Hands down my favorite "museum" in St. Louis…read more Honestly, calling it a museum almost feels misleading. It's more like an analog amusement park built from reclaimed pieces of the city. Old bridges, industrial equipment, architectural salvage, stained glass, pipes, castles, tunnels, and all kinds of odds and ends have been transformed into one giant playground. Everywhere you look there's something to climb through, crawl under, or slide down. The best part? The slides. There are giant multi-story slides scattered throughout the museum, and every single one made me feel like a kid again. My knees may have been questioning my life choices after climbing through all the tunnels and staircases, but it was 100% worth it. Half the fun is simply wandering around and accidentally discovering a new room or passage you completely missed the first time. This is not a place where you walk in a straight line from one exhibit to the next. You explore. You get lost. You backtrack. You find something hidden behind another room. It's impossible to see everything in one visit, and that's honestly part of the charm. A few exhibits were unfortunately closed while I was there. I spotted an underwater-themed area that I was really excited to explore, but it wasn't open that day. It just gives me another reason to come back. One of my favorite spaces was the old bank vault. It was such a cool piece of history tucked into this wonderfully chaotic place. There are also so many quirky corners that make perfect photo and TikTok spots. At times it reminded me a little of the Museum of Illusions, except instead of optical illusions, everything here is meant to be climbed on and explored. I had an absolute blast. Whether you're visiting with kids or you're just an adult who misses climbing on everything you weren't supposed to touch, this place is ridiculously fun. I'll absolutely be back the next time I'm in St. Louis.

Doing tourist things after hearing that this was a must visit for people with small kids. This…read morewas on the list of to-do's as we had a short weekend visit to the STL area. .....Great place to see all of the things. Not a bad time at all. We got to see play and do so MANY things all active and the girls loved the play areas ...all of them. The bathrooms were clean and strategically placed...I was pleasantly surprised. The parking is close!...& I liked the exercise...our girls napped so hard after the visit. I am in firm belief that the overall planning and logistics of this place are professionally done & handled well! This venue is a must visit if in the area and you like hands on action. The girls had a blast and that is what matters most!! 10/10 times I will return.. for the price I paid... I could see myself doing this again with a longer stay in the area! Sidenote the people in guest service station were super awesome... All workers that interacted with our family had smiles on their faces and were so helpful. I feel for the price I paid...it was well worth it! We will return! *Questions reach out* Respectfully, Bryan and Family Oklahoma City

If you can't get your kicks on Route 66, you can at least get them at the Route 66 Museum…read more The Route 66 Museum is directly across the street from, Ariston Cafe which is the oldest restaurant on the historical Route 66. Did you know this year is the centennial of that highway? Which is a good reason to do a road trip to Litchfield and visit both places. The majority of the museum is history about the Litchfield, but there's enough about Route 66 to help you learn about this history making road and the importance it had in its hey day. The museum is run by volunteers and is free. They do have a donation box towards the entrance, so be sure to drop a few bucks in, so it can survive. Even better, be sure to buy a t-shirt or postcard in the small gift shop. Outside the museum office is a display about, Martha Jackson who made this museum a reality. One thing that I found extra cool was the display rack that had pictures of the seniors at Litchfield High School from the year Route 66 opened, to this year's graduating class. What a hoot, seeing how class pictures have changed over the years. I'll be going back soon, to take more time looking at the displays. A volunteer was painting and the smell of paint gives me migraines, so I made a quick exit.

This is such a cute museum and I definitely recommend making a stop if you're traveling on Route…read more66...intentionally. We were doing the east half of Route 66 during our most recent vacation last week and this place is listed on many of the guides. It is SO CUTE and has a ton of Route 66 memorabilia and newspaper clippings. There is also another Route 66 spot right across the street if you need to grab a bite to eat.

