The Lower Mississippi River Museum sits on the riverfront and tells the story of America's great river — its geology, ecology, commerce, and the engineering that tamed it. Run by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the museum occupies a converted dredge boat alongside an indoor exhibit space. The highlight for many visitors is the MV Mississippi, a massive river survey vessel docked outside that you can board and explore.
The river itself is part of the exhibit: the museum explains how the Corps of Engineers has spent more than a century controlling floods and maintaining navigation channels, work that reshaped the geography of the lower Mississippi valley. Admission is free. The riverside location is pleasant, with views across the river toward Louisiana.