Shreveport Water Works Museum

Amazing small museum with exhibits you’d probably never see anywhere else. The gentleman in the museum was extremely kind and gave us a wonderful tour.

This is a very cool and FREE place to take your family. The huge pipes, pumps, motors, filters, gauges, valves are a steampunk paradise! My favorite part was blowing the whistle at the end of my “shift”. Don’t forget to see the settling tanks, the filter room, the laboratory under the water tower (turn on the light to see the tunnels and pipes under the floor), and the main pump room basement (47 feet down!). Also check out the RR museum next door.

I highly recommend checking this place out. Lots of fascinating history about the early days of water production. The tour is free and runs off of donations.

Our family was in Shreveport for a work trip, and took the kiddo’s to this museum. We personally are avid museum goers, and this place is probably in our top 5 favorites! They have this place well maintained and is exceptional! I hope to come back and bring more friends and family soon!

A must visit. The person at the reception was very helpful and even directed us to the railway museum which is next to this museum. It’s nested along a small alley which can be missed. This is a free museum and they accept donations.

A great piece of steam history, preserved in incredible condition because, well the city just walked out when they stopped using it. The volunteers, Kevin especially, gave a great tour. The museum only takes 30 mins to an hour to explore but well worth it. The cutaways allow you to see all the machinery well and get up close and personal with it. Plenty of info on pamphlets, call in tour, and plaques around the museum to go indepth.

Awesome steampunk heaven! This place is a major slice of steam era history. All the giant cast iron pipes, cranks, wheels, furnaces, forges, whistles, tanks, tracks and other stuff you’ve only ever heard about or seen pictures of. And the building itself is intact. It even smells authentic.

The museum is all around one of the last remaining steam operated water supply station build around 1920 and decommissioned at 1980! Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide provided us all details about how station operated and both our kids 19yo and 11yo were very engaged through the tour. What a hidden gem!

This place is such a gem! Kevin led us in a tour and we were fascinated by all the workings of this early water treatment facility. It's a non traditional tourist spot, but joy was I glad we went when visiting Shreveport. Kevin was friendly and knowledgeable. When you walk into the museum, you feel like you're stepping back in time. Can't recommend this place enough

Great piece of water history! Was worth seeing as it is free and good hours. Loved the great audio tour on your phone. Nice train museum next door.

It may be hard for some folks to appreciate the importance and the function of a water treatment plant. This is a very interesting historical site. It is a miracle that it even exists. Thank you, City of Shreveport, for maintaining this facility for the public to enjoy. I am a career pipeliner. Pumps, piping and related devices are my wheelhouse. I also love steam equipment and any old massive iron industrial equipment. My daughter is a civil engineer that designs and oversees the construction of water treatment plants. My wife is a history buff. We all thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Why am I telling you all of this? Well, if your interests are not in these areas, it could be challenging to understand and relate to the importance of what you are touring. Or, if touring a water plant is not on your bucket list, then you need Kevin, the tour guide! Kevin knows the history of the facility, the interworking and what the work environment was like when it was up and running. We took Kevin's tour. He does a fantastic job and can help you understand how the plant functioned. Take the free tour! It is an impressive and interesting historical site. Don't forget to blow the whistle!

The defunct water works of Shreveport make for an interesting site. I walked up to a quiet site, but a tour guide came up out of nowhere and offered to give me some information. It is a worthwhile thing to learn about, as most of us probably don't spend much time thinking about where are water comes from, despite how important it is. I was surprised to learn that there was only one large safety incident the way they tell it, and that they never used fluoride. The tour is free free (you can donate, but they didn't push anything on me) and worth a look. And to be honest, given how unpleasant my tap water tasted in Shreveport, I wonder if this old facility wasn't doing something better than the new one that has replaced it.

This place is far more interesting than I thought it would be. I took my parents and said, It's not like we're going to the Shreveport sewer system. lol. I was wrong. But the tour guide was personable and the stuff just looked cool. I enjoyed myself and donated a few $1 Bills. The train portion of the visit was Meh. But the water works was worth the hour we were there.

