Erie Canal Museum

This was a fantastic experience, I am so glad that they are one of the museums that are open on a Tuesday in Syracuse. The person at the front desk was knowledgeable, she greeted me right away, and she answered any questions that I had. She was very welcoming and made sure that I had a great time. What a wealth of knowledge, artifacts, and art you have there. For someone that works in the museum world it was definitely a pleasure to stop at this museum. You should not overlook this fantastic place.

Housed in the actual historic building that weighed the boats and cargo. You will learn a very good general history of the Erie Canal. If you like to read everything, it will take you 2-2.5 hours to go through the whole museum🤓 (start with the bottom floor). Also, they have two hour free parking! It is in the government employee lot across Erie Boulevard (entrance from James Street). Look in my posted pictures for the signs to look out for🙂

What an interesting place! We learned about the fascinating history of the canal along with the history of the development of western NY. Dana, our guide, was so knowledgeable. A great stop when visiting Syracuse!

Well organized museum offering exhibits that appeal to adults and kids. There is a lot of information but much of it is accompanied by simply diagrams and pictures that help illustrate the story or fact. This museum was the main reason we stopped in Syracuse while on a family road trip. It’s a must see if you are in Syracuse or passing by.

This place doesn't excellent job at hosting schools for field trips. They do have on hand learning hunts that are available. However, we made our own escape room hunt for our students. It took them just over 2 hours to do for middle school and they absolutely loved that all the exhibits were hands-on for them. The best part was that they could go on to the barge and they really enjoyed being able to complete the activities at different exhibits. Bringing them back next year.

Great museum if you are interested in learning about the Erie Canal and life of the people who worked/lived there. I loved all of the history and culture, learning about this mode of transportation while gleaning a little insight on Syracuse NY.

Do not skip out on this museum! Great little find with a ton of information. I knew about the Erie Canal but did not appreciate the significance of it. The staff was excellent answering questions, offering tours and talking about the area.

This is a wonderful museum! Small but provides so much information about the construction of the Erie Canal without being overwhelming. There were several interactive exhibits as well.

Whether you're a Syracuse resident or just visiting, the Erie Canal Museum is a must see. The Museum is small but mighty. It packs fun and education all into one place. Meander around the self guided museum to see a variety of exhibits including a boat you can actually sit in! The museum is great for all ages; young and old. The staff is super friendly and the admission price won't break the bank.

I didn't know much about Syracuse on the whole other than they have a university. And that the Erie Canal passed through here when it was a major mode of transportation. I am glad that I came to this museum as it added to my knowledge of the Erie Canal. More than I thought I knew. Do check out the website ahead of time. It has some important information. One such thing is parking, if you are lucky enough, you will be able to snag a spot reserved for the museum parking in the city lot located across the street from the museum. Find the spots that are labeled "Visitor Center Parking," this place doubles as the visitor center as well. Otherwise, there is street parking available at a small cost. Also from the website you will find the hours and price for admission. Admission here is technically "pay-what-you-wish" meaning it can be whatever you feel an admission is. But they suggest $12 at the time of me writing this review. Once inside you will be greeted right away. The staff here is mostly volunteers but definitely know their stuff when it comes to the canal. I was given the layout of the museum and suggested where to go first. The museum is two floors and it is suggested to go through the first floor first, unless you need to use the restroom, those are upstairs. If that is what you need, you can start upstairs. I started off by just checking out the first areas of the exhibits and was approached by another volunteer who took me on quick once through about the canal and important dates and events that marked the opening of the canal. You also find out that the street in front of the museum is named Erie Boulevard because that was once the canal route. That is until it was rerouted. The things you learn when you just listen. Then I was sent on my way to make it through the museum. I went slow and took a lot of pictures so I could go back to them in case I missed something. I really enjoyed the set up of this museum. You go through an explanatory phase of the museum and then you get to explore set ups and walk through displays. Take some time to explore the canal boat as you can walk through it and see what it was like to travel by canal. Believe it or not, people still travel through the canal for leisure travel and they have had visitors here that have shown up via the canals. Once you complete the first floor, trek upstairs and take a look at the displays of the businesses of the day. Bar, pottery place, general store, and theater. All meticulously put together and showing what it was like back in the heyday. After you have taken in everything in the museum you can head outside and take in a bit more. On the canal side of the building you can view the boat inside and what the weigh station looked like. Street side there are a few things to check. Their garden area is beautiful and a nice place to catch some rest. Fun fact, Syracuse was a major stop on the canal because of all the salt. Hence their nickname The Salt City.

I went here for the first time this weekend with my family. It was a great museum that truly highlights the history of the camel and its impact past and current on America. I was very impressed with the staff and the displays. Well done!

This was a fantastic experience, I am so glad that they are one of the museums that are open on a Tuesday in Syracuse. The person at the front desk was knowledgeable, she greeted me right away, and she answered any questions that I had. She was very welcoming and made sure that I had a great time. What a wealth of knowledge, artifacts, and art you have there. For someone that works in the museum world it was definitely a pleasure to stop at this museum. You should not overlook this fantastic place.

I wasn't sure what to expect at the museum, but I will say I had a great time visiting this museum. Having a educational background heavy in history, I get the importance of the Erie canal during it's creation and it's heyday. I think they've done a remarkable job with the exhibits, highlighting the history of the Erie canal, and bringing so much history alive. I visited during a weekday, and there were four busloads of schoolchildren visiting, so our visit was a little out of the ordinary, but we had a wonderful experience with the staff, who were nothing but exceptional, and we were offered a guided tour by a volunteer, who was wonderful at explaining all of the exhibits, and walking through with us while not getting entangled in the school tour groups. We were slow due to an injury, but the docent was very good at keeping an appropriate pace of the tour so that there were no issues. It was definitely a great visit, and I'd recommend it highly to anyone interested in history. Kudos to the museum for their excellent work!

Interesting museum. Learned a lot about the history of the canal here. The museum is free but there is a suggested $10 donation. There are lots of artifacts here. Definitely worth visiting.

Stop 3 of my self-walking tour in downtown Syracuse and wow were we glad to step inside! Dick the guide and resident expert was delightfully knowledgeable and welcoming. Lots of artifacts, pictures, interactive models and even an actual boat to walk through on site. If you're in the area it's a great hour of learning and exploring, so stop by!

Very well-done and filled with fascinating information! I had an afternoon to spare before my evening flight so I took my time during my solo visit and enjoyed the depth and variety of the exhibits. The museum is free but they suggest a $10 donation. Luckily, I had a $10 bill handy but if I hadn't, they take Venmo which is great! I left knowledgeable about the Erie Canal, which was an incredible feat, and I gained a greater appreciation for Syracuse and its history.

This is definitely one of the cooler museums I've visited this year. Whenever I visit a museum, I really enjoy tapping into my inner child - I'm pretty big into interactivity, and being able to play with exhibits is just as important, if not more important to me than being able to read up on the history. This place definitely appealed that kid in me. But anyway, on to the review! I'm from Buffalo and we were in town for a concert, so we spent the following day exploring some of Syracuse before heading back to the 716. Anyway, always on my list of things to do in a new town is to check out any local museums, and this one happened to be close by and open on a Wednesday afternoon. So there we were! This museum is super awesome, and it's not just all about the Erie Canal - there's a ton of local history stuff sprinkled here in there, and is super cool to explore. The first exhibits you'll explore after the lobby are all about the history of the Erie Canal, how it was built and how it works. There are a few interactive exhibits here - the one that shows you how the locks work was broken though, which made me sad because it looked super fun. :( But we were able to play around with the other ones, which were awesome even for a 25 year old woman. I really liked some of the audio exhibits they had too, reading letters that people had written mentioning the Erie Canal in its hay day. There's also a few historical things about Syracuse throughout here, all of which have some tie back into the Erie Canal. I really liked their Elizabeth Cotten exhibit, if you're looking for something unique to check out/something relating to women in history, it's definitely worth visiting! My favorite part of this museum is, of course, the boat! They have a life sized canal boat that you can actually go on, walk through, and pretend you're a 19th century immigrant trying to make a living on the waters of the Erie Canal. There's a couple of infographics on the ship as well (which I found super cool and informative, definitely check those out) as well as statues of people to represent passengers throughout. The woman at the front desk pointed out the donkey statue across the street that you can view from the window, how it represented the actual distance the mules had from the canal boats as they traveled down it. Probably my favorite tidbit of history from this visit! Very cool and informational place. There was one woman staffed here the day we visited and she was incredibly nice, and she gave us a ton of info not just on the museum, but the rest of Syracuse as well (since we mentioned we were from out of town). I definitely wouldn't mind visiting here again if I ever have a chance to come back, and I absolutely recommend it to any locals who haven't experienced it yet, or out-of-towners!

Informative and exciting to learn about the canal. Amazing how the locks work. The whole family enjoyed the museum.

This museum is a treasure of information about American History. Topics of interest were financing and early American banking, engineering, politics of the era, NY geography, Underground Railroad, canal life, and so much more.

Great little museum! Kathleen at the front desk was very friendly and knowledgeable. Suggested $10 donation to get in.

