Mississippi Monsters: Fishy Festivities at the National Great Rivers Museum

About this event

Did you know there is an ancient, river giant living in the Mississippi that coexisted with the dinosaurs? Lake Sturgeon are a very old, very large species of fish that are endangered in both Missouri and Illinois, as well as in 17 other states. But, in 2015, they spawned right outside the walls of the National Great Rivers Museum, right next to the Melvin Price Locks and Dam. This is the first confirmed spawning location in either Illinois or Missouri, and the Environmental Stewardship Rangers at the Rivers Project Office wanted to know how we could entice them to spawn again!

On August 14th, we invite you to come to the Museum and learn about this research while enjoying a variety of fishy festivities! The Illinois Natural History Survey will be here with their portable tank, giving you an up close and personal look at some of the fish that call the Mississippi home. Kids can make Lake Sturgeon buttons to wear for the event (any anywhere else!), and they can also make a stop at our pledge wall, where their pledges to help endangered species will begin to fill our new exhibit wall!

Also, Travis Moore from the Missouri Department of Conservation will be in our theater giving seminar presentations about Lake Sturgeon all day! Check out the topics he’ll be covering:

10:00am and 1:00pm – “What’s Cool About Lake Sturgeon?” 11:00am and 2:00pm – “Lake Sturgeon at Melvin Price Locks and Dam” 12:00pm and 3:00pm – “Lake Sturgeon: Mississippi River Big Game Fishing”

The research project will also be highlighted on our brand-new temporary exhibit wall, alongside a portion of the Mighty Mississippi exhibit from the Missouri History Museum, which will also be unveiled on the same day! Read more about the exhibit unveiling here:

https://fb.me/e/TtpwEiD6

In additional to all the Fishy Festivities, the National Great Rivers Museum will be offering free public tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam on the hour between 10am and 3pm. The twice the opportunity to catch a tour as on a typical day! So come catch a presentation in our theater, take a tour, visit the new exhibit, and have some fun with our Fishy Festivities!

And this event is completely free! We’ll see you on August 14th!