This place rules! If you enjoy getting an in depth view of history and pre/post industrial age equipment,look no further. Kevin, the tour guide, gave us a rad tour and answered all of or questions with incredible knowledge and insight. 10/10! Lots of cool machinery and tools that you just don't see anymore and the level of craftsman for the time period is out of this world. Bring a handkerchief if it's daytime as it can get a little muggy at times, they do have fans everywhere so it stays cool. Don't forget to pull the airhorn at the end! Oh yeah! It's free!!!!!!!

The Shreveport Waterworks Museum is a fascinating place staffed by knowledgeable and friendly volunteers. I recently visited the site with the Shreveport Hidden History Tour and found it the HIGHPOINT of the day. The old facility has been well maintained and there are interactive displays and models to demonstrate the filtration process. Some of the steam-powered pump equipment has been powered by electric motors so that it "operates" for visitors to observe. The history of innovation in Shreveport is fascinating. We were one of the first municipal water systems in America to employ filtration and chemical purification. Our guide was full of facts and anecdotes about the founding and development of the water system. This museum is definitely worth clearing an afternoon to take the family to see.

Interesting place to visit. Especially if mechanical items and the last are of interest.

Great place to see history and learn how water was filtered back in the day. I didn't think my 9 year old would be interested but he really enjoyed himself. I would recommend this to anyone looking for things to do, and bonus- it's free!

I really enjoy walking through this museum. At the same time I was there and there was a bus full of kids getting to tour. I was trying to stay out of the kids' way so they would listen to Kevin. Having lived in Vegas and gone out to Hoover dam and see how that works and it was interesting to see another water worksystem. If you really want to see some old equipment I need to see this place. It was fun.

This may be a great museum. I wish I knew. Hubby and I are traveling and happen to be in Shreveport on a Sunday. We wanted to go to this museum, but like so many others, it is closed on Sunday. Don't people believe that others travel on Sunday? Don't people believe that travelers--even on Sunday--want to see attractions that are advertised? Since we have already left Shreveport and are in Texas, we won't be able to see this "fascinating", "awesome", place and get an "excellent" tour.

If your looking for something free to do in Shreveport this is a good place to go. Its a really interesting place to go and learn about the city and the history of the waterworks. You see a good bit of history and get to see lots of old equipment. Tour guide was nice when i did go. Its always great that its free and a nice hidden gem that's relaxing to go and visit.

The Shreveport Water Works Museum is an amazing find! Free tours are available or you can perform your own self-guided tour. The museum provides an in depth and historical view of how Shreveport serviced the community through each step of the water filtering process. The Shreveport water was originally sourced from the Red River and then (now currently) Cross Lake. The museum has on display the original equipment used for the water filtration process over the years. Great tour and a look back into the old days and evolution of purifying water across a city. Good for the kids and a great family activity!

Wonderful collection of old machinery. Kevin is the main docent and gives an informative and relaxed tour. I'd recommend this museum to locals and touristos!

Awesome! Big pumps, big tools, big fun! A glimpse behind the magic that it takes to make clean water flow when you turn the tap. Worth a tour. Knowledgeable staff.

Wonderful tour with lots to offer (and free)! The tour guide was very informative and great with children! The tour guide kept everyone (especially the children) engaged! This plant gives a full overview of how water is pumped in from a source (currently Cross Lake, formerly Red River), purified, and transported to the area it services. More importantly tourists get to see the actual process with all of the pumps and filters. The history of this place is absolutely amazing! There is even a Railroad Museum next door on the same property to view.

Worth a visit. I received an excellent tour. It is quite cool to see so much steam-powered equipment in such good condition. It was steam powered until the 1980s (!). It is worth a trip from downtown and is a good way to learn about water purification and pumping!

This is a hidden gem. The tour guide Kevin was amazing. He knew everything about the museum and history of water works in Shreveport. Also, his girlfriend makes some of the gift shop items.