I had a day to kill before my evening flight out of Syracuse so turned to Yelp for ideas. I am a history buff and always up for learning new things so this place looked interesting. Plus it is right downtown near a bunch of restaurants etc. Parkin was a breeze right on the street outside the museum and the parking kiosks take case and cards. So easy. The museum is bigger than you would think and the exhibits are visually and mentally interesting. They actually have a full size canal boat inside the museum that you can walk through. It was interesting to see how important the Erie Canal was to travel and commerce back in the day and what a gargantuan undertaking it was in a time with limited technology and tools. It took me about two hours to see the whole thing and was well worth the price of admission, which I think was a $5 dollar donation. When I finished I took a nice stroll around downtown.

Great way to spend an hour in Syracuse! We came to SYR from ROC for our COVID-19 vaccines, and were early for our reserved times for entry to the museum, so had a quick bagel at Water Street Bagels nearby (also recommend). Then enjoyed touring thru this museum, which is housed in the last of the weighlock buildings, and is adjacent to a portion of the canal. Wonderful docent who greeted us and got us started on the tour with great suggestions for maximizing our experience. Loved meandering thru an actual canal boat exhibit; and loved the COVID-safe exhibit that you operate with your feet, in order to virtually send a boat through a lock! Great gift shop for books and souvenirs after your tour.

Wonderful museum on a small scale for a few hours' edification. Much recommended. Don't overlook the importance of the Erie Canal! Until the advent of the locomotive, it transformed Upstate New York, one of my favorite regions in the country. At 363 miles at its heyday from 1825-when it opened early and under budget after eight years--it consisted of 83 locks and an elevation change of 675 feet. A great topic for a young student for his National History Day project.

Excellent museum. The staff at the front desk greeted me and she was very nice and informative. It has two stories and will probably take about 2 hours if you read a lot of the posted information. There are a couple hands-on displays/TVs where you can simulate a lock's operation and the second is weighing boats to determine the toll. Masks were required when I went but they provided them, if needed. Has a nice little gift shop and bathrooms upstairs. Visit Lock 24 in Baldwinsville, NY if you can, prior. This is the only lock I have been to but it is one of the busiest, so you can see a real lock in action.

Dad wanted to go see an Erie Canal museum and heard about this place. I didn't tell him where it was because, well, I'm not sure we would have made the trip from Albany to see a museum about a canal in the middle of asphalt downtown. Considering that our Erie Street used to be the canal I should have suspected the same of Erie in Syracuse. Not only was this museum on the canal it actually was a toll station and has a wonderful display of how it operated complete with a boat you can see. Chock full of history which is well presented and has a lot of opportunities for interaction for the kids you will find something to enjoy for everyone. Definitely recommend.

the cold gray day got me brainstorming fun indoor activities... when i stumbled upon a "pen and ink" exhibit at the eric canal museum. located conveniently downtown, made my way over to learn a thing or two about this fine city. so much history in pictures, plaques,and maps. did you know: -syr is known as salt city -erie boulevard is where the erie canal once existed! -syr is the middle point of the erie canal -syr pop'n when from 250 in 1820 to 171,000 in 1920!!! -there exists a musical instrument called "melodeon"?? and the facts go on and on! definitely recommend this spot for anyone interested in: -killing 1-2 hours on a rainy day -learning about syracuse history -exploring old boats

This was a surprisingly fascinating museum. We spent an hour, maybe an hour and a half walking through it. If you read every single plaque, it would take you two hours. The displays were well curated. The barge in the weighlock was particularly fun. It was reasonably priced. Just a $5 donation. We all enjoyed it.

You will understand why Rochester, Syracuse, and other towns sprung up where they sprung up. Just awesome, how goods were transported.

We visited the Erie Canal Museum on a lark while visiting Syracuse. We didn't even know about it until we read an information sign in Clinton Square! The museum is housed in the only existing weigh station on the old Erie Canal, and it's great to see the original Weigh Master's office and other details kept intact. But the museum is modern and retro-fitted for comfort: there is climate control throughout the museum, a large elevator for accessibility, and even a little theater to show an informational video. I found the museum to be extremely informational and engaging; I cared very little about the Erie Canal coming in, but learned a great deal about its significance for upstate New York and the city of Syracuse in particular. An interactive area and play area are great for children. The museum does a great job with keeping visitors of different age and interest levels engaged in their exhibits. The one staff member on hand was also extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the canal and the museum. The museum is free, but donations are encouraged. It's definitely worth it, even if it's just for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The Erie Canal Museum is a national and international treasure that many Syracusians do not quite appreciate. The weigh lock building is the only one survived on the old Erie Canal. If you study the glorious history of the Erie Canal, you will understand that it was a critical part of the development of our nation's economy. The Erie Canal Museum is family-friendly. It is a great place for a day trip with the family. In December every year, there is always a gingerbread gallery display. It smells so delicious in the gallery. We go there a few times a year just to check out the ever-evolving exhibits.

