Up and down the Great River Road, you’ll find special spots where you can learn about the history, culture, and natural wonders of the Mississippi River region. Here’s what you need to know about the Great River Road’s official network of Interpretive Centers.
What is an Interpretive Center?
The Great River Road’s Interpretive Centers include a wide variety of attractions, including museums, historical sites, state and national parks, and even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These Interpretive Centers can be found in big cities and small towns all along the Mississippi River and tell the story of the river, its people, and the events—geological and otherwise—that have shaped life and culture here over the centuries.
How many Interpretive Centers are there on the Great River Road?
The Great River Road’s official network of Interpretive Centers features nearly 100 sites across our 10-state region. Iowa’s stretch of the Great River Road has the most Interpretive Centers with 18, followed by Arkansas with 15.
Here’s how many Interpretive Centers you can find in each of the Great River Road states:
- Iowa: 18
- Arkansas:15
- Minnesota: 14
- Illinois, Louisiana: 9 each
- Mississippi: 8
- Missouri, Wisconsin: 7 each
- Tennessee: 3
- Kentucky: 2
See a full list of Interpretive Centers by state here.
All the Great River Road Interpretive Centers are also included on our free 10-state map.
What kinds of things can I learn about at the Interpretive Centers?
The Great River Road’s Interpretive Centers educate visitors about a wide range of topics, from natural history to the Civil War and everything in between. Here’s a little taste of what you’ll discover:
The Mississippi River & more: Visit the headwaters of the Mississippi River and learn about the area’s ecology and history at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center at Itasca State Park. Further south along the river in Minneapolis, the National Park Service’s Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul has exhibits about the river and its related recreational offerings. The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa, is home to dozens of species of fish and other animals that call the river home.
History: See remnants from ancient Mississippi River cultures at Cahokia Mounds Historical Site in Illinois and Poverty Point in Louisiana, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Military history buffs can visit Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi and Columbus-Belmont State Park in Kentucky to see two important sites from the Civil War. Learn about the life of America’s most famous author at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri.
Music: The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is a must-visit for any music lover—visitors can see Muddy Waters’ sharecropper home, instruments played by blues legends like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker, and much more. Learn about the early life of country music legend Johnny Cash at the History Dyess Colony and Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in the Arkansas Delta.
Are there other attractions along the Great River Road?
Yes! The Great River Road is home to lots of interesting places to stop, including scenic overlooks and locks & dams. See a state-by-state list here.
Photo: Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism