Modern Changes

Despite being inactive for over 15 years, this century-old tunnel was in structurally sound condition when Niagara Parks began construction of the underground museum in 2021. The most challenging part of construction was creating a safe entry point for visitors and walkway along the tunnel’s 2,200-foot-long path.

Modern modifications

• Installation of an underground elevator shaft: Its pieces had to be lowered into place one at a time through a small gap as wide as the original floor grates. The distance the pieces had to be lowered was greater than a crane that could fit in the building could accommodate. The tunnel depth required more than a 200-foot spool, but the crane could only reach a maximum of 75 feet.
• Creation of a 2,200-foot-long concrete walkway
• Installation of lighting, Wi-Fi, fiber-optic and cellular cables