Without doubt! Entry is free.

Lovely museum tucked away downtown. Wonderful place for adults and families. Lovely during holiday season when gingerbread houses are on display. Nice place to spend an afternoon.

You have to reserve a starting time on-line (to prevent the museum from getting too crowded). We made a reservation for 10:15, not knowing if we were going to spend an hour or three hours there. Definitely three hours, maybe a bit more. I've lived in Rochester for over 45 years, and I've never gotten such a good understanding of the Erie Canal system and its impact on the development of upstate New York. The arrows on the floor lead you through the exhibits, which are mostly arranged chronologically and cover construction, the lives of people working on the canals, and the resulting growth of the cities and their key industries. I've ridden my bicycle along the Barge Canal around Rochester and visited the locks in Lockport (to raise the canal to the level of the Niagara escarpment), but it all makes much more sense to me now. And as a result of this exhibit, I'm now aware of a number of other historic sights that I want to see! Very interesting and well curated.

an excellent museum about the Erie canal set in an original weigh lock structure. Right on Erie boulevard in downtown Syracuse. Great exhibits

This place has really stepped it up in quality of exhibits over the past few years. Self guided tour and you can see all in about an hour or a little longer. The really unique aspect is the building itself. The only remaining original weighlock building from the Erie Canal. Well worth the stop.

The ORIGINAL: Erie Canal, lock gates, canal boat, cool interactive exhibits (brand new in the last year!), movies, slide shows, how a lock actually raises the boats exhibit, book/gift/chochkies store.

Here you can learn about the history of the Erie Canal, and get a feel for its significance in the building of New York. It allowed commerce to flourish. There were political and engineering challenges to solve to build it. The canal was successful and helped New York grow. Eventually, the canal was superseded by railroads. Its a free museum with a suggested donation. Id say you can see the museum in 60 - 90 minutes. If the canal doesnt interest you, then you can safely skip the place, but if you are curious about it, its worth a stop.

Did you know that George Washington is the father of American mules? Me neither!
I was lucky enough to catch the mule exhibit on its last day. Mules were essential in the building of the first Erie Canal (1817-1825).
The museum does a great job of explaining the history and the engineering of that canal - which opened the West (at that time, the West was Ohio) and which also made New York City the important city it became. The museum also offers insight into the boats used and gives you an idea of 19th-century transportation and industry. I went hoping to get a solid, broad, basic understanding of the Erie Canal, and this museum delivered in full.
And - there's a boat you can check out!!

This historic building and museum is a gem in downtown Syracuse. This museum is a piece of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, and the history provided ties together the canal system with other historic markers across the state, making this not just a single stop. The museum presents its history in relevant, interesting, and authentic details, and the staff is knowledgeable. It is a great starting point for an Erie Canal adventure.

It is a small museum where you can learn about the construction of the canal and as the canal was part of the history of Syracused

A look into time how it was back in the day. Only need to give a donation. Exhibits were great. Wish there was a guided tour to ask more questions. If you like history and have time stop in.

If you are interested in American history or in industrial history this is a worthwhile stop, you can spend a good hour here soaking up lots of information. On street parking is for 2 hours and that gave us time to have a quick walking tour (maps available in the museum) and a quick lunch (Miss Syracuse Diner). Entry is voluntary but we thought it was well worth at $5 suggested.

If you like history you will love this museum. It is exceptionally well done. We spent an hour but could have stayed two if we weren’t pressed for time. Expect photos, diagrams, maps, quotes, historic context, letters, interactive displays and a walk through the interior of a canal boat. There’s also a good bit there on the history of Syracuse that we didn’t have time to take in.

It was really something to see how things were and the fact that the Erie Canal was once right there. There is alot to read and view. It was a great stop!
Easy self paced tour that doesn't take long either.

Very interesting look at the building of the Erie Canal and the events that made it happen. Loved the boat; I am told by friends that the Gingerbread House display every Christmas is awesome.

Visited on 2-14-19. i was the only visitor the entire time there...about an hour. Well done ,very informative, some exhibits you can operate (one not working). small gift shop with what I wanted

This museum was chock full of historical information about the Erie Canal, other canals in the NY State system, and their contribution to New York's development. Also interesting were scientific displays about how the canal system worked. Fascinating! There is a $5 suggested donation but no required entry fee. Gift shop.

The Erie Canal museum is my absolute favorite in SYracuse. Eery time I have visitors I take them to this museum. It gives a great overview of how and why the canal was built, and what it meant to Syracuse and New York state.

I remember learning the Erie Canal song in school and this explained it all to me.
Would absolutely love to take a tour on the canal. No dogs allowed tho so maybe another time.
The museum is free but donations are suggested and welcome.

This was not just a museum of the Erie Canal; the museum is in fact the old weigh lock of the Erie Canal in Syracuse. Complete with a period office, artifacts and an actual canal boat, the museum is informative and user friendly. Parking is nearby (under the highway).

This museum gives a fascinating insight into one of the great engineering projects of the early nineteenth century. It is astonishing what was achieved in just a few years of construction.

While traveling in upstate NY on a fall trip from western PA to Boston, we saw there was an Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse. While it isn't a large museum, and I was disappointed it wasn't on the current Erie Canal, it was a great find. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in American History, The Canal or early transportation and commerce. Wonderful illustrations and recreations in addition to photos and artifacts make this a living experience. A highlight is an actual canal boat which can be boarded in the area the boats were weighed to pay the toll. Don't miss it.

Situated on what was the original path of the Erie Canal this is a perfect place to stop to learn about the history of the canal and its influence on the economic development in NY State. It's in a former canal weigh station with a recreation of a canal boat along with informative and we'll thought out displays.

I did not get the full story of the Erie Canal in my American history classes, not sure many have. This charming little museum highlights one of the most brilliant engineering and civic projects undertaken in America. They also open the door to the possibility of an Erie Canal trip following it through the state. We can't wait to try. Excellent stop for older elementary and middle school children.

After walking along part of the Erie Canal we decided to visit this museum. What a pleasant visit and so interesting. We had a lovely welcome. Word of warning for future visitors - phone first for instructions of where to park as it is not obvious to the uninitiated..!!

Very interesting place to visit. Been here many times with schools and with my children. Great way to learn more about local history

Very detailed story of the development of the Erie Canal from idea to completion. Lots of exhibits, photos, maps, etc. Mock up river boat inside the building.

There is a small gift shop. Difficult to find where to park, so look for meters on streets around the museum. Suggested donation $5 each.

Did a term paper in grade school on the Erie Canal. Always wanted to visit and learn more. Fast forward 40 years and we found this very nice museum. Great information and learned some new things. Great way to spend a few hours.

Enjoyed learning more about the Erie Canal. Would be educational for children also. Small museum but informative.

I learned a lot about the history and building of the Erie Canal in this lovely facility. The only down side was parking, but maybe that was because we are unfamiliar with the area. The exhibits and information here are top notch. Plan for 1-2 hours for your visit. It was chilly the day we visited or we would have explored a bit more outside the building. Erie Boulevard is former Erie Canal! After you have gotten the background, go find a lock and watch what happens when the boat comes through! Amazing engineering for the time period.

This is a must see to understand the history of Syracuse. The museum is well organized and and original. It contains historical material not to be found elsewhere. You learn not only about the canal but the city itself. The museum is small and can be visited in about one hour. It is a must see in any visit to Syracuse.

Even my two teens enjoyed looking around at all of the history. The back side of the museum is the only remaining weigh house left standing with a full size replica canal boat. So much to see.

Parked at a lot 1 block east of the museum. Found out the museum has several reserved spots in the parking lot across the street, need to follow the signs. Nice museum and it was free but they did ask for donations.

The museum was great, but the tour with the director was the highlight. very interesting and informative.

