SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Soo Locks Visitor Center in Sault Ste. Marie officially opened its doors for the 2026 season with more displays and exhibits than ever before.
The popular attraction is celebrating 60 years of educating visitors about the history and importance of the Soo Locks.
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Guests visiting the Soo Locks. Pic credit: Jim Lehocky.
The center draws nearly 250,000 people from around the world each year and is located inside the historic Soo Locks Canal Park. There is no admission to visit the center or park, however all visitors must pass through park security.
“It’s amazing to watch the ships, and that is the biggest draw, but by coming inside the Visitor Center you start to understand how it is important to the U.S. economy and national security,” said Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs. “You also discover the amazing way that it works using almost nothing but gravity to lift and lower these massive ships. We provide a lot of that context.” Briggs added, “We have park rangers here inside the Visitor Center who are all trained to answer all nature questions about the locks.”
In her 17 years as chief park ranger, Briggs has met people from every corner of the globe. Briggs, along with five other seasonal park rangers, make sure visitors leave with an increased knowledge about the Soo Locks.
“We’ve had people leave notes that say ‘I have come here from China.’ We used to have a gentleman who came here every other year from the Netherlands. It is a draw of people from all over the country and all over the world,” Briggs said.
She also boasted about the Locks’ unique draw. “It’s one of the coolest places on the planet and it is really fun to help people understand how important it is,” Briggs added.
The Soo Locks Visitors Center will remain open until Oct. 31.