MASSENA - The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) announces the Dwight D. Eisenhower Visitors’ Center at the U.S. Eisenhower Lock in Massena will open to the public on a limited basis on Friday, July 2.

It will remain open daily, including weekends, through Labor Day, Sept. 6,. The hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

The Seaway Visitors’ Center at the Eisenhower Lock provides tourists and ship watchers with an observation deck where they can view commercial vessels as they transit the lock that raises and lowers ships more than 40 feet. The Center’s exterior grounds and observation deck will be open, while the main indoor building facility will remain closed except for elderly visitors and persons unable to walk the steps to the observation deck. A number of safety precautions will be in place and there will be strict enforcement of social distancing, mask wearing if unvaccinated, a temperature check for all visitors, and additional measures consistent with current COVID-19 safety protocols for Federal facilities.

The Center is located off Route 37 in Massena, NY. Turn right at the traffic light at the St. Lawrence Centre Mall entrance if approaching westbound or left if heading eastbound. The Visitors’ Center entrance is 1.5 miles on the right. Parking is free in the lot adjacent to the Center.

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, and large cargoes such as windmill components. The Visitors’ Center historically attracts visitors from all 50 states and more than 20 countries. Guides are available to provide more information to tourists.

For up-to date information on estimated vessel transit times, call (315) 769-2422 for a voice recording of that day’s projected lockage schedule. Additional information is on the website at https://greatlakes-seaway.com/en/navigating-the-seaway/seaway-map/. This map updates every 15 minutes with details on those ships currently in transit within the Seaway System. To obtain specific lock information, visit our Vessel Transit Information page (https://www.glslw-glvm.com/R2/jsp/R2.jsp?language=E&loc=VT00.jsp) and pull down the Order of Turn information. This offers real-time information on those vessels preparing to enter any of the locks.