Erie Canal Museum — Attraction in City of Syracuse

The Erie Canal was an amazing engineering feat. Most Americans have heard of the canal, but few know much about it. If brushing up on your history and discovering new facts is something you enjoy, then you need to visit the Erie Canal Museum.

This Museum, located in Syracuse, is dedicated to the historical education on the building and use of this waterway, which measured more than 360 miles in length and help transform the New York economy. You get to learn about the pain and strain that went into building the canal. You get to learn about the canal’s function for transportation. You learn how the canal helped to generate new business and how it helped place the state of New York on the path toward greater prosperity.

The exhibits at the museum are informative and one of the most interesting is the packet boat. It is a reproduction of one of the actual boats used on the canal and 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 is somewhat of an issue here, since there are no directly adjacent parking lots for the museum. 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 ended up parking on the street and walking inside. It was relatively inexpensive to park and considering there is no entrance fee for the museum, this is a small thing to ask.

The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the Syracuse Weighlock building, which adds to its authenticity and enjoyment. This was one of the actual places where boats on the canal would pass through, to check their weight and determine their toll. It’s all very interesting and a place I recommend visiting. Even if your interest is only moderate, you will come away knowing more than...

This is a wonderful museum with a greatest staff. I went one day about 15 minutes before closing (4pm) then went back today to really tour. Both gentleman who were working were so very kind and inviting. This made my trip to Syracuse worth it!!!

You will need a mask but if you don’t have one they will provide.

There is so much History here! They have a 15-20 minute video on history before and after construction which is very good. It’s in a large room so not a small cramped area.

They have a boat that was used to go down canal that you can walk through and take photos. I also learned that the street (Erie Canal Blvd) is where the canal ran until 1920.

The Erie Canal was 363 miles long and ran from Albany to Buffalo. The grand opening was October 26, 1825. They will celebrate 200 years in 2025. Most of the canal no longer exist but along the canal cities have historical markets etc to keep memory going.

This museum is the last existing Weighlock station. I think there were originally 83.

I really enjoyed everything about this museum and so happy that I went back to enjoy the exhibits etc. I highly recommend that you stop by to visit museum and give yourself at least an hour to tour.

They also have a nice little gift shop with plenty of items to chose from; magnets, t-shirts, candy, wooden pencils, coaster, books about Erie Canal for adults and children, and so much more!!

It’s free but they would like if you donate $10 to museum. I definitely did do and spent quite a bit in gift...

This is a well-curated museum that presents a comprehensive history of the Erie Canal. There is one other similar museum that talks about the Erie Canal - the 'State Museum of New York' in Albany - but I feel this one has more appeal because the building that houses it was once an actual facility of the massive Erie Canal network!

So the building once functioned as a weighlock, and the museum described in detail how it operated (i.e., by weighing each passing boat and its cargo, and then assessing the corresponding toll). It's very much similar to highway toll booths, except this one required the water the boat sits on to be drained before it could be weighed. The control room in the building where many of the day-to-day operations took place is still around and was really cool to see. They also have a replica boat in the exact location a boat from the 1800s would have been docked and weighed. There is no more water now since the portion of the canal that spans downtown Syracuse has been landfilled after canal operations ceased. But it's easy to imagine how this place would have looked like in its heyday.

The museum offers free admission but they welcome donations. The staff was pleasant and helpful with information. Allot at least an hour for your visit. It's a bit difficult finding parking within the immediate vicinity, but luckily, we found one that was only a...