Shreveport Water Works Museum Reviews

It’s interesting to see the huge equipment that it took to produce clean drinking water in the 1800’s.

Just a really cool place to bring the whole family. You will learn things and enjoy your time here, for sure.

We took the grandkids to the museum. The volunteer tour guide gave us a brief history, showed us how the facility worked, and let us explore. We enjoyed seeing the way water was processed and purified from the late 1800s until the 1990s.

Spent most of a Sunday afternoon with a most knowledgeable volunteer touring this attraction. He shared a myriad of facts, so I apologize as I have forgotten the his name.

Shreveport's first water plant opened in 1887 and was in operation until 1980. Filtration began in 1890, and chlorine treatment was initiated in 1914. May be wrong, but I believe some of the equipment on display is thought to be the last of its kind to have survived.

The water works is a national historic landmark, and well worth a visit. There is no charge, but donations are appreciated.

Our tour guide Chris was amazing! The history and preservation of all the machines and the buildings is most definitely a must see!

Everything everyone is saying about this true. Kevin is an absolute boss as a host to this piece of history.
More and more families and individuals need to get out to a place like this.
The history of things like this expand your knowledge of what was before us.
What's an hour of your time without a stupid cell phone to look at....?

Great tour!!

The wife and I ran across a Water Works Museum brochure at the LA visitors center and thought "why not".
It turned out to be a fantastic find! The old water works began in 1887 as a coal fired steam engine operation and very little has changed. No where else have I seen two workable steam engines side by side. One is hooked up to an electric motor so that all the major moving parts are in fact MOVING! The static engine is an Allis Chalmers for all the tractor lovers out there. The engines powered a couple of pumps that are amazing to see (well, amazing if you're a gearhead like me). You can walk around and explorer at your own pace and touch anything you want, but remember it's dirty. I particularly enjoyed the octagon shaped lab built under the water tower, some of the original test equipment is still sitting on the bench. As a matter of fact, the whole place looks like the workers walked out at the end of a shift... and just left everything.
Pay attention to the brick and timber style of construction in the original part of the plant, the craftsmen took time to put a decorative detail on the timbers.
Admission was free but donations are accepted.
Leave the "boats" for a couple of hours and explore this gem of a museum.

On Saturday we went on a field trip to the Shreveport Water Works Museum. It was a great experience. Our tour guide Kevin was the best. He was very knowledgeable. Would definitely go again and will recommend it to some teacher friends about bringing kids to get a good look at Shreveport's History!!!!

This is one of the most unique museums ever. Fascinating to learn of advances in clean water. Really good displays-- and this is the actual equipment. Beautiful Bayou location.

This place is surprisingly fascinating. Cool to see such large old machinery, especially the giant pumps made by Allis Chalmers, which is from Milwaukee. Check it out if you have a chance!

Really amazing and interesting to see all the equipment used back in the day. Lots of informative signs to let you know what you are looking at. No cost, just a donation to visit.

This facility has a very interesting history paired with beautiful equipment! I am glad we stopped by!

If you are interested in machines, the way things used to be done for a city, and steam driven pumps.... or if you think your husband or boyfriend would enjoy any of the above, then head down to the Shreveport Water Works Museum. My boyfriend took me there as he knew I love engineering and steam driven machines. We not only had a good time and enjoyed the care takers/tour guides, but we loved watching the demonstration when they turned on one of the pumps. It was great and my boyfriend loved it.

The docent at the Water Works Museum was very knowledgeable. It is great to see old facilities like this one able to have tours. So glad it wasn’t torn down years ago so we could experience it.

Engineers, plan for a 3-hour stay! Intensely mechanical & original. Co-located with the one-room train museum. Free but I encourage all to donate.

This place is cool!!! Interesting to see all the old stuff and the old building. Also very confident that you could “call” on the tour to hear about each different exhibit

My husband and I came to visit family. We ended up having my younger brother (11yrs old) for the day. Decided to take him to water works for the day and we absolutely loved it. Workers were informative and grear with the kids. He even got to blow the whistle! I highly suggest visiting.

Very interesting old water plant... learn about H2O from bayou to tap! Engineering, chemistry, machinery and more

This museum is actually the waterworks dating to the mid 1800's. Listed as a National Historical Place, it is located near downtown Shreveport on Twelve MileBayou. The docent, a very nice and enthusiastic gentleman gave a tour and explained how it worked and its importance for clean water in a growing town. One can also wander about on your own. Admission is free with adequate parking, also free.
My 14 year old grandson especially enjoyed seeing the pumps working.
It's a nice little side trip that is fun and interesting.

The Shreveport Waterworks Museum is a fascinating location staffed by knowledgeable and friendly volunteers. I recently visited the site with the Shreveport Hidden History Tour and found it the HIGHPOINT of the day. The old facility has been well maintained and there are interactive displays and models to demonstrate the filtration process. Some of the steam-powered pump equipment has been powered by electric motors so that it "operates" for visitors to observe.

