Visit the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
Everything you need to know is right here. Times, exhibits and pricing.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center:
⛓️ Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
📍 Address: 825 Depot Ave W, Niagara Falls, NY 14305 (inside the Amtrak Station building) 📞 Phone: (716) 300-8477 🌐 Website: niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org 🎟️ Buy Tickets: Purchase Online Here 🛍️ Online Store: shop.niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org
🏛️ About the Museum
The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center opened in 2018 and is located on the first floor of a historic former U.S. Customhouse built in 1863 at the Niagara Falls Station.
The Heritage Center’s mission is to reveal authentic stories of Underground Railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists in Niagara Falls that inspire visitors to recognize modern injustices that stem from slavery and take action toward an equitable society. Standing on the border of freedom, Niagara Falls was one of the most important points on the Underground Railroad. For some people of African descent, it was home and a safe place to work and live. For others, the city was a crossing point over the last barrier to freedom — the Niagara River.
The Heritage Center is a project of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Commission, in cooperation with the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area, a program of the National Park Service.
🕐 Hours
Current (Winter) Hours (through end of April):
Day Hours Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 10am – 5pm Thursday 10am – 5pm Friday 10am – 5pm Saturday 10am – 5pm Sunday 10am – 5pm
Last entry / last ticket sold at 4:30pm.
Summer Hours (starting first Tuesday of May): Tuesday through Sunday, 10am – 5pm. Closed Mondays. Last entry at 4:30pm.
💵 Admission Prices
Category Price Adult $15 Seniors 62+ $12 Students 13+ & College (with ID) $12 Military $12 Youth 6–12 $10 Children 5 & under Free
🗺️ Exhibits
Permanent — “One More River to Cross” This experiential museum reveals authentic stories of Underground Railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists during and after the Civil War. Visitors proceed through the museum from left to right — signifying south to north and slavery to freedom — to witness the long journey of the Underground Railroad up to the point of reaching Niagara Falls. The “Network Wall” communicates that this “railroad” comprised a network of people, routes, and means of transport.
The heart of the Underground Railroad stories are told in the Center’s Cataract House dining room and reception recreation — hear the stories of the African American waiters who worked at tourist hotels, actively resisting slavery by serving hotel guests while secretly helping freedom seekers cross the Niagara River into Canada.
The museum also features a recreation of the International Suspension Bridge, built in 1848 and rebuilt in 1855 to incorporate rail traffic, where Harriet Tubman and other freedom seekers crossed into Canada.
The Historic Setting People escaping from slavery funneled toward Niagara Falls in greater numbers when the International Suspension Bridge began carrying trains over the Niagara River in 1855. Suddenly, freedom seekers could ride trains from Underground Railroad hubs in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Rochester, and New York City directly to Niagara Falls.
🎤 Tours & Events
Daily Freedom Conversation Tours — Included with admission Held every open day at 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM. The Heritage Center’s signature tour engages visitors in conversation about their life experiences to foster personal connections with the authentic stories of freedom seekers and abolitionists in Niagara Falls.
Guides are available at the 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM tours, which make the experience even better with more stories and details about the various people shown in the museum.
For the full calendar of upcoming special events, visit the Events Page.
🚌 Getting There & Parking
Limited free parking, shared with the Amtrak Station, is available on-site. The Heritage Center is also a stop on the free Discover Niagara Shuttle that runs May through October. Public transportation is also available through the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority on the corner of Main and Depot Avenue West.
💡 Tips for Visiting
- Most visitors can see everything in about an hour. The museum is well laid out and can be done without a guide if necessary, but the tours add significant depth.
- Don’t miss the murals outside the building honoring Niagara Falls Underground Railroad heroes.
- Visitors can experience stories and hear from individuals such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and John Morrison, who connect the historic Underground Railroad past to present day.
- The museum is wheelchair accessible and restrooms are available inside.
- Email: [email protected] for group tour arrangements.