Very nice museum to visit & gain knowledge about history of Erie Canal. I am bicycling the Erie Canal from Albany, NY to Buffalo NY & visiting this museum gave me a lot of information & reasons to finish my biking my trip. I recommend visiting this museum + taking Erie Canal cruise to all ages.

Every year we go to the Erie Canal Museum to see the gingerbread house exhibits it. All material is made from edible material. Beautiful workmanship. Sine entries are from very young children. Well worth prize of admission.

Another way of life and transportation. This museum has it all, from scale models to restored canal boats. A museum for all ages.

Very good exhibit of the early Eire Canal days of New York State. Also highlight the unique role of Irish immigrants in the building of the canal over eight years. This site could significantly engage explorers to visit other canal sites (36 locks) across the 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo, NY.

You get to see and walk on the boats. This is a great place to go for home-schooling families as a field trip.

When we decided to do a bit of the Erie Canal on an impulsive, late August road trip, we opted to start in Syracuse. Syracuse to Albany fit our time frame best, and research turned up the "Erie Canal Museum" there, and that just seemed lie the sensible way to begin. I had not remembered that the museum closes at 3 pm on Sundays so we walked around the outside and peered through a few windows. Monday morning we were back shortly after 10 am, collecting maps and brochures and studying this extraordinary piece of American history.

You will need time. It's a very "reading" heavy set of displays and a few parts are interactive. The narrative starts at the beginning, with the vision, explores the political, economic and other pressures, and then lays out the building process, more or less section by section.

The museum building is the last surviving weigh station (a canal version of a truck weigh-station on an interstate highway). Still visible is the structure of the canal that the boats came through. (The museum fronts on Erie Boulevard. In your mind, imagine a canal forty or more feet wide right to the edge of the building where now one sees streets and an elevated highway.

Displays include a full scale boat that you can walk through, imagine being a passenger on. Text elements include passages from letters and diaries. There are odd artifacts like suitcases packed with clothes, a fully furnished kitchen, just all kinds of stuff that makes one incredibly happy not to have to travel this way.

Another room in the museum is devoted to "Arts and Crafts:" the music of Libba Cotton, the furniture of Gustave Stickley, the pottery of Adelaide Alsop Robineau. This is history that reminds us that history is infinitely faceted, a constantly changing structure of people and events and materials. Great stuff. (And you can go to the Everson Museum across town to see a large display of Robineau's pots.)

A perfect start to our adventure. Invaluable not matter how much you think you may already know about the Erie Canal.

A very well versed staff unwinds the story of the Erie Canal in Syracuse and how it helped the area grow in commerce, making it a contender for the main immigration port in the 1700s.

We visited this museum some days back.It was informational and staff was nice and helpful.You can see the whole museum in 1-2 hrs.and when you visit this,don't forget to visit Clinton square and Armory Square!

Two adults - we had a great time. Not only does the Erie Canal Museum display a full range of photos and materials connected to the Erie Canal, walking through the exhibits makes you feel like you have briefly stepped back into time... Welsh (and other) stone masons cutting, fitting and setting into place massive rocks to built the locks... days of mules towing barges alongside canals... days of shipping a huge bulk of New York cargo through the canal system, before extensive roads and rail changed the face of New York forever. And days of outlaws and cons, stealing a barge and robbing farms and settlers along the length of the canal system, then selling all the stolen goods and the barges at the end of the line... the Loomis Gang in their heyday. Worth more than one visit, you cannot absorb everything here in just one day.

Really informative and well presented material describing the decision to build the canal, the engineering involved as well as being housed in the only remaining weigh lock house

This is not a large museum but it is a very good history of the area and the importance of the Erie Canal in commerce throughout the NE of the US.

It was small, but interesting. I would not go out of my way to see the museum, but we were staying right there.

Stopped with my wife as we headed across New York. Parking was a bit challenging, but friendly staff. Displays were good and well done. There is no charge, but request a five dollar donation. Would recommend for a unique look at canal history

We drove an hour to this museum after reading the raving reviews. We were glad that we made this trip! My husband, who doesn't enjoy museums that much, truly had a great time. Very interesting exhibits.

Do not pass up the opportunity to drop in on this lovingly curated gem of a museum! My husband and I first discovered the Erie Canal Museum thirty years ago and in the past five years have visited three times. "I've Got a Mule and her name is Sal" is a lyric to the song we both grew up singing in our elementary music classes for studying New York State history! Lucky upstater fourth graders who take field trips here for a hands-on and very kid friendly museum that brings this time period to life inside an original weigh lock building and life size replica of an Erie Canal boat! It is housed indoors now, but in the early 1990's was outdoors! Our sons over the years loved boarding it! This museum is updated to serve young and old and is an ever-changing and evolving depiction of this time period. IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER with each visit!!! so much to absorb so stop in often. Donation is the "ticket for admission" by the way! So do return again and again!
A staircase and elevator provide access to second floor exhibits and bathrooms plus a children's seating area and puppet theatre! History, children's picture and chapter books in addition to CDs of music and videos to enhance your learning about this significant time period of travel,commerce,clothing, music, and even children's toys are available in the quaint Gift Shop. If I lived nearby, I most certainly would attend the Gingerbread Gala each December! The MOST knowledgeable docent , Melissa, matched my enthusiasm for this special museum! her knowledge of the canal demonstrated her love of its history. Well worth a visit each and every time you come to Syracuse! See you next November! Please have mule puppets for sale in the Gift Shop! And Syracuse China coffee mugs! Thank you!

Many people are not aware of the great quality of the exhibits inside this old Weigh-lock bldg. If you do not know what that description means, you really, really do need to go there, sooner, rather than later. A true walk through the history of this area. Beautifully done exhibits and the Ginger Bread Building models they had on display are just a joy to behold! Great job, all of you who are involved with this treasure!

A good place to go on a wet and chilly day. Very well laid out and extrememly informative. Really glad took the time to go for a visit. Very helpful staff.

The Erie Canal was an engineering wonder and changed the history and economy of New York. It also made it possible for thousands of immigrants to reach the Midwest. The museum traces the history of the canal and shows you how it worked. And you get to climb onto a real canal boat.

Very nice little tribute to the canal history and the people that worked along it. Interesting artifacts. and stories.

We were in Syracuse for the State Fair on Saturday, checked out some other things including this museum on Sunday. WOW! The staff is really friendly and informative, the displays are really interesting and it's an amazing story!

1 thing to keep in mind - when you go in the museum, passing the gift shop, follow the displays to the left. Don't go down hallway on the right.... you'll get there at the end. Otherwise, you are doing the museum backwards in time : )

Check out 1 of the pictures on the wall in the museum vs. the picture I took. Kinda weird that it's the official museum of the Erie Canal, but it's nowhere near water (now). Seeing the pictures and going through the museum, you learn that Erie Boulevard got its name from when they filled in the Erie Canal in this area : (

The gingerbread house competition and display at the Canal Museum is a holiday must see for residents and visitors to Syracuse. While the holiday exhibit might get visitors in the door, the museum is filled year round with informative artifacts about a fascinating historical era. Highly recommended for visitors of all ages.

Really enjoyed our visit, it was well worth going out of our way for. The gentleman at the desk gave us a rundown of the history and explained why the Erie Canal museum wasn’t on the Erie Canal anymore…you’ll just have to go if you want to know why.

They have a canal boat you can go aboard and so much interesting information. Parking was a challenge for us because we missed the turn for the lot across the way. Read their helpful information about parking on the website. We found street parking not far away.

Yes they still do require masks, it’s an hour or two out of your life- no big deal.

Nice small museum, suitable for kids learning local history.A couple of hours will suffice-good to brush up on history.

Was a great museum that had a lot of history and interactive. It is worth the suggested donation and the walk on canal boat is great.

Very neat little place to learn about the Erie canal. You even get to step onto a replica of a boat in what used to be part of the weigh lock on the canal before it was filled in. Would definitely recommend for history buffs.

