It is the mission of the museum to help people to learn the rich history of the Erie Canal and that it is not just a thing of the past, but still very much exists today in different forms.

The museum was founded in 1962 by an active group of citizens that wanted to preserve the historic weighlock building.

The Erie Canal Museum was founded in 1962 in an effort to save the Syracuse Weighlock Building from demolition.

[6] The museum has the Frank Buchanan Thomson, a full size replica line boat, on display in what was previously the lock chamber of the Weighlock.

Today the museum has a large collection of all things related to the operation of the Erie Canal, lateral canals, and other man made waterways According to the museum's website, the collections include, “approximately: 1,400 objects (costumes, furnishings, tools, commemorative and documentary items, canal boat equipment, models, and household items); 1,500 prints; 950 sketches and drawings; 45 paintings; 39,000 photographs and negatives; 100 glass plate negatives; 200 rare books; and, miscellaneous maps, plans, receipts, and other manuscript and archival material.” [7] The museum today is a popular destination for tour groups traveling through Syracuse, NY.

Be sure to check out the Annual Gingerbread Gallery each winter and the ongoing After Hours events Wednesday nights at the museum, during the summer.

Experience a part of history that played an imperative role in the growth and development of the United States.

The Weighlock Building and the Erie Canal Museum can also offer a unique setting for all types of functions, day or evening.