Really cool history museum! There is a lot of history to Syracuse, NY I didn't know about until I came here. They have the only surviving weigh-lock in the country! The eerie canal was vital to this country's growth and it's really cool to examine that and think about the history. Very interesting, and a must-see for anyone visiting this city. Plus it's only donation based, so give what you want!!

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 : ) 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 : (

Terrific find. Excellent museum with very interesting displays, videos, with an an actual canal boat to board and explore. Historic building that sits adjacent to an actual portion of the canal. Museum guides are friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend a visit.

Housed in the Weighlock Building(erected in 1850) is the impressive Erie Canal Museum.On a hot July Syracuse day,I learned about the Erie Canal and its importance prior to the creation of New York State's railroad system.I learned about the boats that transported salt from Lake Onondaga,grain ,and passengers in the western portions of New York State.I especially appreciated Corky Goss' fine mural that depicted the Syracuse Canal Station in bygone times.I also relished the fine curatorial work of its staff in enriching me about 19th Century Syracuse and its salt economy in years past.

This is a nice little museum, located in the last remaining weigh lock building, and that's kind of cool. Unfortunately, even though the exhibits are good, and the little video they show is informative, they don't really have enough "engineering" exhibits to satisfy me. I want to know how the canal was built - it was a serious feat, given the time period. How did they fill it? How did they keep it from filling early? How did they survey the path, etc. Not much of that was answered. But the museum is free with a suggested donation, and it's still interesting - for example, I didn't realize how the canal had been replaced by other freight methods, nor how "small" it was when first opened. I'd say it's a good way to kill some time if you're in the area or particularly interested in the subject, however, it's not an absolute must see that I'd drive out of my way to visit.

In all fairness I'm not a museum buff. I've heard some of their displays are now updated. I breezed through-quick stop.

Very good interpretive museum on the Erie Canal. Enjoyed good nag on the replica canal boat. The bunks looked very cramped and short. Wish they had more music from the canal heyday. Well worth a visit!

This is more of a snapshot of Syracuse in the first part of the 19th Century when they just happened to be building the Erie Canal. It is nice to see all the care that has gone into preserving the weigh building. Worth the visit.

I lived in Syracuse for two years (in the early seventies) and never visited the museum until this past summer. It is full of interesting artifacts and information. Well worth a visit. Steve Fava

We had a great time at the Erie canal museum for our first day of spring break this year. We happened to go on a day where there was a docent available providing tours. He was very informative (Thanks Dave!) and really helped put everything into perspective for us. This is a donation only museum, which I found hard to believe once we got inside and saw all of the care they had taken to put together hands-on exhibits that would be great for kids, information that adults would appreciate, and just a well-rounded approach to how much the Erie canal contributed not only to the existence and prosperity of New York State, but really to the nation. They have plans to include more information about the haudenosaunee native peoples and their interaction with the building of the canal which I think will only improve it immensely. There are exhibits here, multiple opportunities to see different videos about different aspects of the Erie canal, and even a replica of a canal boat outside. I particularly enjoyed a new exhibit that their local historian had assembled on the mules used on the canal in the early days. Go to this museum! Take your kids! Enjoy yourself! Be aware when you go that there is not necessarily dedicated parking for this museum. The museum is located right across the street from City Hall and much of the parking lot is reserved for state employees. There is a parking lot about a block away, with parking $8 for the day. This being a museum with in the city of Syracuse, the lack of parking was not unexpected. It just helps to know that you will need to look around for the paid parking lot when you are planning your visit. Go see this place!

This was a nice distraction for the day! A surprisingly interesting museum. We would have loved it even more if the interactive displays were functioning. A great way to learn more history about the local area. Well done and I'd recommend it to anyone. (We didn't see any staff other than the one woman collecting donations at the front desk.)

A great place to learn and explore for all ages. Learn how a lock on a river/canal lifts boats up and down for elevation changes using only the natural power of the water. Tour a canal boat and see how they lived and traveled in the 1800's

I visited the museum when I first moved to Syracuse. I was amazed to find that it contains more than just canal history. The museum has photos and books capturing the history of Syracuse and all of Central New York. It's a very quiet place with many artifacts. If you ask the staff and the curator, you can also learn about the archives which contain 10 times more stuff than is on display. The research library is packed. Best part - admission is free.