Update: I've attended their newish exhibit, Mill Creek, twice already and it was so engaging and insightful to STL history. I've heard about Mill Creek but never knew anything about it until now. Hats off to whoever designed the layout and content to this exhibit! It was showcased in such a way that allowed me to understand Mill Creek and the unfortunate events in the eyes of the oppressor as well as the oppressed. The history, visuals, and how they connected past, present, and future together were thought provoking and definitely made me leave wanting to know more. read more

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This wasn't our first visit to the Missouri History Museum and won't be our last. On our last visit, we saw a special exhibit on the St Louis World's Fair. This time we saw a special exhibition on the former Mill Creek neighborhood - a black community that was demolished in the early 1950's in the name of urban renewal. The exhibit showed what existed before the City's attempts at urban renewal. We also saw exhibits on historical America, Made in St. Louis, and some general historical stuff. The museum is well worth a visit. read more

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What's not to love about the museum (other than history continue to repeat itself)? Perks: Free parking, free entry, clean & spacious are. Staff: Staff were friendly. Only spent 1hr here because I went in the late afternoon. Will be back with the kiddos to spend longer time. Feelings: If you are a social just person, you will feel upset with some of the exhibits because they reveal the painful unjust history. read more

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Upon arriving to St. Louis (and the state of Missouri) for the very first time, the very first sight I went to visit was the Missouri History Museum so I could get a baseline understanding of some local and state history. Admission into the museum is FREE and it's located in Forest Park - the home of the 1904 World's Fair (something which to this day continues to leave its mark on the city). It's a great way to spend a few hours and I genuinely had no idea how much industry and inventions came out of the city. The museum had four core exhibits open at the time I went exploring - one on one of St Louis's historic African American neighborhoods, various St Louis artifacts through the centuries, a children's wing, and of course a whole wing devoted to the 1904 World's Fair. The museum is also home to one of the first ever statues/monuments dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. The museum was a great introduction to the city and state and enabled me to really enjoy the rest of my time in the city. Check it out! read more

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It has been ages since I last came here.Such a great place for an hour or so. There were some things interesting that I saw, including interesting outfits. The parking lot next to this place was so convenient. There were also food places to eat here. read more

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It's wonderful to visit the Missouri History Museum at any time. Love the free musical events on Twilight Thursdays. The last one of the season, a Diana Ross tribute band drew a huge audience! Super performance. You can bring your own food and beverage, or patronize the food trucks. Restrooms are available inside the museum. read more

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For Black History Month, the museum is holding story time on historical black figures for the kids. We arrived about 10 minutes before story time and gravely underestimated the parking situation here. It was PACKED and the snow covering the sidewalk to do street parking was not yet shoveled, so we absolutely trekked over. But it was so worth it! We were warmly greeted by the staff and because we had our toddler, they knew where to redirect us. The children's area was incredibly interactive: building blocks, dress up, pretend, and lots and lots of toys and books. All these great things while telling the history of St. Louis and the parts of the World's Fair. In story time, we sang songs about gardening after we listened about George Washington Carver, and danced to a song like Josephine Baker, and listened about Maya Angelou. This was a LOVELY experience especially for being free admission. The museum itself was much smaller than I expected, but we mainly spent our time playing with toys and letting our toddler run around. read more

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Saw the Mill Creek exhibit in March and it's so powerful I knew I would come back. Wish everyone in the STL metro would come. This museum tackling the Mill Creek wipe out, the ruthless destruction of community feels like the city is ready for thought and reflection as well as a decision to move forward more fairly. I hope so. Again, the museum is free which I love as it makes it more accessible and the history museum is fairly close to a metro stop as well making it accessible to more of the community. read more

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Missouri History museum brings a flight of appetizers of St. Louis history. There were a few exhibitions that were not on display, but the ones that were available were interesting and informative. The kid's section had plenty of interactive items. The fair exhibit was my favorite as it shows the world fair in miniature form. The vibe and aesthetic of the museum was beautiful. And for the price of free, it's hard to beat. Definitely a great place to check out on your visit in St. Louis. read more

Small but nice museum and FREE! We enjoyed the 1904 Worlds Fair exhibit. It was interesting to see how the park was transformed for the 7 month long event and all the artifacts from the fair. The day we attended they were having an outdoor concert that evening so all parking was blocked off. They have a restaurant and gift shop. The staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

Missouri History Museum - Jefferson monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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Great museum. In front of the museum, you can take a picture with the "I Love STL" sign. The admission is free. They have a children's section that has a lot of activities like coloring, reading, fishing, and more. We went to see the World Fair exhibit, and it was really informative. It's a must-visit in St. Louis. read more

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Well... it has a lot of promise. I enjoyed the world's fair and Mill's creek exhibits but generally felt the history museum lacked broader diversity in local history. Surely there is far more to share. Potential is here and I look forward to returning to see what comes next. read more

I had not been to The Missouri History Museum in years. I am of the era where this was known as Jefferson Memorial. So there was an exhibit here of the 1904 World's Fair. I'll preface this with I have always been aware of things, art, and artifacts. This exhibit was not worth visiting, in my opinion. I've owned nicer World's Fair pieces than the ones on display. I do like the way the new construction here has been integrated with the original structure. read more

What an amazing place to visit! I've lived in STL my entire life and somehow have missed visiting the museum. I finally checked it out on a rainy STL day--I'm so glad I did. During my visit, I learned so much about the World's Fair. Lots of interesting history to read about and an incredible replica model of the fair. Numerous interactive components at this museum make for an engaging experience. Make a visit! read more

Missouri History Museum - Worlds fair replica model - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

My sisters and I often enjoy Thursdays nights at the History Museum in Forest Park. This is a weekly occurrence that sometimes includes free outdoor concerts on the Museum's gorgeous grounds. Gathering with large groups of people in lawn chairs; listening to great music and savoring good food. The whole vibe is wonderful. Inside they have interesting (also free) exhibits featuring the rich history of St. Louis. I learn something new about our city and its culture every time I visit. The atmosphere is always so relaxing, I feel I can mosey around forever. Occasionally we will attend lectures on subjects that are of interest to us. One such topic is "Mill Creek: Black Metropolis" which begins the third Saturday in November. Drop in on Thursday or any day and discover more about the history of our fascinating city! read more

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I have stayed here all my life and never been here. This museum is awesome. Private FREE parking. Admission FREE!! Building clean and clear of clutter. Staff very friendly and welcoming . I came to see the civil rights exhibit and I was not disappointed. Very informative. Spaced just right. Spacious and well designed. Banners and hanging objects very colorful and cool. Dine in restaurants overpriced and food selection not impressive. Overall I really enjoyed it here read more

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What a St. Louis gem!! Complete with a great gift shop full of St. Louis souvenirs. AND upstairs is Ameghettis sub shop and bagels. Everything is moderately priced and admission is free!! read more

Missouri History Museum - Mill Creek exhibit - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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I went to the Pride DJ Night Saturday evening and it was pretty sad. The DJ played music but nothing to dance to which is why we went in the first place. A total of 4 people were dancing. It was so sunny and bright which is great for the museum itself but not to dance to. It's summer too so the sun would be up until 8pm... It looked like there were 30 people at best. Couldn't hear anything the guy was saying on the mic. Honestly I just wanted to leave and get a pizza but stayed longer than I would have liked because of the group I went with. The best comparison I can give is attending a middle school dance where a couple of teachers dance on the floor to get the kids to dance but everyone is just embarrassed. Dont recommend. Will never go back. read more

The History Museum is a great family friendly free museum in St. Louis. We came here recently to meet up with friends and there were so many activities for kids! We started in the coloring room and the kids loved coloring St. Louis landmarks. I also had no idea about the kids clubhouse. It was so much fun! We happened to come on a Build-A-Bear day so we got to take pictures with the bear and left with discount cards and crayons. Would definitely recommend as a great rainy day activity to get the kids out of the house! read more

Missouri History Museum - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

This was a surprisingly fun museum. I enjoyed the 2nd floor exhibit on the early history of St. Louis (a good place to start in the museum if you're without kids). You'll learn that in 1803, Lewis and Clark began the Louisiana Purchase Expedition from here. The 1904 World's Fair was a key milestone - which helps to explain the Jefferson Memorial. On the second floor (the opposite side), the exhibits cover the 1900s and early 2000s with the development of suburbs and the Gateway Arch design. I did not have enough time to explore the history of musicians in the city, but it's worth a look. Other interesting tidbits include the Spirit of St. Louis plane, a cute but less informative exhibit on Soccer City (a fun place for adults), and a kid's section that provides an interactive experience. Overall, if you have 1-2 hours to spare as a first-time visitor to St. Louis, I would recommend the history museum. It was more entertaining and enjoyable than the Art Museum. Finally, the history museum is on the north side of Forest Park (5-10 minute walk from the Forest Park metro station), so it's convenient for visitors using public transportation. Two thumbs up! read more

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The 1904 World's Fair exhibit will dazzle you with the model of the fair grounds. Amazing view of what was and now what is today! The facts and information about the fair will keep you walking through the exhibit looking for more. The Eads Bridge at 150 years is also a comprehensive exhibit on this iconic bridge. Eat and shop there,also, in one stop. read more

We visited the History Museum inside Forest Park on a dreary Sunday for brunch. We were able to check out a few exhibits and then head to the 2nd floor for breakfast. The STL Coloring exhibit features St. Louis architecture of every size, shape, and, you guessed it, COLOR! Children of all ages are invited to get a close-up look at these iconic buildings and color on the walls! The Soccer City exhibit shares the history of soccer in St. Louis through videos, photos, and memorabilia dating back to the first recorded soccer game in St. Louis in 1875! The 1904 World's Fair exhibit closed last year. BUT IT'S COMING BACK in April 2024 reimagined. We got a sneak peak! They have murals on the wall and they are planning for a giant map in the center of the gallery. I love old maps, especially when I can point on major landmarks and streets that existed both then and now. The Key Bistro Restaurant on the 2nd floor of the museum is open daily for lunch or grab-n-go snacks. They are also open for a Sunday brunch buffet which includes live music- $40 includes the brunch buffet and non-alcoholic drinks. We're a big fan of their dessert selection. The History Museum is always FREE to visit, so plan your trip today! It's the perfect indoor activity when it's rainy or cold. read more

Two hours here exploring the current exhibits at the museum and learning about Missouri's history. I got to enjoy the history of Saint Louis Sound, which includes history of jazz music, rock concerts that passed through town (Guns & Roses swore they would never return and yet, they did), some memorabilia and more. Beyond the Ballot displayed history of women getting the vote in Missouri and synopses of the women who helped make that happen. They did not have a good time, that's for sure. The Saint Louis World's Fair in 1904, which was technically called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. History of the site (right here! this park!) and many of the exhibits that put Saint Louis on the world stage. The Spirit of Saint Louis (named so in honor of Lindbergh's supporters from the St. Louis Raquette Club) is hanging from the roof in the main Grand Hall is interesting. It is the "sister" of the plane that Charles Lindbergh piloted over the Atlantic Ocean to Paris in May 1927. And wow, it's small! Only a 46 foot wingspan, not even a quarter of a 747. Lots of history, lots to see, free parking and free access plus a great view of the park from the terrace. I had a great visit. [Review 17247 overall - 152 in Missouri - 764 of 2022.] read more

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The Missouri History Museum is a lovely hidden gem in STL. The have an engaging and well-themed children's play area, several exhibits about local history, and a rotating exhibit. Most recently, the rotating exhibit has featured important women in STL history and Coloring STL. We learned so much from both! The coloring exhibit was relaxing and fun for all ages. We also really appreciate how un-crowded the museum is and how friendly and informative the staff is. We love this place! read more

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The Missouri History Museum was a fun and interactive hall of exhibits dedicated to the state's rich background. One of the current exhibits focused on the history of soccer, and included video games and fooseball tables for visitors to play. There was also a room of whiteboards, decorated with black-outlined images of St. Louis icons, that guests could color with markers. Even adults, like ourselves, loved being able to grab a marker and draw on the walls! The Missouri History Museum really found ways to make history appealing and engaging for visitors of all ages. read more

Missouri History Museum - Color STL exhibit - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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Really cool environment and a lot of awesome information on the history of St. Louis. I had no ideas that this city had as much influence and hosted many important historical events. It's also completely free! read more

