MASSENA – The Dwight D. Eisenhower Visitors' Center, located at the U. S. Eisenhower Lock, will open on Friday, May 26, the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) has announced.

The center will remain open daily, including weekends, through Labor Day, Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In addition, the SLSDC will host a Seaway Workers’ Tribute event to honor all Seaway workers past and present, to be held at the Visitors’ Center on Friday, June 2, at 2 p.m. The program will include a candle lighting ceremony to honor and recognize those workers who lost their lives during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The Seaway Visitors' Center at the Eisenhower Lock provides tourists and ship watchers with an observation deck where they can view commercial vessels and cruise ships from around the world as they transit the lock. Guides are available to provide additional information to tourists. Hundreds of ships from all over the world make thousands of transits through the St. Lawrence Seaway annually. They carry a wide variety of cargoes including grains, iron ore, coal, steel, stone, steel slabs, and project cargoes such as windmill components.

The Massena Chamber of Commerce will operate a gift shop featuring items from local vendors and Seaway memorabilia, as well as provide tourist information to visiting guests. Beginning May 26th, the gift shop will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday/Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8p.m.

Due to security measures, visitors will be asked to leave all packages, bags, backpacks etc. in their vehicles. For those necessary items that need to be carried into the viewing area, you may be asked to present them for inspection or have them checked by a metal detecting wand. This will be conducted at a manned checkpoint as you enter the Visitors’ Center area from the parking lot.

The center may be periodically closed to visitors at the discretion of the SLSDC. The top deck is open to the public.

The center is on Barnhart Island Road, off state Route 131. Turn right at the traffic light at the St. Lawrence Centre Mall main entrance if approaching westbound or left if heading eastbound. The center entrance is 1.5 miles on the right.