The history of innovation in Shreveport is fascinating. We were one of the first municipal water systems in America to employ filtration and chemical purification. Our guide was full of facts and anecdotes about the founding and development of the water system. This museum is definitely worth clearing an afternoon to take the family to see.

Great fun for the kids. They love water and I love to see them happy. This is a good place to plan a party.

There is so much to see if you take the time. An engineer's dream! It is chock-full of old mechanical equipment, including the pumps and boiler equipment. Signage is very good, supplemented by phone-accessible lectures for each area.
Exceptionally preserved and maintained, especially for their limited budget. I've never solicited for guests to donate, but I will for this museum - it deserves it.

This was a interesting place to visit. It was quite warm. It would be more comfortable to visit on a cloudy day or cooler weather. We really enjoyed everything and the tour guide was very knowledgeable.

Loved seeing how things work and watching all the displays. We walked all over the area and were envious that our town had nothing to compare.

The Water Works Museum preserves the early water treatment and pumping station in Shreveport, LA. Very few cities in the USA have anything like it. The tour shows the large ancient machines used to filter water from Cross Bayou. The machinery is still housed in the original buildings. Shreveport now uses a plant to treat its drinking water in a new facility near Cross Lake. The city preserved its original plant, and it should be commended for saving a piece of its history, rather than tearing it down. The museum is open only on certain days at certain hours, so be careful to check the schedule. We went on a Tuesday and caught the last tour at 2 PM. The museum is located just to the north of downtown Shreveport, along the south bank of Cross Bayou. It's near a railroad trestle at 142 North Common Street. A small road off of Common Street takes you up to the Museum. It's easy to miss, so watch carefully for the sign. The Shreveport Railroad Museum is also there, in a small building next to the main building for the Water Works Museum.

learned about how Shreveport got its potable water, great place to take the kids to see where tap water came from

If you have never seen a Huge steam operated pump or wondered how you got water to your house this is the visit for you and while your there you can visit the Shreveport Railroad museum and see what railroads served Shreveport in the older times.

Very interesting museum. One of a kind. Worth stopping in if you are in town. Kevin is super knowledgeable and answers all of our questions! He makes this place!!

That this was but in the 1800 hundreds is impressive. The pumps are massive as are the steam boilers and engines. It served the city for over 100 years and it is a credit to the city that is was not torn down when the new facility was brought on line. There are stairs to some areas which makes unsuitable for wheelchairs.

I took my friend who works in the water/waste water business as a surprise. Of course he loved it, but I too found it quite fascinating on many levels. First, it was one of the first plants to have many of the technological advances in each stage of its life. Also it was deemed a historical landmark by the Smithsonian for being one of the only plants to still use steam power and it used it for 9 years after it got the designation. Then there is the fact that the plant ran for 100 years and upgrades and maintenance were done very cheaply, not endangering the water quality. If only we could do things so efficiently, saving tax dollars and the headaches of paperwork.
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and seems to really enjoy his work. Finally, leave some money in the donation box, because this may be the only complete water plant museum in existence from the time period.
Kids will enjoy the mini-water plant model and blowing the steam whistle, plus trying to pick up the heavy tools that workers were faced with.

Very interesting although I wouldn’t have a clue what most of it did or how it worked. I got to blow the steam whistle so that was fun.

I loved this tour. The guide was super knowledgeable and able to answer all your questions and made the water works come alive for me. I have always been interested in machinery and how things work. I used to love going to the local science museum when I was a kid and pressing all the buttons to make the various engines work, etc. I think the tour went for about an hour and I found it interesting, educational and entertaining. They even had a couple of scale models of things to demonstrate how the waterworks used to work. Some of the large engines are switched on during the tour so you can see them actually working. I think anyone interested in mechanical things or knowing how things work would find this tour well worth their time. Even children over about 7-8 would enjoy it if they are interested in this sort of thing like I was. The tour is free but donations are welcome but not expected - I thought it was worth leaving a donation so they can continue to operate and afford to maintain the exhibits.

Bring your listening ears, a desire to learn and a camera.
The personal tour was outstanding, friendly and informative.
My preteen/teens loved it too.

This place is amazing! Everyone should check them out! The machinery used in this old water works plant is still in amazing condition and should be seen by all history buffs!!

This museum is off the tourist track but it's worth a visit. Boys...big and little...will love all of the tools and machines. It's fascinating to see how the filtrated water system began in Shreveport. There are some interactive displays for the kids (and adults) to try. It seems to be that not many people visit it, so it's easy to get a one-on-one tour.

We were treated by a volunteer docent who led us on a well-conducted, very informative tour of this fascinating place, the site of the last functioning steam powered pumps powering a municipal water system in the country. Next door is a modest but enjoyable railroad museum. Included in the National Register of Historical Places. Near downtown, casinos, easy to visit and well-worth the required hour or so to do so.

Me and my party had visited here to see how water was filtered years ago. This was a fun experience for me and my family. We had walked to the office/restroom area before we had started to walk through the museum. And we had seen a someone working in the office, but they didn't acknowledge our existence. Other than that our visit was pretty nice. It would have been nice if their tour guide, but we had fun anyway. Overall I had a good time.

