Tunica RiverPark Museum

With the recent demise of the BECKY THATCHER, formerly the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Str. MISSISSIPPI (#3) I thought some of the message board readers might be interested in a visit to the river museum at the Tunica RiverPark, one of those lesser known hidden treasures off the beaten path at Tunica, Mississippi, not far below Memphis. Displayed in the museum is the elegant model of the Str. MISSISSIPPI, made by the late Paul McKinney of Memphis. Paul was a longtime photographer for the Corps of Engineers and made many trips on the boat. After he completed the model, it resided on board for many years and was even insured by Lloyds of London! Paul's model of the M/V MISSISSIPPI IV is also part of the collection.

The museum contains excellent exhibits on the Steamboat Era, The River Today, Cotton, Civil War, Blues Culture, Floods, a river navigation simulator and a portrait gallery. One of the most popular exhibits is the Eads Diving Bell Simulator which gives the visitor quite a sensation of diving down into the depths of the Mississippi.

The unique building also includes an orientation theatre, map room, acquarium, and a river overlook. For more information click on Official Tunica RiverPark Visitors Guide – RiverPark Museum, Landing & EcoTour.