2.5 Came here as we had an hour and a half to kill before our flight. I appreciate that this was free and so was parking but for such a huge building it has very little in the way of exhibits. There are 2 floors and the first floor has a city soccer exhibit and the kids exhibit which states you need a stamp for but there was no staff there. The upstairs has the past history and more "modern" history and the gift shop. The basement is meeting rooms. We were able to spend the amount of time we needed to here so we would not be sitting at the airport for hours but it is not some place I would visit again. The building on the outside and inside is beautiful and interesting. read more

I love the history museum. Sometimes there are some fantastic exhibits. He wanted to see STL ROCKS. He thought it would be an exhibit about radio and disc jockeys ( Wolfman Jack, Johnny Rabbit). Remember them. The part that we saw was really about sound. I did find out that they are starting Twilight Thursday's. Tonight is an Isley Brother tribute. The following Thursday's are a Temptation Tribute, a chuck Berry Tribute and a Tina Turner Tribute. It goes from 6-8 in front of the museum. You can bring a picnic dinner. Alcoholic drinks (no glass bottles) and dogs who are LEASHED. Go to their website to see what's allowed and what isn't. Would I come back here? Yes!! I'm sure future exhibits will be great. read more

Missouri History Museum - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

There's no reason NOT to visit the Missouri History Museum if you have time. It's in Forest Park, so it's a pretty drive to visit it. It's FREE. Parking is FREE and onsite. It's clean, large, and well maintained with a friendly staff and a killer gift shop. Luckily for us, it's open into the evening (8pm?) on Thursdays when we were near. The exhibits rotate and change, so it's a good place to visit often I imagine. When we visited (Oct 2021) the featured exhibits were on the World's Fair in St. Louis, musicians/music from St. Louis/MO, and the suffragette movement in St. Louis. All were fantastic with plenty of original artifacts to view, art to gaze at, and videos/interactives to use. It was a stop well worth our time! read more

They should apologize for wiping out the Natives and importing slaves, so they should change the name to "I'msorry History Museum", but yeah, won't happen. It's pretty harrowing and disgusting when you see exactly how much racism and murder and hatred there has been and how systematic it's been, throughout MO and the US. This country lives in massive denial about it. This state especially. If you ever wonder about that, just come to this Museum or one of many others. I can give them full marks for showing the true extent of the atrocities (well not the true extent, but more than some other museums do), and for not sugar-coating at all (or rather, not much). They also don't seem biased and don't seem judgy, they let you make your own decisions and I appreciate that. But really MO. We need to fix it and it's not anywhere near fixed yet. This museum is doing its part but are you? Am I? Are we? read more

Missouri History Museum - Missouri I didn't get closer - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

Okay, this is a great museum. In my opinion, it's a must-visit. And to top it all off, it's free, so it doesn't get much better. They do have special exhibits for which there is an additional fee, but I visited the free exhibits and they very comprehensive. There was an exhibit on St. Louis World's Fair which I really liked. They offer an audio tour, also free, which I used and it added a lot of detail and context. It's clean, bright and well-staffed--at least when I was there. A video in an exhibit wasn't working properly, and when I reported it to an employee it was fixed within 60 seconds. I spent at least two hours here, and my visit was confined to the two exhibits on the first floor. There's a lot more to see at MHM and I think anyone with a curious spirit will be delighted. As it's found at one of the entrances to Forest Park, you will find many other things of interest with and near the park. Car parking can be a bit sparse in the lots by the museum, but parking was easy for me along the road outside the park (it was mid-November, so in a more popular time of year might change things). I'm a nerd so I highly recommend it and I'll definitely be visiting next time I'm in StL. read more

I will start with my only complaint - the name. This is not a Missouri history museum, it is a St. Louis history museum and that is fine, just a little misleading for a life long Missourian that happens to reside in Missouri's largest city - Kansas City. I enjoyed the section devoted to the 1904 Worlds Fair, lots of cool artifacts and photos. The statue of Jefferson and the Spirit of St. Louis plane were equally impressive. Probably one of the most powerful exhibits I've had the pleasure to see was the collection of Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalism. From the 1950's to current day, this collection captures how amazingly wonderful to how simply barbaric the human race can be. The side show of photos from St. Louis' Post Dispatch were just as impressive and educational. An awesome gift shop to spend a few dollars to offset the free admission. read more

