New Seaway Visitor Center offers chance to pilot ship

Of course, it won’t be the real deal, but a simulation that’s about as close as a person could wish to come without actually boarding a ship.

That’s one of the more than 38 new and interactive exhibits that will be found in the three-story visitor center, which will open to the public at 9 a.m. May 13, ahead of its traditional Memorial Day weekend opening. Regular hours following the first day of operation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Among the other exhibits are displays recognizing the Lost Villages, the Seaway during construction, Massena before and after the Seaway, and Akwesasne. There’s an interactive time lapse exhibit that takes viewers on a tour of the lock from January to December, and visitors have an opportunity to practice loading a ship without tipping it over.

The exhibits are found on the first and second floor of the Seaway Visitor Center. An outside deck for viewing ships is located on the second and third floors.

Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. officials, including Administrator Adam M. Tindall-Schlicht, gave the press a sneak preview of the new center on Monday, and Amy Stark, the center and community relations director said they are looking forward to the public getting its first opportunity to tour the new facility.

“I want to say how happy we are to welcome the public to the new visitor center very soon,” she said.

“We’re looking forward to opening and working with different partners in the region, both locally and a little bit farther out from us — the Nicandri Nature Center, Hawkins Point Visitor Center, Akwesasne Travel, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, to our North Country Chamber of Commerce, which covers Plattsburgh and Malone and a number of towns out in that direction and then Watertown to the west.”

“We want to position the visitor center as one of multiple locations within the north country that creates a tourism road map for visitors to this part of the world. We think that this is not just a flagship for our organization, but a flagship for many of those other locations that visitors to this part of the world seek out when they are coming here to learn to invest in the north country and to experience this beautiful part of the world,” Tindall-Schlicht said.

Stark said they are “operating under a new paradigm” with the Seaway Visitor Center. The former visitor center historically attracted 100,000 visitors from all 50 states and more than 20 countries each year.

“We had the old visitor center that served us for almost 70 years, and we’re now going to be extending our operating hours so that we’re open year-round is what we’re trying to accomplish. So, a lot of availability, a lot of opportunity for the public to be here,” she said.

In addition to the exhibits, Stark said a conference room will be made available to community groups like Rotary Club, Lions Club and other community organizations to host meetings at no charge.

“We’ll be working on coordinating a lot of those types of meetings and events and field trips for our school-aged children. We absolutely cannot wait to welcome lots of school-aged children here, as well as colleges and universities. We want to highlight maritime careers and opportunities as well for our younger generations,” she said.

Stark said the facility is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and audio tours will also be available.

“You can grab a little phone and take a little audio tour. It’s also translated into French for our neighbors across the river,” she said.

Food and drinks will initially be from vending machines.

Tindall-Schlicht aid the new facility, “a museum and community gathering place, recognizes the profound impact that the St. Lawrence Seaway has had on the north country and its people.”

“This new facility shows how the St. Lawrence Seaway is not just a waterway for vessel activity and shipping, but how the Seaway is also a steward for the north country, its economy, and the environment of the St. Lawrence River,” he said.

He said the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. had been a “lifeline in our community, connecting the Great Lakes, facilitating trade and supporting jobs” for seven decades.

“We have done so while also being a neighbor and a fixture in the north country, balancing economic prosperity with environmental stewardship as is highlighted in many of the exhibits here at the new visitor center,” Tindall-Schlicht said. “As you look around, you will see this visitor center is more than just a building. It’s a premier location to learn about the decades of history and the contemporary operation of the St. Lawrence Seaway and its legacy in Massena.”

Also, he said, “the visitor center illustrates the enduring impact that the St. Lawrence Seaway has had on the Great Lakes maritime economy for decades, including countless U.S. and Canadian ports who depend on safe, efficient and reliable shipping through Eisenhower and Snell locks every single day.”

Tindall-Schlicht said they are proud of the exhibits, making the visitor center “a world-class venue” for the youth of the north country in particular as well as tourists from around the world to experience the St. Lawrence Seaway firsthand.

“Visitors at the center will learn about the thousands of ships that transit through our locks each year, the economic importance of the waterway, and the role of the Seaway in shaping the history of the region,” he said. “The visitor center includes new exterior and interior spaces and will offer a welcoming environment as visitors learn and explore.”

The visitor center, he said, “is not just a tribute to the past. It’s an investment in the future.”

“The visitor center will serve as a hub for education. It is a place where future generations can learn about the importance of the St. Lawrence Seaway and continue to be inspired by its legacy of prosperity and stewardship,” Tindall-Schlicht said.

More information about the Seaway Visitor Center can be found on its Facebook and Instagram pages.