Get away from the casinos and visit this site. Wonderful bit of engineering history and a great guide. Highly recommended.

I have to say that this is the very first water works museum that I have every visited in all of my travels through the years in this great country of ours!

I was very impressed by the fact that this plant which opened in 1887 still has the entire plant (pumps, filters and other machinery) in place more than 100 years later! And even more interesting is that it was still in use by Shreveport until the 1980's!

We were fortunate to be able to catch the last tour of the day at 2:30! Our guide, Kevin, was very knowledgeable about the plant and its history. Also, another unexpected treat for us was that we were able to meet and greet Liz Swaine, former anchorwomen with our local ABC affiliate and now the director of the Downtown Shreveport Development Authority!

Directions from Interstate 20 to the Water Works Museum:
Exit Interstate 20 at the Common Street exit and head north past Ford and Caddo. The Museum is located between Caddo and North Market.

Our family loved the tour. We enjoyed seeing the old equipment, and was able to see one of the pumps in action.

We were just spending 1 wknd in town, needed to kill some time on Sat morning and came across this museum on TripAdvisor. We stopped in just after opening time and had the place to ourselves. What a wonderful little museum. Really fascinating equipment, and visually stunning to look at (even if you don't marvel at the technology that this was way back in that era). The museum is run by volunteers and is free (although there is a donation box). We spent maybe an hour there but you could do it in as fast as 30 minutes or as long as you'd like.
If you're from Shreveport - go check it out!
If you're visiting - stop in, it's worth the detour to see some local history.

We had a great tour, our guide was friendly and could answer your questions. Lots to see and he has a pump running, very smoothly. And at the end you get to blow the whistle. Very cool

Explorers will love this interesting bit of history. The sign said Dale was "in back tending to some chores." So we looked around a bit on our own, then found him finishing a tour with another couple. At which point, he offered to give us one. Which we gladly accepted! Dale knows his stuff and we felt like real "insiders." Great place to spend an hour or 90 minutes depending on your interest. Thanks Dale!

We visited a little after 10 AM on Friday, October 29, 2021. Admission is free but donations are accepted and worth donating.
We selected the self-guided tour using a phone. Also picked up the self-guided tour brochure, also the docent (I believe his name was Kevin) added extra information and showed us how to pull the steam powered whistle. Explanations were short and understandable. Equipment was amazing and how the process was done over a hundred years ago.

This is a super interesting look at industrial equipment of another era. I'm so glad I took the time to take a look.

Today was my second visit. first was 8-10 years ago. Kevin was our guide. knowledgeable and very entertaining. really nice guy too. made visit so much better. Truly enjoyed my visit. Recommend to anyone with interest in history.
Bob Everett
Shreveport

It's a huge place with an awesome story. The place is still operational if it has to be. It's free but you can't help and try to donate to the cause. It also has the Railroad history next door - it's free too!

Great museum
Admission via donation
The volunteer tour guide was very knowledgeable.
Well worth a visit.
Leave about an hour to visit

I found this museum, tucked away just north of downtown, on a stormy day while the car was being serviced. Housed in a pre 1900 building and former home to the Shreveport water works it explains the process of water purification during the late 1800s till the mid 1900s. Any fan of things old and mechanical will enjoy the large pieces of machinery on display and the large old buildings which housed it. Another plus is the small railroad museum housed on the property. While it isn't an attraction you'd visit every time you're in Shreveport, it is well worth more than one visit.

Wonderful little excursion! I am a nerd for infrastructure history (if that is a thing) and this was a truly unique experience. The museum is entirely self guided via calling a phone number (no downloading an app to use once!) and the descriptions are fantastic! One of the photos I took is now my wallpaper, and I bought a coaster. The railroad which is also in the same location is also cool.

Kevin did an awesome tour and explained in great detail how the water supply for Shreveport was accomplished back in teh day.

This is a unique destination where you can learn how the city of Shreveport got its water years ago.
Based on the reviews I felt compelled to give this place a little of my time on a Saturday.
I highly suggest you pay this place a visit if you enjoy unusual experiences.
We had a fun, interesting guide who made the visit memorable.

A visit to the last known STEAM-POWERED MUNICIPAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN THE UNITED STATES was interesting and educational. It is history worth saving and sharing. An all volunteer staff oversees the museum and our guide Paul Williams did an excellent job sharing his knowledge of the this facility, its workings, and importance to Shreveport. For railroad fans a small museum is right next door and includes historical photos, documents, wooden inspector’s rail cart, working layout and more. We found these museums to be worth a visit! Also, donations are much appreciated and needed if these museums are to be maintain, improved and preserved for future generations.

I can't say that this is the best museum in Shreveport, but it's still a nice place to visit. I like the people who works there because they organise the tour for me. I was alone in the whole museum) Without tour with the guy probably you'll not enjoy this much the place.

This is a fascinating musem. I never knew how water was collected, filtered and pumped out (by steam) to downtown Shreveport. Our guide, Kevin Haines knew so many details and answered all of our questions. He made the subject matter come alive for us and let my children blow the shift whistle at the end. I recommend this museum, but check the hours as it is only open a few days a week.

The Department of the Interior did a survey of this place in the 1980's and declared it one of the most important industrial machinery sites in the nation. If for any reason the McNeil St. station is to be torn down, the equipment goes straight to Washington DC to be housed in the Smithsonian.

Giants flywheels, Worthington Cross-Latch pumps that are one of a kind as this is the last, on-line, steam-powered pumping station operating in America until it was taken off-line in 1981.

Truly a must-see.

While I've always been a fan of old industrial equipment from the early 1900s, The Water Works museum in Shreveport was even better than I was expecting. The equipment was extremely well preserved and even functioning! Of course there is no steam powering the pumps but it was really cool to see no less. The gauges, cast iron equipment, and giant pistons were quite a site to see. Make sure you bring your camera!! A guy called Kevin gave me a personalized tour of the site, and was vastly knowledgeable about the equipment on site. Knowing a bit about pumps and other equipment, his facts were spot on and spending time with him was well worth it. The museum is free, but be sure to donate (and I generally hate to donate) to keep the facility accessible for the future. Great experience.

Great place to go and learn some history and see machinery from a by gone era. Very knowledgeable guide or self tour... Pretty cool spot.

We really enjoyed it. a lot of information. I was scared when I saw how far down the basement was. a lot good info. He took us outside to see the old holding tanks for the water. The cleaning system for the city. I cant remember the guys name he had been there for many years. Knew a lot of information about the building and history. I would go back again. We took a lot of pictures but didnt down load them.

Next to the railroad museum. Both are free of charge. Full of interesting information, from books to artifacts. Not crowded.

Educational quick stop. Volunteer approached us and offered a tour, we gladly accepted. He was very knowledgeable and had lots of great facts and information but he also made it comical and fun and kept the kids engaged. They operate off of donations, this is such an important piece of history, I hope many others will visit and donate!

waterworks is a must-visit while in Shreveport. you can learn so much from Shreveport's history and past and also up close and personal tour of how Shreveport purified and prepared their water hundreds of years ago it fantastic. another one on the fave list for brianwillettphotography.com

My daughter and I went while in Shreveport. Kevin came over and offered to give us a guided tour. My daughter was a bit anxious and he did great getting her to feel comfortable. It was interesting to see how big the steam engines and boilers were. Seeing the tools and machinery used, in their original state was an unexpected bonus. There is even a self guided tour if you would like to use that instead. The highlight for my daughter was blowing the whistle. There are some items for sale if you’d like a souvenir, we got some tea towels. Admission is free but they do take donations as well.

The price was right-free!
The guide was very knowledgeable, he and his two grand children showed us around. It a great place fie a family outing or for a school trip.
Go see it. We are glad we did.

After reading so many good reviews we decided to visit here. It's pretty interesting and would have liked to have a guide or more explanations of what the machines actually did. The machines are large and have specific jobs that are somewhat detailed with signs as you walk through. There are a couple of pictures as well to let you know what it looked like and how it was used. The railroad museum is next door. Stop by both for a little history, both places take around 45 minutes to an hour total. Free to visit and park.

Went on Saturday morning at 10 and had a personal tour through all parts of the facility. GREAT attention was given to ensure our questions were answered; clearly the young man there had a working knowledge of both the history and mechanics of the site. Fabulous tour, hope it stays open for decades to come.

This museum is a great hidden gem of Shreveport history. James was very helpful and knowledgeable on explaining the ins and outs of this great piece of history. So glad we stopped in and took the tour. The museum is free of charge, ran by volunteers and donations.

My husband and i kind of stumbled upon it.. So we said what the heck. Its a small museum but very interesting history. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. I loved the history and all the original parts. I learned thing i never knew I never knew . We are glad we went . Its kind of hard to find but well worth it. Its about an hr tour and its free !

This was actually pretty cool. Nice and quiet. We weren't there and the volunteer/staff were working another area. We were there about an hour and had the place to ourselves. I actually learned quite a lot but my son has said I should have been a museum curator. My 18 year old didn't enjoy it as much as I did.

I didn't think I would find this museum interesting but after visiting it turned out to be quite interesting and I am glad I stopped. There was one other couple on the tour and our tour guide Kevin was great. The tour lasted a little over an hour. This place opened in 1887 and was in operation until 1980. Its free and they accept donations. There is a small train museum on the same site you can visit also. Worth the stop.

I learned a lot and pleasantly surprised by the history of this little known unassuming place. Very interesting, free and something different to learn about. Bring kids and learn together.

This was a very informative tour of the old water works buildings and grounds. A must for the men who love old machinery and engines etc. I found it very interesting as the very informative guide explained and showed us on a working model explaining how water is obtained, purified, stored and delivered throughout a city. Strongly recommend.

I guess some people would call this a museum, but it was more like a water treatment plant that was just never torn down.
There were signs up in places telling you what things were, and how long the equipment lasted in some cases, but that was about it. Go when the weather is cooler as the building is like the foundry I worked in years ago. They have a few fans running in places, but all they basically do is move around the hot air.

We were not sure about visiting the museum. We stopped in and started the self guided tour. Just as we started, the museum guide came in and explained our opinions for the tour. We decided to go self paced. After some explanations from the guide we self paced and were amazed at the technology and sheer engineering in the water works. We stopped at the end and spoke briefly with the guide (he is a wealth of knowledge about the water works) and we knew that stopping for a visit was the right thing to do. We were directed to the Railroad museum also and did go to see it. The railroad museum was also very interesting and informative. These museums are true Shreveport gems and should be visited by all. They are both free with a gift shop and donations box.

Unbelievable place to learn about the history of how drinking water get to you. Great for kids of all ages to see the machinery used up until the 1980s.
Fascinating place for photographers too with great light throughout.

While a guided tour is nice, we did it simply walking around the property and learned by seeing/reading everything.

"Kevin" our tour guide was very knowledgeable ...and the tour was so interesting...well worth your time. Also the small Railroad Museum is on the same ground and also has a nice display! I almost broke the "whistle"...very loud...but fun.

Enjoyed the history the tour and the location. We would recommend this to anyone who needs to get away and loves history.

Wasn't quick sure what we would find before we arrived. The high Tripadvisor rating became quite obvious once our tour began. Kevin met us in the parking lot (free parking) and informed us that we could do a self guided tour or he would be pleased to take us through and explain the plant. His insight and information proved to be very additive to our visit. The historical bits he added were a true embellishment to this visit. There are working models of how water treatment works which make the scale of the museum recognizable to the laymen. Well worth the time. Allow at least 1 hour. Admission is free but please give a donation.

This is an old water works building thats being conserved by volunteers and as such its not over done or particularly clever, but it does have all the old drinking water cleaning systems in place and you get to walk round everything.

All power to the people looking after this place, you rock!

I did the self guided tour, but the gentleman there that day was very helpful in answering my questions. It opened in 1887 and wasn’t retired until 1980. The entire physical plant remains in place, and boy is everything huge. Lots of fun.

This is an interesting place. It shows a part of history which we don't commonly think about - how to pump water to a whole city? There are not many bells and whistles - although there is a literal whistle that you can pull on to make a loud noise. Some parts are not air conditioned, but overall it is doable on a hot day.

Just happened upon this hidden gem. Visited for acquisition of street photography images but learned about the process of water treatment. The facility is pretty much as left when abandoned. A friendly docent is on site to orient you. Go to the museum and leave a donation. It's a piece of The Smithsonian in Shreveport.

Great place! Tour guide was awesome, so knowledgeable. I had no idea some of the things he told us. He is really good. He kept children interested that was on a school trip. Must see while in Shreveport.

Several rooms of older water work equipment and pumps. Some may view as vintage and likely visit if interested specifically only in that. Dirty.

This place is a must see when in Shreveport and it’s free! Great tour guides take you through the plant that was build in the early 1900’s and used till 1980. They still have working parts and are able to show you how everything worked. Don’t forget to blow the whistle. And check out the railroad museum next door.

You want not think this would be that interesting but it was very neat! History of Shreveport's first water plant that supplied water to the downtown area. Was operated by steam from late 1800's to 1980's. A working model explains how raw water was pulled in, purified, then pumped to the city. Can do self guided tour and follow the docent. Shreveport was one of the first cities to filter city water. One of the large pumps is now connected to electric motor so it can be ran for demonstration.

The science of providing a populace with clean water is an ongoing challenge in the most advance country in the world.

The lead-tainted water crisis in Flint, MI serves a cautionary tale and a point of reference to enjoying this magnificent monument to man's machinations.

A hands-on museum in the best sense of the word, and a fantastic glimpse into the industrial development of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Exploring a piece of Shreveport's history, this carefully restored water-works, long since retired, is like stepping back in time. Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into cleaning, rehabbing and maintaining this once abandoned brick water-pumping headquarters. Displays tell the story of past engineering marvels.

Dale is a fabulous story teller with a story of how Shreveport went from every house hold finding a source of water to where we are today. It is an amazing story and you cannot possibly have a clue to the wonder and ingenuity it took as well as hard work. Thank you Dale!

Visited the museum. Very old; first waterworks facility for Shreveport. Lots of information. We enjoyed the tour which after the first room is a self guided tour. Lots of history. A nice surprise at the end.

This was an interesting, informational and fun tour. Our guide was phenomenal. Learned a lot and enjoyed seeing all the old machinery. The mini model of the how the plant works was great. The windows to provide circulation and cooling breezes were something to see. Be sure to blow the whistle!

Such a gem of a place to visit!! We did the guided tour with Kevin, and he was fantastic! Very knowledgeable and gave a great presentation of information!

All original inside all the pumps intact dating back to the first one in the 1800s it was very impressive and even had a small train museum beside it overall I would return though I was disappointed we could not find the tour guide said he was in the back on a sign and we never could find him but the museum itself was just so neat don't miss it it's free

Interesting place that is great for an afternoon with the kids. A look back to a different time. Nice

Incredible two hour experience with a volunteer guide who taught us so much. Everyone needs water and most of us have no idea how you can turn a river into fresh, clear and safe drinking water. This plant was state of the art at the end of the 1800's and continued to run for almost 100 years. We learned so many interesting things on this visit. No admission fee, but they really appreciated our small donation.