For a quick visit and to stretch your legs during a long drive, this place is great. Kids' activity…read moreroom has several hands-on ways to do art. Lego mosaics, a huge Lite-Brite type board (for those of you who remember those), and a life size horse sculpture you can reassemble. Oh, and it's free. Outdoor sculpture garden covers about an acre and has many large sculptures kids can run among. My two boys, 7 and 10, would have liked to stay longer. Permanent exhibit is small but has some notable artists, like Mary Casatt. Not sure if I was supposed to pay for going in that room? Oops. Temp exhibit for next couple months is photos of rock stars, plus autographed guitars from the collection of a local radio guy. Costs $5 and my wife opted for me not to see it. Some of the guitars are hanging in the main lobby, like Clapton's and BB King's. Not that you would drive to Mt. Vernon *just* to see it, but if you are passing thru on I-64, give it a look for an hour or so.

Well worth a visit. Frequently changing displays and great special events. Not too near the hotels,…read morebut only about a mile away. A pleasant little walk.

I honestly debated taking off a star for one issue, but in the end I couldn't bring myself to do it…read morebecause everything else about this museum was so wonderful. First of all, it's free, which is incredible considering the quality of the collection. It's located in the middle of beautiful Forest Park, so even getting there is part of the experience. The museum sits on top of Art Hill, and the grounds are gorgeous with wide green spaces, walking paths, and beautiful views. It's the kind of place where you can easily spend an afternoon both inside and outside. The museum itself has an impressive collection spanning so many cultures and time periods. There are ancient artifacts, European paintings, sculptures, decorative arts... and yes, they even have Egyptian mummies. Seeing those in person was fascinating, although I'll admit it always makes me wonder about the provenance and how museum collections like that came to be. That's a much bigger conversation though. The staff were also fantastic. Everyone I spoke with was kind, approachable, and happy to share what they knew about the artwork and exhibits. You could tell they genuinely enjoyed being there. The only reason I almost docked a star was because I came across... well... a piece of poop on the gallery floor. It wasn't cleaned up immediately, and it seemed to sit there for a while before anyone noticed. It definitely caught me off guard. That said, I don't think it's really fair to blame the museum for another visitor's actions. Accidents happen, and while I wish it had been spotted sooner, it didn't take away from how much I enjoyed the museum overall. Beautiful setting, incredible collection, friendly staff, and one of the best free museums I've visited. Definitely worth a stop if you're in St. Louis.

First off, it's hard to beat the setting which is right in Forest Park and the building itself is…read morebeautiful and historic. Walking to it already feels like it's part of the experience. Inside, the collection is genuinely impressive. There's a huge range from ancient artifacts to modern and contemporary art so it never feels repetitive. You can go from Egyptian pieces to seeing European pieces from Monet and Picasso in the same visit. One of the best parts is that general admission is free which makes it super accessible and easy to spend as much (or as little) time as you want without feeling pressured. The layout is spacious and easy to explore, although some sections feel stronger than others depending on your taste. It's also the kind of place where you can wander and really take your time. Great for both a quick visit or a longer afternoon. It's one of the best attractions in St Louis with a surprisingly deep collection. Definitely worth visiting especially if you're already in Forest Park.

Both a History of Benton and Franklin County History both Good and Bad Worth the entry fee.read more

This 1905 Franklin County Jail Museum is a very interesting walk through Benton's history…read more Featuring one of the last public executions in Illinois of Charlie Berger, this museum has original noose, weapons, newspaper articles and other historical documentation. When you walk into the house, you enter a beautiful, classic early 1900s home. A very welcoming home with reconstructed living room and kitchen. Prepare to be surprised! It is only when you near the back of the house that you find the white, rusted heavy iron door. Open this door and you enter a cold, dark realm that even Tim Burton couldn't recreate. Perhaps a hundred years for rusting and paint chipping contributes to the overall gloom. These are the prison cells that inspire modern day fiction. All the windows have bars. And the view from the outermost window is of the gallows. These gallows have been recreated in the position they originally stood. There are multiple rooms of cells which you can enter and take photos of. Don't use the toilets, though. They are a bit old. :) Escape back into the semblance of normalcy of the house and head upstairs to take in additional Benton history. The normal bathroom is up there: very clean. When the Beatles FIRST came to America, this is where they played. The museum curator stated that she was a young girl when they arrived: "We had no idea who they were...They weren't known in America at the time, but we all hurried to get a look. We didn't end up seeing them though." There is civil war paraphernalia and an autographed photo of town local John Malkovich. I highly recommend this location! The curator is very knowledgeable and friendly. The location is a few miles off the nearby highway.

