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MuseumsHistory BuffRainy-Day Pick

Missouri History Museum

5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112 · St. Louis, MO

Why you should go…

Built as a memorial to Thomas Jefferson at the entrance to Forest Park, this free museum brings St. Louis history vividly to life, the 1904 World's Fair, Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight, Route 66 and more. The exhibits are polished, surprising and genuinely fun, making it an easy add-on to any Forest Park day.

  • #history
  • #free admission
  • #forest park
  • #world's fair
  • #culture

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Missouri History Museum, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    The Muny

    $25–$50

    America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, Broadway-scale shows under the stars in Forest Park, with nearly 1,500 free seats every night.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Forest Park

    Free

    Bigger than Central Park and packed with free museums, lakes, trails and gardens, St. Louis's magnificent backyard.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Saint Louis Art Museum

    Free

    World-class art, from Monet to Max Beckmann, in a stunning Beaux-Arts palace atop Forest Park's Art Hill. Always free.

    0.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Saint Louis Zoo

    Free

    One of America's top-rated zoos, 14,000 animals in beautiful Forest Park habitats, and admission is always free.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    World Chess Hall of Fame

    Free

    Free galleries celebrating chess in art and history, marked by the world's largest chess piece, a 20-foot king on the Central West End sidewalk.

    1.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Saint Louis Science Center

    Free

    Free hands-on science fun, dinosaurs, a planetarium dome and a glass bridge over the highway where you can clock traffic.

    1.4 mi awayMore like this