The Shreveport Water Works Museum is a wonderful display of the history of water engineering and mechanism. The museum is listed as a National Historic Site and is an important contribution to the story of our nation's water treatment advancements.

Totally enjoyed the tour and our tour guide she was great. The unusual type of museum being the citys original water works for many years make this a unquite in it's self, also contain a rail museum as well. Well worth seeing.

Our family visited on a weekday and there were three other families visiting as well. Our guide, Kevin, was very knowledgeable of Shreveport's history. My husband who grew up in Shreveport didn't know the museum existed. The tour was engaging, enlightening and very much worth our time. We enthusiastically recommend you visit.

If you like seeing how things work then you will enjoy this museum.

I have lived in Shreveport all my life and finally made it to the waterworks museum... its was very well done and interesting....so glad the friends of the museum are keeping it going! Thank you Liz Swaine for an awesome tour!

Brought my 2 sons (2 and 4) and wife with me to check out the museum. We spent a little over an hour here. My boys liked the huge mechanisms, the 3 tons flywheel (especially when they turned it on), blowing the whistle, and peering into the empty water containers. They also had a good time running around the museum and liked the model train. My wife thought it "was cool" and "liked it". The guide was helpful and knowledgeable. Worth a visit.

Maybe I missed something but when we arrived last week, the gate was closed and we were unable to take this tour. I was really looking forward to this piece of history while we were in Shreveport. The hours were posted on the gate and according to that, they should have been open when we arrived.

As a lack of anything else to do, I do not like art museums or malls, I ran across this museum. The unfortunate part was I was the only one there the morning I visited. If you like historical landmarks and unique spots to visit, I recommend you add this to your MUST DO list. The Docent was very knowledgeable about the history and the mechanics of this steam powered pumping station, I spent 2 hours listening to my personal guided tour of this well restored and preserved land mark. It is a one of a kind site and worth your time.

Great tour. We loved it. Excellent for a child with a curious mind who wants to see how things work. Primitive models help explain the working principles behind the big machinery. All that was missing was the heat off the boilers and the noise. Machinery is in excellent shape. We were greated at the gate and received at least an hour guided tour. We asked plenty of questions and our guide knew his stuff. This place is a must see in my book!

This was a free, donation tour of the original steam powered water plant. The guide offers great history and the place was built to last. Neat historical place.

Toured the buildings and saw all the old equipment (huge pumps, boilers, filtration pools, etc) that was used to filter, clean, and distribute water to the Shreveport townspeople in the early 1900s when most folks had been getting their (muddy) water straight out of the river. Absolutely amazing. Would love to see Americans rediscover the problem-solving, life-enriching endeavours of many of our forebears. Kevin was a great tour guide. Don't rely on posted hours; call before visiting. Its free entry but after seeing the place, we wanted to support this volunteer- and donor-supported living history exhibit.

Very nice museum. Good notes on machinery, guide was very informative on history. Takes about 30 min to walk through and read info.

great place to learn about some history of Shreveport. My boys loved all the mechanical things, and most of them still work!!

This place is truly a hidden gem. An atmospheric place full of history - clearly a museum created by passionate people. Though the place is admission free, I highly recommend donating if you're able - it'd be a shame to see a spot like this disappear.
The tour guide is very knowledgeable and, importantly, cares about the museum.
Also, whoever designed the black and gold blueprints and plaques did an incredible job!

You do not have to be an engineer to enjoy this stop. However, I heartily recommend you ring the bell if the Tour guide is not in the welcome area. Although I believe a self-guided tour is available, the guy made the trip come alive, providing many fascinating facts and responding to numerous questions. This is definitely a highlight of the trip to Shreveport, and it's free to boot.

If you are looking for a place to stretch your legs and relax a little this is a great spot. A bit off the beaten path, this museum is easy to find with gps and only a short drive north of I-20. This is a kid friendly, unguided, open air tour through Shreveport 's historical waterworks projects. Although not a familiar subject, the machinery and tool rooms were interesting to the entire family.

Next door is a small railroad museum with a train model and train car memorabilia, also interesting for any age.

I recommend is stop and will make it a regular spot on our annual vacation.

Wonderful, unassuming museum dedicated to the business of supplying water to an entire town. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic and it's clear that the people who help maintain the museum and its displays are passionate about preserving this bit of Shreveport history. An hour is all you'll need, admission is free, and donations are welcome. And be sure to give some attention to the museum cat, Miss Kitty, who will follow you around on the tour.

Nice place and an absolute must be. Interesting to see the machinery from the past and learn more about "water". The tourguide was great and makes a very good job.

My sister and I visited this Museum and spent over 2 hours here. Is was so interesting. A gentleman there was able to give so much history. I will visit again.

This is a wonderful place full of fascinating machines and system from a time long ago. The guide was most knowledgeable and entertaining. Recommend 110%!