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It's free! However membership helps to support the cause. Exhibits are well orchestrated, informative & appreciated. The gift shop has a plethora of unique items for all ages. Restaurant is back...definitely not what it use to be but not bad either. Give it a whirl! ~Christy read more

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I was quite excited to visit the museum, especially since it sits in such a large and beautiful park! I was quite underwhelmed however. Perhaps I have been spoiled with growing up near the Smithsonians. I love that it is free but I was thirsty for more history and information about Missouri. There is a good exhibit about the world fair but I definitly was hoping for more. I had a much better experience at the museum under the gateway. Our group was in and out within 30-40 minutes. Easy and plenty of parking around the museum. They do have a children's exhibit area as well. read more

Very solid museum that provided a lot of solid information. Had 2 floors - along with a small exhibit in the basement. Was easy to follow and see everything; really more St. Louis history than Missouri. A key exhibit was on the entirety of the 1904 World's Fair. They had a couple sections on the history of St. Louis from founding to current - one part was more commercial history; the other was more social history (including sports). There was a large section on the music of St. Louis; how it has changed over time. Finally, there's a sizable section for little kids with stuff to climb on and play with. We spent 3 hours before we got worn out - and it was free. The only reason for "not a 5" is there were a lot of signs that had missing exhibits. read more

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The Missouri History Museum is either something that interests you, or maybe something you'd pass on. One thing to keep in mind is the fact that most museums in STL are free, so no downside if you do not like it. With that said, I found my visit quite educational and spent about a solid two hours here, grant it I was on a schedule that day or I would of stayed longer. The museum is located in the largest park in STL with close proximity to all other museums in the city, but a decent walk. One thing that I underestimated was how hot it gets in STL during the summer. I figured it would be a good idea to walk to all the museums in the area, but bad idea in terms of heat and humidity. Either way all museums have air conditioning, which is great! Anyways onto the museum itself, it is a decent size, but not large enough to get lost in to be honest. Everything is laid out very well and the staff are very helpful if you have any questions. They do have a standard cafe as well as a kids museum to keep the young ones occupied. Obviously Missouri's history can fill up several reviews, so I think picture browsing or checking out their website is the best bet if you are curious. In my opinion again, well worth it especially if you are visiting other museums in the area. read more

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I love this place. It's free!!! It has great exhibits, did I mention that it's free?? Just went to see the St Louis Sound exhibit - awesome musical history of St Louis. The gift shop is also my go-to for gifts, especially those I send abroad. Lots of activities all around the year for all ages and a great place to hang with a friend in the cold weather ;) read more

Wow, this place is really cool!! I was visiting my sister-in-law around thanksgiving 2022 and she took us to the Missouri history Museum. It was very clean, and it gave us something very entertaining to do while we were visiting her. There was one room in the museum where you can draw on the wall, or color. It was really cool. Another part of the display, they went through certain the different time periods for Music. Plus there are other displays they were there that we neat. If you're looking for something fun to do with the family I would recommend going here if you're in Saint Ann Missouri. The next time I'm up in Missouri, I'll see if we can go back. read more

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I went to the MO History Museum with the family recently and we had a great experience. The children's part of the museum is fascinating, and feel like a fantasy-land segmented into particular historical themes. The workers here all were so helpful and friendly; it's easy to see that they truly love their jobs! Next time I return, I want to be sure to catch story-time and also hop into the trolley around Forest Park! read more

Missouri History Museum - Kids area of Museum - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

St. Louis Forest Park is larger than Central Park in NYC and packed with history. The Davis Cup tennis championship has roots with the park, as Dwight Davis was the head of the park in the early days, with a vision that parks were more than something to look at. Dwight wanted people to play in the parks. From the 1904 Worlds Fair, to today, the park draws millions of visitors to the best Zoo in the country, an impressive Art Museum, a Science Center and planetarium, the Dwight Davis Tennis Center, two golf courses, the Muny, the Boathouse, lots of sport fields AND... The History Museum! Plan to visit to see the past and envision the future! read more

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