 The museum originally opened as the Fred W. Woodward Riverboat Museum in 1982 before being expanded and re-organized into its current form.The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is home to museum exhibits on the culture and history of America's rivers.