The Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center is located near the shores of the Erie Canal where it meets the Hudson River, and offers visitors a step back through history.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays from the first weekend in May to last weekend in October each year, the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center offers visitors a look back in history at the Erie Canal, its construction and impact, and its impact from 1825 to today. Its permanent collection includes the flagship exhibit “Born of Two Rivers: An Illustrated History of Waterford, New York,” which covers history spanning from the area’s prehistoric inhabitants to the later settling of the area by Dutch traders and immigrants to the industrial development of the canalside town of Waterford and, of course, the construction and impact of the Erie Canal, amongst other local topics. Rotating exhibits round out the offerings; the most recent, running through December 2025, celebrates the Erie Canal’s 200^th anniversary from its inception in 1825 to modern day 2025.