I am ashamed to say that I lived in Shreveport for years before visiting the fabulous Shreveport Water Works The facility itself is fascinating, many items still work. The architecture of the building is remarkable, but the history is such a wonderful story. Go now! Go often! You will love it!

We took a break from our casino junket and found this museum to be an interesting diversion. I would highly recommend it. Easy to find great history

I've lived in Shreveport most of my life and this was the first time I had been to the water works museum. The tour is free but they do accept donations in order to maintain the facility. Very interesting tour. Our tour guide Dale was very knowledgeable and provided us with a one on one experience. As old as some of the items are you can still see some in action. They also have a small railroad museum on the premises that just recently opened. All in all a great free tour and interesting historical significance to how far we have come and how intelligent our predecessors were without the modern amenities that we take for granted.

I like going to places like this. I has a lot of history behind it. It is a good place for familys. Great teaching children the history and what it took to build the citys water system. One of the few or only place to see old steam pumps used to pump the water still in the orginal state.

We visited based on positive TA reviews.
While you wouldn't spend hours here, it was very interesting. To see massive equipment built before the turn of the 20th Century and used well into the 80's and 90's was amazing.
The gentleman that showed us around was so passionate about the place that you couldn't help but be impressed.
The Railroad Museum was fun, with lots of memorabilia. A fun way to spend an hour or so.

Honestly my wife set up the tour of this place and my expectations weren't that high. I was pleasantly surprised by how fascinating it was. All sorts of cool machinery and early basic (aka brilliantly engineered) design. It was kid friendly to a degree but my wife and I enjoyed it more than they did. Cool stuff

Kevin was an amazing guide!!! Don’t be deceived by the entrance. It is amazing history in the city. Takes about an hour and totally worth it!

Kevin guided us through this very interesting historical treasure--now a museum of the McNeill Street Pumping Station that was operational from 1887-1980. He provided history and explanations of the original equipment, instrumentation, and tools. This free museum also offers an excellent brochure if you want to do a self-guiding tour. Very worthwhile preservation of the water works. Something for everyone.

This place really does have some potential to be really neat. It's free and unguided. They have a cute little railroad building there too that was fun. I think that if there were more description about what the machines were it would have been so much better. The few signs they do have were great and informative.

Very nice staff very knowledgeable, great 30 min stop , interesting how water purification has developed over the last 100 yrs . Model there also to see how it worked.

We had a amazing tour guide who took his time showing us all around and explaining how the treatment plant worked. Everything is left in place from when the plant was closed down so you are seeing the real life tools and equipment. After the tour we were able to walk around on our own. You can see this museum in less then 2 hours.

If you are at all interested in historical sites....this is a great visit. Steam pumps and waterworks, well preserved that show how we got the water moving before electricity. Great for children to see as well as adults. Be sure they're open before going.

This place was definitely a surprise. We had a private tour with James and he was fantastic. Even if you are from here, you should go check it out. It is free to get in and it is run by volunteers and donations.

Took my 6 and 10 year old grandsons for a quick visit. It was very interesting and informative. Run by volunteers and no entry fee, donations are accepted. There were several working models that helped them understand how water is filtered. They were fascinated that it was steam operated and by all the huge wrenches used for maintenance. There was also a whistle they blew at the end of their visit. The railroad museum is at the same location.

The docent was very friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed our visit to the Water Works and Train museum. My son had fun blowing the whistle. It was a quick visit, but worth the stop.

We enjoyed our free tour of the water works and the extra history and stories behind the facility. The young man was a great guide. We highly recommend this tour if you like to learn more about how cities infrastructure change over time, and abit about Shreveport as well.

I work in process control, so this museum was particularly interesting for me. I would caution visitors by saying if you are not into historical machinery this is probably not the place for you. Nonetheless, I give it 5 stars as it was one of the more interesting places I have visited in Shreveport and it was completely free.

Kevin was great at explaining it all to the kids and he answered all the kids questions and let them blow the horn. They loved it.

Now privately supported, the Shreveport Water Works Museum (formerly known as the McNeil St. Pumping Station) was among the earliest water purification plants to use filtration and chlorine. Opened in 1887, the plant last operated in 1992. Much of the equipment is 100 years old and in remarkably good condition.

There is also a small railroad museum housed at the site.

My husband and I were looking for something to do for our anniversary that was different and unique. Ran across the water works museum. Charlie gave us a tour of the place and shared the history. We both enjoyed it. Would take out of town family members to visit.

Very informative and lots to look at. We enjoyed the train museum next door also and spent a goof bit of time browsing. Not many people around so we could take our time. We will be bringing the kids!

While not longer an operating water works facility, the City of Shreveport has done a fabulous job of preserving their historic plant with much of the original equipment remaining in place. You're bound to be the only visitor if you drop by and you can count on the outgoing and most knowledge volunteer, Kevin, to lead you around and provide a comprehensive history of the facility. You'll get to see the original boilers, the pumps that fed the water into the downtown neighborhood, the filtration tanks and outdoor holding tanks. This doesn't require a lot of time to visit (45 minutes is enough) and it's located relatively close to central Shreveport.

