Lower Mississippi River Museum facts for kids

Lower Mississippi River Museum

The Lower Mississippi River Museum is a special place in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It teaches visitors all about the mighty Mississippi River. A law passed in 1992 helped create this museum and a special area along the riverfront. Experts from places like the Smithsonian Institution, the Department of the Interior, and the National Park Service helped plan how the museum would look and what it would teach. This museum is unique because it is the first and only one in the United States to have a real, fully restored riverboat on display, right on land!

Meet the M/V Mississippi IV

M/V Mississippi IV

The Motor Vessel Mississippi is a very important boat. It is the fourth boat named "Mississippi" used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps of Engineers is a group that helps manage rivers and other water resources in the U.S. This boat is powered by diesel fuel and has a strong steel body.

How the M/V Mississippi IV Worked

The M/V Mississippi IV had two powerful engines, each with 1860 horsepower. This gave it a lot of strength! For easy steering, it used special propellers that could change their angle. This allowed the boat to move forward or backward very quickly.

The boat had four main levels, like floors in a building. These were called the main deckhouse, second deckhouse, Texas deckhouse, and the pilothouse. The pilothouse is where the captain steered the boat.

The M/V Mississippi IV worked as both a towboat and an inspection vessel. This means it helped push other boats or barges, and it also traveled the river to check on its conditions. It stopped working in 1993. On September 26, 2007, the boat was carefully moved to its permanent home on land at the museum. Now, visitors can explore this amazing piece of river history up close!