Dates & times
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
- 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
These are the previously published dates. Check the organizer for a new edition.
Check the organizer’s latest schedule ↗Byway Discovery Center Grand Opening: Nov. 6 in Godfrey
The Meeting of the Great Rivers is both a scenic drive and a working corridor: the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers shape the land, support wildlife and sustain local communities. On Nov. 6, the Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park opens in Godfrey with interactive exhibits about the region’s history and natural features.
Stewardship belongs in the picture
The center’s wider interpretation presents the rivers as more than scenery. Its dragonfly ambassador, River Rae, helps connect wetlands, farms, forests and public lands with the wildlife and communities they support. The story includes the human work of the region, too: barges move goods, farmers care for fertile soils, and visitors explore trails and overlooks.
That perspective gives practical weight to the center’s stewardship guidance. Visitors are encouraged to share shorelines safely, protect water quality, stay on trails, pack out trash and watch wildlife from a distance. The advice reflects the center’s central idea: recreation, commerce and conservation all depend on caring for the same connected landscape.
Further reading: Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park | Great Rivers & Routesr&r-primary-logor&r-primary-logor&r-primary-logo ↗
The opening afternoon
The announced sequence begins with the 2 p.m. opening ceremony, followed by light refreshments and beverages. The invitation also describes interactive exhibits on regional history and natural features, but gives no separate exhibit hours and names no ceremony speakers.
Friday, November 6, 2026 · Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park
- Grand-opening celebration and opening ceremony; no speakers are named.
- Explore the center’s interactive exhibits and learn about the region’s history and natural features.
- Light refreshments and beverages.
Plan your visit
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026
The event runs from 2 to 5 p.m. The opening ceremony is listed for 2 p.m.; the event notice does not give separate times for exhibit access or refreshments.
Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park
10832 Lockhaven Rd., Godfrey, Illinois 62035.
Check entry details
The event listing does not state admission terms, whether registration is needed, or age guidance.
Jennifer Buehrer
For questions, the event listing gives the number (618) 465-6676.
Getting to Great Rivers Park
Destination and directions
The event listing identifies the Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park, 10832 Lockhaven Rd., Godfrey, Illinois 62035, and links to Google Maps. Use the map link to calculate directions from your starting point; the listing does not provide transit, parking or mobility-access details.
Before you make a plan
What time is the grand-opening ceremony?
The ceremony is listed for 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. The event runs until 5 p.m.; separate exhibit and refreshment times are not given.
What can visitors do at the opening?
The event describes an opening ceremony, interactive exhibits about regional history and natural features, and light refreshments and beverages after the ceremony.
Is admission free, or is registration required?
The event listing does not state admission terms or whether registration is needed. Contact Jennifer Buehrer at (618) 465-6676 with questions.
Location & Google Maps
Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park
10832 Lockhaven Rd., Godfrey, Illinois 62035
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.