There is nowhere quite like the St. Louis City Museum. A giant playground packed with fun-filled exhibits and awesome rides, this is a real day out with a difference!
When classical sculptor Bill Cassidy bought the former International Shoe Company, he had a unique vision for its 54,500 square metres of floorspace. He gathered together reclaimed objects from throughout the city and set about to create a space where people of all ages could relax, play and enjoy themselves.
Cassidy used old car parts, donated industrial cast-offs and discarded items to create an amazing series of slides, rides and installations. Amongst the outlandish exhibits, you’ll find such singular attractions as ‘The World’s Largest Underpants’, a 10 storey spiral slide that was previously used to move shoes around the building and a ‘puking pig’ made out of a boiler tank.
Make your way up to the roof past an enormous aquarium on the first floor, a working shoelace factory on the second floor and a live circus on the third floor. Up here, you’ll find a bouncing school bus and a giant model of a praying mantis as well as gorgeous views across central St. Louis. In the summer months there is also a working 9-metre tall Ferris wheel from 1940 and a splash pool for fun in the sun.
Other exhibits not to be missed include an elaborate series of caves, treehouses and even a life-sized whale which you can explore from the inside. For those interested in art history, there is a fascinating display of opera posters stretching back across the decades. Kids will love MonstroCity – a giant soft play area just by the entrance. Parents will get a kick out of the original working pinball machines at 50s-themed ‘Beatnik Bob’s’.
The City Museum is located in downtown St. Louis and is easy to get to by public transport. Parking is available, but there are only a few spaces so driving isn’t recommended. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Opening times can vary, so check the website in advance to avoid disappointment.