They renovated a couple years ago and what an improvement. Laid out very well. This building is a real treasure. Stop in and learn all about the Erie canal and what it was like living on the canal.

I didn't expect much, but this museum is awesome. It was raining outside so we were seeking shelter for an hour before dinner and so happy we did. The exhibits are so interesting and the movie playing was fantastic. Make sure you visit here.

We had just a couple of hours to kill in Syracuse and came upon this little gem. Having grown up in western New York, I was very familiar with the Erie Canal, but this museum provided a wealth of knowledge on the history of the canal which I had not previously known. The exhibits were well-done -- easy to read and follow at a leisurely pace and interesting to both children and adults. There were a couple of hands-on displays that were not working and that is the only reason I am not giving this an Excellent rating. The admission is a $5 suggested donation. Go ahead and pay this and support this museum in downtown Syracuse which covers an important piece of not only New York State's but our nation's history as well.

This is a cool little place, it shows the history of Erie Canal in the Norther New York region. They even have a canal boat inside the exhibits.

Very interesting if you like history, boats, and canals! I love stuff like this. I really enjoyed the information on the donkeys and horses. Admission is free but please donate a few bucks to keep the place going!

Sort of what you would expect from a small specialty museum. It was worth going to when we stopped while driving by. I learned a few things. Nice to see the real canal where it was when decommissioned. Because the canal was rerouted, the other locations were all upgraded.

We have done a couple of tours of things related to the Erie Canal and always enjoyed them. We were in the Syracuse area and figured this would be an interesting thing to do. First the positive, it is a very cheap museum, $5 suggested donation. They have a full-size model of a boat that would have used the canal and you can go on it and walk around. The emphasis is on the weigh house (station, can't remember exactly what it is called). It is what weighed the boats on the canal. The back part of the museum in the weigh station and you get to see how it works and what it would have looked like. They also have an interactive game that let you play the part of the station master. Ok, now the problems. The weigh house game worked but there were several others including one that looked really interesting that weren't working. The museum has a ton of stuff but the order to look at it seems disjointed. It might have just been me but half the time I felt I was following a chronology, this is the order things were built. The other part of the time I felt it was geography, start in Albany and work your way across to Buffalo. It just got a little confusing, again it might have been how we went through. Also the second floor was set up for postcards which were interesting but it didn't seem like an efficient use of the space. Anyway it was definitely worth the visit.

Very interesting series of exhibits that are interactive. I would highly recommend to any fans of the Wedding of the Waters book.

The Erie Canal Museum is well laid out whether you take a guided tour or self-paced. The hands-on exhibits were the most enthralling, especially learning about being a weighmaster.

Pleasantly surprised when visiting this gem. Entry was a $5 donation. The museum provides historic information of the Erie Canal and several feeder canals. Each exhibit provides an easily understandable explanation. As an added attraction, the upstairs area (accessable by elevator as well as stairs) has a sample tavern, general store, pottery, clothing relevant to the early 19th century time frame. Part of the building is an original weighlock station. The history and development of the canal is well documented as is how the canal works, the life of the canallers, culture of the era, political and financial impacts. You can also walk through a boat representative of that era. Music of the period is played throughout the museum. I was surprised at the size of the size of the museum (it even contains a room for child play) and the vast amount of information available. Metered street parking is readily available.

Downtown Syracuse is the location for the Erie Canal Museum, must to do and see within the museum itself and a short walk to Franklin Square and many eateries.

We came to Syracuse specifically to come to this museum. It did not disappoint although there was little information on building the canal but a lot on its operation, including a replica of a canal boat for passengers. The person working at the entrance desk (Leah) was so friendly and helpful. She made the trip worth wile.

The Erie Canal Museum is small but does a good job of bringing the Erie Canal to life. Parts of the museum are interactive and there is something to enjoy for all ages. We went with our two grandchildren on two occasions and they loved the exhibits especially the canal boat that you can enter and explore. There is not a set fee to visit but a free will offering of $5.00 is suggested.