The Shreveport Water Works Museum was built in 1887 and closed in 1980 - almost a hundred years later. It was very fascinating to see that the water was sucked in from the nearby bayou, passed through a cistern type system, then several filter systems, and finally put in a holding tank where chlorine was added before sending the water to the final dispersion tanks. You could see every step of the process in this old facility, which also included old equipment and tools to look at. It was quite a fascinating facility - and it was free of cost. Mobility limited visitors can see most of the plant - there are steps to the filtration tanks and into the labroatory testing facility.

An inside look at a civil engineering feat - over 100 years delivering filtered and treated water to city patrons. Loaded with huge water handling artifacts, pumps, more. Adjacent to small railroad museum. Guide at museum congenial and helpful.

The pumping station was an amazing find. To go inside to see what American ingenuity and time talent and work can do. The tour is either self, QR Code or guide. We did self and there is a brochure, and each stop is numbered on the brochure. The brochure is in great detail and the signs at each stop are informative and complete. If you like me love this sort of thing and all the tools, hardware, metal and mechanics this is for you. It takes a short time to do and is the last steam powered pumping station when it was shut down in 1986. The pumps are like pieces of art. And amazing!

If you are a die-hard train enthusiast or railfan, the smaller Railroad Museum located next to the Water Works Museum is not worth your time. There are a few artifacts but the small room will take you about 5 minutes to walk around and read what literature there is.

Next door however is a great piece of Shreveport history with the distinction of being a National Historic Landmark as well as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

The facility is still operational today with modern equipment but the mechanized pumps from the 1800's and early 1900's are still on site with the high volume Allis-Chalmers pumps still in perfect working condition, which my guide fired up for me to demonstrate.

I was greeted and escorted by a great tour guide named Kevin, who was very enthusiastic in recalling the history of the property and answering any questions I had. It was great to see the mechanical engineering that is both complex in operation yet simplistic in design.

You will go through the workshop, with original equipment that is still being used by a local blacksmithing group and into the Boiler Room, followed by the pumping room, filter room, and outside to the on-site lab that was used to test the water prior to being sent to the city.

This is a great educational tour for not only how water was treated and sent to the city of Shreveport but also a hands on look at the great engineering that went into the pumps.

Everyone should go to this attraction. We are from Missouri and on vacation when we found this. It is amazing how Shreveport supplied its water. Engineering of the time phenomenal. It's FREE so when you go make a donation to keep the history alive. Kevin did an excellent job giving us the tour!

This was just "something to do" while passing through Shreveport. But, the place is a step back in time and absolutely fascinating! My engineer husband was in heaven examining all the old equipment and hearing explanations about the water purification process. You are greeted by a guide who briefly explains the history of the facility and then you are allowed to wander at will. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

This Water Works Museum is a Hidden Gem that is worth the time and effort to see ! Kevin the guide was very knowledgeable and glad to show me through on a walking tour.
The Old Water Pumps and Steam Boiler are quite amazing !

We were offered a free tour by a nice fellow who explained the operation in great detail. Even if you don't do the tour, check this place out. It should take 30 min without the tour, 1 hour with the tour. There is a nice little railroad museum next door. Best of all...it is free.

We all enjoyed this very much and found it to be a great surprise. Kevin was a great source of history and information and the museum was interesting to the adults and children alike. There are many aspects of the place I never would have imagined. I highly recommend this place to people who enjoy history or those that don't know how water is delivered to homes and businesses.

We arrived just after the waterworks had opened and because we were the only ones there, we received a personalized tour of the facility given by Kevin.He explained the operation of each piece of equipment and how it evolved over the last 100 years. Definitely worth the trip for any one interested in engineering marvels or the history of water treatment. This site has the rare honor of being listed as a National Historic Landmark and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Free admission, but donations are needed to upkeep this historical landmark.

Excellent display of the last steam powered water works. The guide exlained how water is processed from bayou yuck to drinkable tap. The display included a working scale model. He then walked through the works, explained how the equipment functioned and turned on one of the pumps! The guide was willing to spend as much time with us as we wanted. A must see for mechanical engneers of all ages.

We paid our fee expecting to spend at least a hour. Out in 25 minutes, and did not realize that we were out and couldn’t get back in.

My family of 6 (3 adults 3 teens) visited from Houston and was greatly impressed by the history and technicalities of the Shreveport Water Works Museum. It's amazing how much work goes into the process before we may drink safe water. The guide, Keven, was knowledgeable, friendly, and fun to be with. A great tour!

The tour starts in the "machine shop" which boasts several turn of the century pieces of equipment like a drill press, bandsaw, lathe and air compressor. From there you travel through the facility and get to see how water was brought in, filtered and then pumped out to the city. The steam boiler and pumps were incredible to see. Since this is a self guided tour you can take as long or as little time as you wish. Overall very educational and interesting.

A preserved 19th century steam powered waterworks... just preserved... not restored. The machinery is a statement about the 19th and early 20th century... and what could be done. You are free to explore... they have a cell phone tour... there are volunteers on hand.