This little-known and hidden museum is located inside the supposedly haunted Mineral Springs Mall…read morebuilding in downtown Alton. Some say it is fitting, as Alton is known to be one of the Top 10 haunted places in the United States. The building itself was a hotel that opened over a century ago, and several paranormal sightings have been reported over the years. You can kind of get the idea once you set the foot in the place. Its only five dollars admission, and you get to learn a lot about, well, ways people tortured people for centuries. First off, this museum is not for everyone. There are some offensive and disturbing parts here, as one would sense. This is basically for the open-minded, and for those who have a keen sense of history. The museum is a bit small, but there are several things that await the visitor. The woman who operates this museum has apparently done so much research and collected so many artifacts about the 'torture' subject. You can definitely tell she had an enjoyable time doing this! The weapons/chambers/photographs are accompanied by several materials that talk about how people were tortured. The first paragraph usually explains how the device operated, and the history behind when it was used (like what time period and what country/continent). The always controversial topic of slavery (in most countries of all periods of time) is also explained here. I'd rather not give away too much. You may find the subject on torture interesting! When reading these, I had to put myself in these people's shoes. Whether they were the victims, or the people who lived under one supreme ruler who frequently used the torture devices on the folks under them. Some of these torture methods are still being used today in some parts of the world, sadly. If you make a weekend trip to Alton, check this place out. Unfortunately, the museum is not open during the week, just on Saturday and Sundays. Be sure to check the hours.

$5.00! This museum is for those who love "campy" things. I enjoyed it, in a way that I enjoy…read morevisiting Graceland without being an Elvis fan. If you are into this kind of entertainment than this is for you. Leave the kids at home though. Lovely lady will answer all your questions, and she drives a hearse! How could you not enjoy her museum knowing these facts?!

Local history free to the public. Was there Saturday going to a baby shower, taking my wife. It…read morelooked quite impossible to get her inside, she's using a walker and can't do steps. See the help inside and they're more than happy to help you get into the museum. They have a lift and elevator. The exhibit is eye opening and worth your time to visit.

I had to walk the mile back today after the coffee house, so decided to walk around and explore a…read morebit on my own...came across the Centralia Museum... I HAVE NEVER seen a small Township museum, let alone any museum, with such a plethora of artifacts and info! It was 3 levels, and these pics only represent about 10% or less of the museum!

Interesting and absolutely charming place to visit esp around the holidays & also when they have…read moretheir shows & exhibits - it's a hidden gem for Bond County and it SHINES!

We attended a wedding at the rental hall. I must say it was a great place to hold events.read more

Very interesting displays of soda beverages!!! Also, the…read morepinball machines in the lower kevel were great fun! The old building is beautiful.

Bizarre nostalgic throw-back to sugar laced time before corn syrup drenched mixes arrived…read more I met a friend and his granddaughter in the basement to play retro-arcade games for a ser price fo a few hours. Kid and teenager me would have loved it... the sarcastic 10 year old wanted board games to improve her experience. After considering- I agreed. I would add some chess and checker boards and a few other board games. Or a few Atari games... The epitome was the McDonald's $1 double cheeseburger sign. I asked to order it: they didn't have cheeseburgers, all things are more expensive and everything is not as healthy. I am not wishing for cocaine Coca-Cola or other "medicine" in Dr Pepper. $1.50 for a can of soda is a big jump for a corn syrup from the nickel advertising of a sugar sweet memory. The epitome of the place was playing shuffleboard with the 10 year old. I was trying to play with a sense of touch. She was playing with the idea of creating a highlight reel of knocking my pieces off. I beat her because the idea of the game escaped her. To look back at Asteroids was a shock. Realized that it was just black and white, 2 dimensional game with only a few buttons to control it. Overall I walked still a fan of the glossed over experience. I remember being a broke kid wanting to play unrealistic games to escape from reality. Now I wish for the sugar rush I used to have.