The city museum was THE BEST part of our trip to STL. We had 4 adults and 2 children, and the cost…read moreof tickets was low enough to ensure it's not burdensome, and many people can participate. We parked in the attached parking lot, which was card only and very convenient. I bought a locker and knee pads, which made the time here much better. I highly recommend these add ons. This place is more like a giant jungle gym than a museum. City Museum has climbing opportunities for adults, and I felt like a kid again. It gave me a sense of wonder and exploration. I recommend going outside in the morning while it's not too hot. A lot of the outside is metal and rebar. This area was very nice because I didn't feel claustrophobic outside. I know we must have missed a lot because each nook and cranny had more to explore. I'm sure there's some places I missed because I couldn't fit and some I just didn't see. I found out after we left that one area allows you to go under the floor. This museum is not a place where you should wear shorts or a dress. I recommend long pants. I tore my jeans on a rivet, and it would have cut me up in other clothing. We had 1 adult with us who was handicapped, and she wasn't able to stick with us at all. There are elevators but it is not disability friendly. Overall 10/10 would return.

We arrived on a Friday summer afternoon with a few families, and unsurprisingly it was already…read morepacked. We passed on the $15 parking lot and found street parking not too far away. I believe tickets were around $20 each, and my wife eventually sprung for a $20 headlamp for our kid to explore the caves. And I will say, as a 40+ person with a preschoole, I did feel at one point my last breath would be had in those caves. There are just so many places in there for little ones to crawl and explore, but they also have some big drops in other areas that I had to help out with. It's fairly dark in there and I had to contort myself in ways I hadn't done in years, so be wary! The rest of the building feels similar, but with more light. It felt really cool noticing all the little slides and hideaways tucked everywhere, and really made me think about how often kids may get stuck in places? We walked past the aquarium and made our way to the carousel, where there was also more playground type areas. There was also this odd area that looked like a skate park, but without skateboards. So of course all us adults attempted to run up one of the ramps that felt like the warped wall from Ninja Warrior. I think my hip is still feeling that one. We did not end up eating here, nor do any of the outside stuff. Regardless, this place really is a wonder and will both excite and drain the battery of people of all ages. Lots of fun to be had here - just be sure to stretch ahead of time parents!

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 finally realized this museum was free, and so we came here after brunch. There is a small parking…read morelot behind the Pulitzer next door and street parking everywhere. This is also surprisingingly near the Fox Theater! We were welcomed in very warmly! The attendant at the front desk explained everything: all the exhibits, what to expect, which artists are there now, and what to expect in the fall season. Honestly, she was delightful! There is also a small cafe inside where I got a small iced chai. After that, and browsing the 1st floor, we went upstairs. The 2nd floor features more locally made art from Middle School and High School art programs. It was really delightful to see the range of mediums! My toddler's favorite part was the playroom. Although, it is quite small, but it was just him with lots and lots of interactive and imaginative play! We look forward to see the next exhibit after installation!

I really enjoyed my time at CAM. It's a free contemporary art museum and right next door is the…read morePulitzer. They host fun events too. It's a bit on the smaller side so temper your expectations accordingly. The staff is incredible! Their collections are always really thoughtful. Worth a visit.

I had high hopes for an air and space museum here in Saint Louis (well, technically across the…read moreriver from Saint Louis) as this was a hub for the most famous world-wide carrier, Trans World Airlines aka TWA. This was the home of Charles Lindbergh, the first to fly solo across the Atlantic. Sadly, the museum does not appear to be open. I think they were a victim of the pandemic. There are still a couple of planes to be seen outside the museum, but there is nothing that I could see to tour or visit. If you want to see the planes, great. Enjoy! [Review 17253 overall - 118 in Illinois - 770 of 2022.]

Volunteer ran museums are the best, the people are always so knowledgable and friendly. This one…read morehappens to be in one of two Wright Brothers Hangers we have at this facility there is some history in its self! If you like planes they host fly ins and have some cool bits of history stashed away here. I've ran some charity events here and will always be willing to work with these guys.

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.

I'm not from the St Louis area but this is still my second visit to the St. Louis Art Museum. This…read moreis truly a premier art museum with a diverse variety of exhibits, including an outdoor sculpture gardens. It's located in beautiful Forest Park and the views of the park from the front entrance are great. The building itself is an architectural gem. We spent over 2 hours here and only scratched the surface.

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.

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

Went on the architectural tour with a fantastic docent. So much history and ways of exploring this…read moretreasure . Got sidetracked from original purpose for the tour by many people in the tour asking interesting questions. There are many tour themes offered.

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.

This museum consists of the historic home of The Children's Poet Eugene Fields (really more his…read morefather's home, but they are both famous) and the extension, which includes gallery space and a research library. It is another excellent little museum in the area! I did not realize that I knew Field's poetry, but I recognized "The Duel" immediately. We were really here for the Weatherbird 125th exhibit and a talk given by the current cartoonist Mr. Dan Martin, but got there early enough to explore the other exhibits and take a guided tour of the house. The staff were very informative and great at answering our questions. I was also so impressed with the exhibit designs. I think this is WELL worth the 10 bucks entrance fee and parking downtown (they do have a small free lot, which is easy to drive right by). Im encouraging all my friends to catch the Weatherbird exhibit before it leaves at the end of March, and I'd be interested to see what they rotate in later.

The Field House in downtown St. Louis is one of the area's oldest surviving structures. Built in…read more1845 as a part of Walsh's Row, this is the only survivor out of a dozen houses. Roswell Field moved his family into the house in 1850, and his son Eugene was born the same year. Roswell Field was the lawyer who defended Dred Scott in the famous court case, and was one of the key proponents in getting the case moved to the Supreme Court. Eugene lived in the house as a boy, but was later sent to live with relatives back East. He went on to be a famed newspaper columnist and poet in his adult life, but in his later years and after his death at age 45, his children's poems became what he was remembered for. The St. Louis board of education had leased their property to build Walsh's Row back in 1845, and this became important in 1936, when the row was slated for demolition. The board decided to dedicate the Field House as a place where children could go to learn about local history, and it has remained open as a museum ever since. Much of Eugene's furniture was placed in the house after being moved from Chicago. In the 1960s, part of the house was used to display vintage toys, as Eugene was an avid toy collector in his adult life. More recently, the museum has opened an exhibit space next to the house, where many of the toys are kept, and has focused on restoring the house to look more as it would have in the mid 19th century. The tour is not very long, as this is an upper middle class house that isn't incredibly large, but there's lots of history here, and it gives a look into what life was like living in downtown St. Louis in the 1850s.

Loved how helpful the staff was on photos and walked us through the proper ways to view the…read moreillusions if we needed them to.

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!