Canal Exploration Center
Canal Exploration Center
4.5
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles30 reviews
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mamathoma
Ada, MI257 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
Very informative and contained much better displays than I expected. I really learned a lot, not just about the canals but also about the history of the time when the canals were used. Well done exhibits.
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cynthia K
Westville, IN3,108 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
I liked this better than the Boston VC! There's a huge parking lot. To the back of the lot the tow path crosses a bridge & we went & checked that out.
The Visitor Center itself is very good. Nice displays & information on locks & the historic tavern. There's bathrooms.
Outside is a restored lock, which is so much more interesting than the other locks. This sits right on the tow path, so be careful of bikes.

I walked a little way to the statue of the mule & learned who was really working on the tow path!
Written 18 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grover R
Pensacola, FL18,062 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
For me this is an essential stop in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Both the park itself and City of Cleveland are tied to the canal. For good and for bad, the industrialization of Cleveland would not have happened without this canal. The canal made it possible to move goods and people around the Appalachians by connecting the Ohio River to Lake Erie which established Cleveland as a commercial center and the eventual epicenter of oil refining. It was then that industrialization and population growth that threaten the environmental health of the region and country which led to environmental reform, the restoration of the river and the creation of the National Park.

While CVNP is about environmental restoration, it is also about transportation. It has a railroad, two interstates and canal. The oldest of these is canal and this center tells the story of those who worked the canal .

The center has the last working lock and pre-Covid, they would still operate it to illustrate how the canal work. The mules, who are enshrined here in bronze, walk the towpath pulling products in barges. In order to go up and down, the barges needed locks, in fact 44 to reach Akron from Lake Erie.

For me to see the canal and locks and understand the importance to Cleveland and industrialization, this is an important historic site and Must See for CVNP.
Written 16 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

D W
Richardson, TX157 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
This is a great center for learning the history of the Ohio canals. You can even see an example of one of the locks outside of it. There are interactive displays for children to experience the history of the area.
Written 27 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

da120757
Middletown, OH143 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
We took a day trip up to Valley View Ohio to the Erie Canal Exploration Center. Very interested in Canal items as I am also on the Board for the Middletown Historical Society and have done alot of work and research on the Miami and Erie Canal that run from Toledo to the Ohio River. I love that the Lock 38 was still somewhat intact not alot of water but enough for display and the Towpath is now a Bike and walking Path. The Museum is wonderful. Had a wonderful day and recommend you to visit.
Written 14 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

StarkDiets
Canton, OH496 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Solo
This is a spot where the scenic railroad stops at. There's a building that has a restroom and plenty of educational and interactive material on the canal system in the area. There's a gift shop inside, too. The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable on the towpath trail and will provide maps at your request
Written 14 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

blzfan
Erie, PA73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Couples
We enjoyed our visit, spent about 45 minutes checking out the exhibits. Lots of interactive displays for youth.
Written 5 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kathleen
Joplin, MO574 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019 • Family
This is such an informative small museum. The exhibits are well done, and we learned so much from them. We were able to walk to the center from the train, which was a plus. We thought this was one of the highlights of our visit to the Cuyahoga National Park.
Written 29 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

EMB08
Fort Mill, SC157 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2018 • Friends
Historic area with a large National Park Area well worth it and free. Area has many walking trails along canal and through the property.
Written 30 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jimtom87
Pittsburgh, PA36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Solo
This attraction, located in CVNP, is excellent in its comprehensive scope of the history of the Erie Canal, its impact and its continued legacy. Tourists will appreciate the interactive exhibits and canal lock located right outside this newly-renovated museum. There are also some great photo opportunities-Plan to spend at least 35 minutes here.
Written 6 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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CANAL EXPLORATION CENTER: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Canal Exploration Center