Part of the fun of attending an NGS Conference is exploring the host city. Don’t miss the opportunity to have fun in and around the St Charles area. One museum you do not want to miss is the Lewis & Clark Boat House Museum. Focused on the Lewis & Clark Expedition, the Boat House is located on the banks of the Missouri River in historic downtown St Charles.

Easily accessible by shuttle from the Convention Center, the museum is home to the Lewis & Clark Discovery Expedition, a nationally-recognized living history group which consists of more than 200 re-enactors who cook over campfires, sleep under canvas, and know the history they teach. Their clothing accurately recreates the dress of 1804, and they are the only living history group known to have used handcrafted replica boats for the longest re-enactment journey ever attempted. During the 2003-2006 Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, the keelboat, pirogues, and Lewis & Clark Discovery Expedition of St Charles recreated the original Lewis & Clark journey.

Throughout the year, the group makes appearances all along the Missouri, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers bringing to life the story of Lewis & Clark at festivals, community events, school fairs, and private events. Want to know more about equipping an expedition across the country in 1803? Click HERE.

Visit the museum at Bishop’s Landing; 1050 S. Riverside Drive; St Charles, MO 63301. Entrance fee is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children under 17. The bookstore offers a wide variety of titles including items related to Lewis & Clark, Native Americans, general history, local interest, and nature. Visit the website at lewisandclarkcenter.org for more information.

Lewis & Clark Boat House Museum, photo courtesy of Greater St Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau