lewis & clark state historic site & interpretive center

Lewis and Clark history is rich in Madison County, IL. This relatively new site has very realistic ship and area representations, you could believe you were on the trip with these men of history. I think the selection of materials in the gift shop are very educational and enriching. With the recent anniversary of their trip, all things Lewis and Clark abound. This Center convinced us what great explorers these men were while relating it both here and up the Missouri River.

We throughly enjoyed our visit. The museum has lots of interative displays for children, if you like history this is the place to go, so much to learn about Lewis and Clark. The museum is very well taken care of. The docents have so much knowledge and realy show how much they love sharing it with the guests. It's a hidden gem in Southern Illinois and definately worth the trip!

We were fortunate that this center was open when we drove by (be sure to check for times) because it is one of those hidden gems. We like American History and have been to the end of the Lewis and Clark trail, so wanted to see what the beginning looked like. This museum is extremely well curated, with activities and information for kids that adults can enjoy (and learn painlessly!) The most spectacular is the life size replica of the keelboat that has been cutaway to show how everything was stored. We went to the replica outbuildings of the fort and cabin, and were impressed with knowledge that the costumed docents had about the life and times there. We thought we might be there for 30 minutes and stayed about 2 hours. Definitely worth the trip.

I enjoyed visiting this museum. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in history or has a inner explorer inside them. I never get tired of the stories of Lewis and Clark and the epic adventure they undertook. The museum has lots of interactive displays that will be fun for children. The museums main scope is to give the visitors a sense of who the men were, what they did to prepare for the journey and what day to day life was for them. Outside on the museum grounds is a reconstructed fort. The costumed docent that was there the day I visited was excellent. He was very insightful and knowledgeable.

This is one of the coolest "Lewis & Clark" museums/exhibits I have been to. Unfortunately they are having tough times financially and a few of the exhibits are in need of some repair. Having said that, the museum is still fantastic even with a few broken parts. There is a replica of their keel boat that had been cut away on one side so you could see how and where everything was stored. There were tons of interactive things to do. I really wish that we had more time to spend there. They also have a replica outside of Camp River Dubois that you can walk around in. I hope they can keep this place open and in working order, because it was fabulous! There is no fee for this museum, but they do have a suggested donation.

For history buffs or families with children this site is a great place to visit more than once. In the daylight hours wander from one end of the historical trail to the end. Watch the informative movie to see the beautiful and sometimes treacherous journey made by Lewis and Clark plus their party. Enter the replica cabin and long boat to see how the survived long ago. Then watch the website for the announcement of the Candle light event. The experience is completely different. You wander the encampment and see life by candle light. It is a great time for the family to see life before computers and cell phones. This event is held in the fall so firelight and cider is a wonderful way to end the evening.

This was a great little find, very cool exhibits and very helpful staff! Our kids enjoyed the Camp Dubois exhibit outside on the grounds. This was well worth the visit and it's free!

As with most of the attractions we visited on our 10 day vacation in St. Louis we didn't know what to expect. The purpose of our trip was to visit our 17 month old grandson and everything else was to keep us busy when he was sleeping. Neither my wife nor I knew anything about Lewis & Clark other than they traveled from the western edge of the United States (St. Louis) to the Pacific after the Louisiana Purchase. We learned a lot about how President Jefferson got Lewis & Clark to lead the expedition and how they formed a crew, built a keel boat, stocked and loaded supplies for their journey. While there we also learned how the Mississippi has wandered over the past two hundred years and the extent of the flood plane of the river now.

I have wanted to see this Historic Site for years. The visitors center was closed as we were there early and had to move on. However, it was like you could vision Lewis and Clark shoving off for their journey to the Pacific Coast. We will go back to see the Interpretive Center when our schedule is not so tight.

We were just looking to see the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. As we turned off the highway we found this site. It has a great display, including a good movie on the expedition, a mockup of their keel boat, and living history in the DuBois Fort on the grounds. Too bad these historical sites don't get better press. A great stop for a 2-3 hour review of how Lewis & Clark began there journey into the westward expanse.

This is worth a detour off of I-270 if you are interested in history. The state maintains this historical site to commemorate L & C organizing over the winter and setting out up the Missouri River. Very nice displays interpret why he party spent a winter here. Make sure you drive out to the overlook where you can see the confluence of the two rivers.

This is a site I have intended to stop by for years and finally did, very pleasant surprise. As you drive or walk back to the confluence point of the two rivers be sure to keep a lookout for birds and wildlife. A fort reconstruction and very nice visitors center make this a fun stop for a family or the solo history buff. This a participating site of the Lewis and Clark passport system.

Close to the spot that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark wintered before setting out on their expedition up the Missouri, the site contains a nifty little museum and decaying replica of the original fort. I visited with my son and daughter (age 13 and 12) on November 29, 2013 and took the short tour. Other then some little old ladies, we were the only people on the tour. The guide was informative and engaged both of my children by regaling them with stories of kids their ages back in the 1800s. It was slightly disappointing to learn that the original fort is gone because its site now sits in the Mississippi River due to changes in the river's course. However, knowing Huey Lewis and Clark W. Griswold would approve of the replica brightened the visit appreciably.All and all, a nice little visit for a free museum and tour.

The best part was the replica boat. The kids enjoyed that for an hour. Outside there is room to run to the replica camp. We also went to the confluence tower.

We really enjoyed our time here which commemorates the Lewis & Clark expedition. The museum does a good job of summarizing the 2 and a half year trip, and is a must see. It also includes a replica of a keelboat. Fort Dubois, their winter quarters has been replicated; be sure to take the short tour of the camp. Unfortunately, this will be torn down soon and rebuilt so we be unavailable during at least part of 2014.