A Hidden Jewel in St. Louis - Don't Miss the Magic Chef Mansion!…read more What a historic gem! The Magic Chef Mansion is one of St. Louis' most stunning and best-kept secrets. If you haven't taken a tour, you are truly missing out. This architectural treasure offers a glimpse into another era--where craftsmanship, elegance, and timeless beauty meet. What makes it even more special is the incredible care and devotion of Shelly, the current owner and resident. It's amazing how she has lovingly restored the entire interior, tracking down original furniture, lighting fixtures, and period-appropriate details to bring this mansion back to its former glory. What an act of love--and one that every visitor can feel the moment they walk through the doors. Every room is a story, and the guided tour is filled with fascinating history, local lore, and exquisite details. Whether you're a St. Louis native or a visitor, this is an experience that belongs at the top of your list. The Magic Chef Mansion isn't just a tour--it's a living, breathing piece of art and history. Don't miss the chance to be a part of it.

This is a wonder!!!! Beautifully maintained and decorated mansion. Owner guided tour for our…read moregroup. Charge for tours but well worth seeing this amazing turn of the 20th century mansion.

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.

One of the BEST parts of St. Louis is all the FREE attractions . We decided to visit the science…read morecenter and we had sooooo much fun . Couldn't believe there was no charge for admission . Parking is free if you're a member, if not you'll be charged unless you walk over , shuttle or park somewhere else nearby free. (They often will waive parking with the purchase of a movie ticket at that their theatre ) This science center has an OMNI IMAX movie theater inside on level 3 , cafes , gift shop, shows and too many hands on experiences to list with so many neat artifacts . The kid in me would come back repeatedly . Lol

This was a pretty good museum, my favorite part is that it's free entry! My toddler is very much in…read morehis dinosaur era, so he absolutely LIT UP at the T-Rex. We were worried he would be scared, but he was so happy lol. The rest of the museum was pretty cool, but it focuses more on older kids so the small ones didn't have much to interact with. The outdoor area about agriculture was nice (there are chickens!) and a giant tractor to play on. Another interesting part was past the bridge called the Vault. It was just collections over time, and all over the world. If you have time to spend all day, it would be cool, but we're going to wait a little bit until my toddler is older. Parking is $15, but not bad compared elsewhere.

Update: I've attended their newish exhibit, Mill Creek,…read moretwice 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.

This wasn't our first visit to the Missouri History Museum and won't be our last. On our last…read morevisit, 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.

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.

This is a hidden gem when it comes to historic houses. This house has been incredibly restored with…read morecare and attention to detail giving visitors a true step back in time to see what 19th-century Victorian life was like for a affluent family in St. Louis. The house itself is that last remaining piece of the original neighborhood which originally stood outside of city limits. The docent was knowledgeable, welcoming, and gave what felt like an insider's look into the Campbell family highlighting original family belongings. My favorite pieces include a gas lamp that illuminates beautifully (seriously stunning) and massive portait of James A. Campbell with his dogs. Oh -- and the ornate toilet. I recommend a visit at Christmas time. The house is beautifully decorated for the holidays and you might just get to see and HEAR a special Christmas tree stand/music box!

We took advantage of the free tours being offered at the Campbell house museum this weekend and it…read morewas a great time. The fact that so much of the original furniture, art, and accessories remain in top condition if wild after all these years. Our tour guide was fantastic and we really enjoyed ourselves. A must-do if you are at all interested in STL history

We went to the museum on Friday. My wife is really into miniatures so it was really a treat for…read moreher. Some of the displays are absolutely amazing. I would totally recommend that you stop in. The admission price is very reasonable and the people working there are extremely friendly. It's just across the street from the Bevo Mill. Easy to find and worth the trip.

If you know me in real life, you know that I have an affinity for miniature houses and furniture…read more When I was making plans to visit St. Louis and saw this museum on the map, I knew I had to make a visit. It is not in the nicest of neighborhoods, which would explain why the door is locked and you have to ring a bell to be let in, even during business hours. Inside, there is a gift shop area where you can purchase a variety of miniature items. Many of them are vintage, although I recognized lots of them as pieces I've previously purchased on Amazon too. The word "vintage" is probably the most appropriate here. The whole place has a smell like an antique store and most of the houses look to have been built in the 1970's-1990's. There are many intricate houses and dioramas, so many things to look at! My personal style is more modern rather than grandma-chic, but I definitely appreciate the love and attention that went into building each of these pieces. Most of them are donated from family members when the artist leaves an estate behind. It was a really fun visit and I'm glad to have checked out the museum.

I had heard about this place a few times and my husband and I finally got a chance to check it out…read more The space is divided into rooms of what the illusion is supposed to be. There are employees at certain stops to help with picture taking, which is great. We went in order, you can do it however you like. It makes you think and its fun! They run specials at certain times for admission and if youre a teacher and have an ID, you're free!

This is a smaller place than other museum but it is great for pictures. The kids had so much fun…read more The staff were so nice and helpful. We spent about 45 minutes here. The tunnel was cool, make me think I flipped all the way around.