Over 150 years later, the Canal once again characterizes movement and progress, as the ISM Lockport Gallery follows the Canal's flow for two short blocks and relocates from one historically significant Lockport structure along the Canal to its new quarters in yet another. After more than thirteen years of successful operation in the Gaylord Building, the ISM branch site has opened the doors to its larger, more accessible ground-floor facility, continuing the successful adaptive reuse of the historic Norton Building. Visitors, including large tour groups arriving by bus, will find ample parking. The parking lot on the north side of the building is located at the crossroads of Illinois Routes 7 and 171 and was recently redesigned and reconfigured by the City of Lockport. It covers the southern end of an area historically known as the Public Landing-an open area abutting the Canal, once used as a loading dock for canal boats.
Additional parking is available on the south side of the building.
From there visitors may enter by way of a garden-park and beautifully landscaped courtyard. The ISM Lockport site occupies two-thirds of the Norton Building's first floor and assumes its place as the anchor facility. Strategically placed at the edge of the Canal, the building was originally used to store, process, and package barrels of grain prior to distribution. The massive structure, however, also lends itself well to the contemporary needs of the Museum. Ground-floor access assures a high profile.