Erie Canal Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Erie Canal Museum


Established	October 25, 1962 (1962-10-25)

Weighlock Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Erie Canal Museum in former weigh lock building, Syracuse, New York
Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	SE corner of Erie Blvd. E. and Montgomery St., Syracuse, New York
Built	1849
NRHP reference No.	71000552
Added to NRHP	February 18, 1971

The Erie Canal Museum is a cool place to learn about the Erie Canal. It's located in Syracuse, New York. This museum started in 1962. It's a private group that works to teach people about history.

The museum is inside a special building called the Syracuse Weighlock Building. This building was built in 1850. It was used as a "weighlock" from 1850 to 1883. A weighlock was like a giant scale. It weighed boats on the Erie Canal. This helped figure out how much money each boat had to pay to use the canal.

Today, the museum shows old items from the Erie Canal. It also has exhibits about canal life now. The museum wants everyone to know the Erie Canal's rich history. They also want people to see that the canal still exists today. The museum's Weighlock Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. This means it's a very important historical site.

The Weighlock Building: A Historic Scale
- How a Weighlock Worked
The Museum's Story
What You Can See at the Museum
Visiting the Museum Today
Images for kids
See also

The Weighlock Building: A Historic Scale

The Weighlock Building was finished in 1850. It had a very important job. It helped weigh boats on the Erie Canal. This was how the canal collected money, called tolls.

In 1883, the canal stopped charging tolls. So, the building was no longer needed as a weighlock. After that, it was used for many different things. By 1940, a state department used the building. Since 1962, it has been the home of the Erie Canal Museum. It's the only weighlock building left from the Erie Canal.

How a Weighlock Worked

When the weighlock was working, boats would float right into a special room. This room was inside the building. Then, the water would be let out. This made the boat rest on huge scales. The scales would measure the boat's total weight.

To find out how much a boat's cargo weighed, they did some math. They knew the boat's empty weight. They would subtract that from the total weight. This helped them figure out the toll.

The Museum's Story

The Erie Canal Museum opened in 1962. A group of people wanted to save the old weighlock building. They knew it was a special part of history. So, they started the museum to protect it.

What You Can See at the Museum

The Weighlock Building itself is the biggest item at the museum. It's a very important piece of history. The museum was created to save this building from being torn down.

Inside the museum, you can see a full-size replica boat. It's called the Frank Buchanan Thomson. This boat is in the space where the weighlock chamber used to be. There's no water there now. But you can easily imagine how it looked long ago.

When the museum first opened, it didn't have many items. Over the years, it has carefully collected many things. Today, the museum has over 50,000 items. These items are all about the Erie Canal. They also show things from other man-made waterways.

The museum's website says they have many cool things. These include old clothes, tools, and boat equipment. They also have thousands of photos and drawings. Plus, there are old maps and books.

Visiting the Museum Today

The Erie Canal Museum is a popular place to visit. Many groups come to Syracuse, NY, to see it. The museum also works as the Syracuse Visitor's Center. This means it helps people find out about other things to do in the city.

The museum has talks and events all year. You can check out the Annual Gingerbread Gallery in winter. They also have "After Hours" events on Wednesday nights in the summer.

There are eight parking spots for museum visitors. They are under the highway overpass. You can find them on North State Street and James Street. These spots are marked "Visitor Center Parking." You can also find parking on nearby streets.

The Erie Canal Museum works hard to save the 1850 Weighlock Building. It's the last building of its kind. The museum also tells the amazing story of the Erie Canal. You can step aboard a replica canal boat. You can explore what life was like in a canal town. You can even put on a puppet show! It's a great way to experience history. The Erie Canal played a huge role in how the United States grew. The museum is a must-see for everyone!

The New York State Council on the Arts helps fund the museum. This support comes from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

You can visit the museum by making a donation. A $10.00 donation is suggested.

The Weighlock Building and the Erie Canal Museum can also be rented. You can host parties, receptions, or meetings there. They have both indoor and outdoor spaces.