SAINT PAUL - Excitement will be flowing August 9-10, as the Mississippi River Visitor Center holds its Grand Opening celebration. Painting, singing, reading and laughing will be a part of the experience for this family event celebrating a new place for learning in Saint Paul.
  The Grand Opening celebration begins on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. at the visitor center and outside on the Science Museum Plaza, 120 West Kellogg Boulevard in downtown Saint Paul. All events are free and open to the public. Puppet shows, live music and dancing, arts and crafts, paddleboat tours, a family fishing clinic, the grand opening ribbon cutting and much more will be part of the festivities. Enjoy a special free admission to the "Grand Canyon" Omni show at 5 p.m. and get a chance to see Freddie the Flathead Catfish and Seymour the Sea Monster. Events on Sunday continue throughout the Visitor Center area; some require reservations and a fee.
  "Many visitors are surprised to learn that Saint Paul is located in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and is a great place to enjoy nature," said Brad Toll, vice president of tourism for the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The Mississippi River Visitor Center is an ideal way to educate, as well as entertain, our out-of-town guests about the Mississippi and about Saint Paul."
  Located inside the Science Museum of Minnesota, the center will be open seven days a week and have free admission. National Park Rangers and volunteers will keep the center staffed, helping families of all ages learn more about the Mississippi River, the national river section in the Twin Cities, and about all of the National Park units throughout the nation.
  "The Mississippi River Visitor Center serves as a gateway to information about the nation's most majestic river. If you live in the metro area or are just visiting, you can find out about biking, birding, hiking, historic sites, parks and trails within the area," said JoAnn Kyral, superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The area is a 72-mile region extending between Dayton and Hastings, both in Minnesota. 
  "You'll find rotating exhibits on many of the national parks and have access to information on all 388 national parks. Park Rangers are there to help you with trip planning,  whether it's within a day's drive, or an extended vacation, and it is always free," Kyral said.
  More information may be found at www.mississippirivervisitorcenter.org or by calling the Mississippi River Visitor Center at (651) 293-0200. For more information on Saint Paul?s attractions and visitor resources, visit the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau web site at www.visitsaintpaul.com.
  The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a narrow corridor of land on either side of the Mississippi River extending from Dayton, Minn. on the north boundary through the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area and downstream to Hastings, Minn.
  The Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau markets the greater Saint Paul area to out-of-town visitors, advocates for visitor needs and links our community with visitors.