Museums and galleries in St. Louis

Museums and galleries in St. Louis

1. See

   City Museum

   For the young, the young at heart, or anyone who thinks a five-story playground made of salvaged materials sounds awesome. Don't let the name fool you; this place is a blast! The City Museum is a huge playground built in an old 11-story warehouse made largely out of architectural artifacts from around St. Louis collected by an eccentric millionaire. There are concessions inside the museum as well as bar service by local brewery Schlafy. While there are plenty of artifacts on display, it's not so much a museum as it is a collection of mazes, obstacle courses, tunnels, airplanes suspended in midair, and chutes and ladders. There's a Ferris wheel on the roof, a ten-story spiral slide, an enormous pipe organ, and lots of ways to get lost. Take care when parking; lots of nearby lots tout the "City Museum" on their signs, but only the one on the east side of 16th street (guarded by huge snake sculptures) is officially associated with the museum. Expect to stay here for 3-4 hours.

   Mon-Thu 9AM-5PM, Fri Sat 9AM-midnight, Sun 11AM-5PM; closed Mon Tue in winter·$12+tax ($10+tax F-Sa after 5PM), under 2 free; roof access +$5 (weather permitting)

2. See

   Contemporary Art Museum

   Shares a courtyard with the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.

   Wed Sat Sun 10AM-5PM, Thu Fri 10AM-8PM, Mon Tue closed·Free

3. See

   Forest Park

   One of the nation's largest city parks, with 1,293 acres, is open to the public for golf, tennis, baseball, bicycling, boating, fishing, handball, ice skating, in-line skating, jogging, cricket, rugby and more. The park is also home to the St. Louis Science Center, the art museum, the zoo, and a history museum, all with free admission. Forest Park is really at the heart of St. Louis. It was also the site of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase World's Fair, which lays claim to serving the first hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream cones. You cannot visit St. Louis without hearing about, driving by, or exploring Forest Park.

4. Do

   Laclede's Landing

   Just north of the Arch and part of Downtown St Louis, and the second oldest neighborhood after Soulard, "the Landing" is what amounts to St. Louis' old town. You are likely to enjoy the cobblestone streets and the shops, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and a bizarre wax museum. Next to the Landing is a $400 million casino complex called Lumiere Place, featuring a Four Seasons hotel, nightclubs, 75,000 square feet of casino gaming, and an innovative multi-colored light feature spanning 24 vertical floors on the exterior of the building that lights up St. Louis' skyline. Not many original buildings on the Landing remain, as the area is constantly undergoing new developments and rehabilatation of older buildings. Nightly horse-drawn carriage rides take you around the Landing and much of Downtown.

5. See

   Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

   It has been voted the best museum in St. Louis by the Riverfront Times. One of the world's finest university art collections, it is also the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi River—it was founded in 1881. It is now housed in a new facility designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect, Fumihiko Maki. Among the permanent collection are pieces by Pablo Piccasso, Rembrandt, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Juan Gris, Alexander Calder, and a separate department dedicated to currency called the Newman Money Museum.

   Mon, Wed-Sun 11AM-5PM, Tue closed·Free

6. See

   Missouri History Museum

   Features a life size replica of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis. Permanent exhibits include the 1904 Worlds Fair which celebrates the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition held in St. Louis; Collected, an ever evolving exhibit showcasing the holdings of the Missouri Historical Society; and St. Louis Sound Reprise which shares St. Louis' history in the evolution of music.

   Tue-Wed 10AM-5PM, Thu 10AM-8PM, Fri-Sun 10AM-5PM; Closed Mondays·Free

7. See

   National Museum of Transportation

   Train and trolley rides, guided tours, boxcar boutique. Rail and transit collections encompass more than 190 major exhibits, ranging from an 1833 Boston & Providence Railroad passenger coach and the largest successful steam locomotive ever built to a 6,600-hp, two-engine Union Pacific diesel #6944 (“Centennial”) built in 1971. Other collections include road and air travel.

   Sep-Feb: Wed-Sun 9AM-4PM, Mar-Aug: daily 9AM-4PM·Adult $16, senior/military $14, child 2-12 $8 (includes trolley rides when operating)

8. See

   Old Courthouse

   The site of the historic Dred Scott slavery case which was one of the seeds of the Civil War. While the Park is under construction, you can buy tickets to the arch here. The Courthouse also holds exhibits from the now-closed Museum of Westward Expansion, which used to be underneath the Arch.

   Free

9. See

   Saint Louis Art Museum

   SLAM

   It's one of the leading comprehensive art museums in the nation. It hosts visiting displays which in the past have included such exhibits as the Angels of the Vatican and the Royal Tombs of Ur. Admission to main ticketed exhibits are free on Fridays.

   Tue–Thu, Sat-Sun 10AM–5PM, Fri 10AM-9PM; Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas·Free

10. See

    Saint Louis Science Center

    SLSC

    A fun, hands-on science museum. Equipped with an IMAX Dome theater, a planetarium, floors of interactive activities, and several traveling exhibits, the Science Center has something for everyone (though the majority is geared solidly toward the under-12 set; older teens and adults will find the exhibits somewhat elementary). The museum is actually just south of Forest Park; the planetarium, however, is within the park itself, and an enclosed walkway above I-64 connects the two.

    Mon-Sat 9:30AM-4:30PM, Sun 11AM-4:30PM·Base admission is free; parking $10; extra fee for planetarium, IMAX shows, and special exhibits

11. Do

    Sheldon Concert Hall

    The Sheldon's perfect acoustics earn it the reputation as the "Carnegie Hall of St. Louis". It features the best in jazz, folk, and classical music, and joins with the Sheldon Art Galleries to promote both music and visual arts.

12. Do

    The Central West End

    An eclectic, cosmopolitan neighborhood home to soaring turn-of-the-century mansions on St. Louis's famous private streets, chic dining, and upscale boutique shopping with a great mix of cafés, independent bookstores (check out Left Bank Books on Euclid and McPherson), art galleries, salons, antique and modern furniture such as a Design Within Reach and Centro, coffee houses, and youthful energy. One of the more lively neighborhoods in St. Louis that borders Forest Park, the CWE is a great destination for a day of walking around or a weekend stay.

13. Buy Not mapped

    Cherokee Street

    Cherokee Street includes a 12-block stretch of art galleries, antique stores, cafés, restaurants and bars.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to St. Louis (CC BY-SA 4.0).