Every great city deserves a great memory, and St. Louis keeps its in Forest Park. The Missouri History Museum, operated by the Missouri Historical Society (founded 1866), occupies the Jefferson Memorial Building — the first national memorial to Thomas Jefferson, built with profits from the 1904 World’s Fair — and fills it with the stories of the city and the state.
Inside: the reimagined ‘1904 World’s Fair’ gallery, rotating exhibitions drawn from vast collections, the Charles Lindbergh story told through his own trophies and artifacts, and the History Clubhouse, one of the finest children’s spaces in any American history museum. Admission is free, Thursday nights run late, and the museum’s programs — storytelling, concerts, talks — keep the building humming.
Begin any St. Louis education here.
The Missouri History Museum is at 5700 Lindell Boulevard in Forest Park. Hours at mohistory.org.
