Categories: Entertainment and Attractions
St. Louis Museums
Author: by Beth M. Custer
St. Louis offers a wide range of cultural and historical treasures in its many museums. Here is a must-see list of some of the city's best museums.
The Saint Louis Art Museum ( Forest Park, 314-721-0072) is highly regarded for its permanent collection (a painting from Monet's Water Lilies series is a favorite) and special exhibitions from around the world. On Sundays, free hands-on activities and performances are offered.
Website: www.slam.org
In its contemporary, light-filled space, the Missouri History Museum ( Forest Park, 314-746-4599) offers exciting exhibits and special events to remind us of our past and how it affects our future. Don't miss “The 1904 World's Fair: Looking Back at Looking Forward.”
Website: www.mohistory.org
The Museum of Westward Expansion (St. Louis Riverfront, 314-982-1410) at the base of the Gateway Arch is packed with exhibits depicting the westward migration of pioneers across the U.S. A real teepee, a covered wagon and other implements of the time bring the past alive.
Website: www.gatewayarch.com
Loved for its Byzantine interior and colorful artwork, the Cathedral Basilica (Lindell & Newstead, 314-373-8240) is home to the world's largest collection of mosaics. Over 41 million pieces of glass tesserae make up scenes from the Hebrew and Christian traditions.
Website: www.cathedralstl.org
Japanese architect Tadao Ando's design for the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts (314-754-1850, 3716 Washington Blvd.) provides a contemplative space to view artworks. Its unusual shiny exterior is the result of extremely dense concrete poured into smooth, polished forms, which were created especially to achieve a flawless surface. The interior is light and airy; there is little to compete with the artwork. A water courtyard where light, wind, and water interact to create different reflections depending on the time of day is incorporated in the building's design. Galleries, a roof garden, and exterior plaza show an interrelationship between contemporary art, architecture, and design.
Website: www.pulitzerarts.org
The Old Courthouse (314-655-1700, 11 N. Fourth St.), the original courthouse for St. Louis County, was built in the Federal style in 1828. The city's population was booming at the time, and the courthouse was enlarged twice before local government offices were finally moved to a new building. While the current Italian Renaissance style dome was constructed, the federal government simultaneously constructed a larger version of the same dome for the capitol in Washington, D.C. The domes were the first of their kind in the United States. The building's ornate rotunda is remarkable for its bright colors, gilt trimmings, and historical murals painted within lunettes. Tours of the Old Courthouse include a visit to the Competition Room, which houses the top five designs submitted for the 1947-1948 competition to build a monument on the riverfront. Eero Saarinen's design for the Arch was the winner.
Website: www.gatewayarch.com
A vibrant environment that brings together the arts, artists, and everyday people, the Foundry Art Center (636-255-0270, 520 Main St., St. Charles) offers exhibitions, studio space, and educational programs.
Website: www.foundryartcentre.org
The Holocaust Museum and Learning Center (314-432-0020, 12 Millstone Campus Dr.) follows the life of Jews, through stories and mementos, from pre-Nazi Europe to present day.
Website: www.hmlc.org
Learn about the Mississippi River and its cultural significance, history, and ecological importance at the National Great Rivers Museum (617-462-6979, #1 Lock and Dam Way, East Alton). The museum includes interactive displays and exhibits, and tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam.
Check out places of interest near St. Louis Museums:
Sapphire
4753 McPherson,
St. Louis, MO 63108
Sapphire offers Pan-Asian dining at a minimal cost.
Foundry Art Centre
520 N. Main Ctr.,
St. Charles, MO 63301
Feeling creative? Visit the Foundry Art Centre, where the arts, artists, and the public come together to create a unique art experience for all.
Missouri History Museum
5700 Lindell Blvd.,
St. Louis, MO 63112
The Missouri History Museum is a thorough look at St. Louis history and culture, from the time it was just a village up until its present day glory.
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
3750 Washington Blvd.,
St. Louis, MO 63108
Housing the hottest avant-garde art in the Midwest, the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis offers group rates, student discounts, and a myriad of other benefits. The Museum also has special free events several times a month to encourage public participation in art, and even offers iPods with podcasts to help you find your way around the exhibits.
Foundry Art Centre
520 N. Main Ctr.,
St. Charles, MO 63301
Feeling creative? Visit the Foundry Art Centre, where the arts, artists, and the public come together to create a unique art experience for all.
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
One Brookings Drive,
St. Louis, MO 63130
A contemporary art museum housed on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis.
Missouri History Museum
5700 Lindell Blvd.,
St. Louis, MO 63112
The Missouri History Museum is a thorough look at St. Louis history and culture, from the time it was just a village up until its present day glory.
Museum of Westward Expansion
Gateway Arc,
St. Louis, MO
Like so many St. Louis Museums, admission is free to this testament to exploration and adventure. Peruse the interesting Native American artifacts, learn how the West was won, and discover what it took to survive where the buffalo roamed.
St. Louis Art Museum
1 Fine Arts Dr.,
St. Louis, MO 63110
Originally constructed as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1904 World's Fair, the Saint Louis Art Museum's elegant stone exterior has and always will bear the motto “Dedicated to Art and Free to All.”
St. Louis University Museum of Art
3663 Lindell Blvd.,
St. Louis, MO 63108
The St. Louis University Museum of Art offers some of the finest collections of art available in the midwest, with permanent works from Andy Warhol, Tom Huck, Max Ernst and others.
The Old Courthouse
11 North Fourth St,
St. Louis, MO 63102
A visit to the Old Courthouse is a must for history buffs. Located just steps away from the Arch grounds, the Old Courthouse was the site of the famous Dred Scott slavery case when it was not so very old. A restored 1860s courtroom, dramatic murals, and revolving exhibits demonstrate the richness of St. Louis history to all who visit. Admission is free.
