United States
Missouri (MO)
Saint Louis
Things to Do in Saint Louis
Missouri History Museum

Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis: Hours, Address, Missouri History Museum Reviews: 4.5/5

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Missouri History Museum

See all things to do
See all things to do
Missouri History Museum
4.5
743
#27 of 256 things to do in Saint Louis
History Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Originally built as the first national monument to Thomas Jefferson, the Missouri History Museum looks at the history of St. Louis from 1764 to the present day. The History Clubhouse is a hands-on gallery for kids. Free admission!
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The area
Address
Best nearby
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607 within 3 miles
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Popular mentions
4.5
743 reviews
Excellent
424
Very good
239
Average
60
Poor
14
Terrible
6
Esther P
Chicago, IL1,282 contributions
Good Museum
Sep 2021
This well designed museum in Forest Park is worth a stop. At the present time (September, 2021), there is a special exhibit on the development of music in St. Louis, which I enjoyed very much. Gift shop is excellent.
Written September 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ulysses06
St. Louis96 contributions
Fun Bus Tour - The Women Who Shaped St. Louis
Jun 2021
We had a dozen out-of-town friends come to St. Louis for the weekend, and we booked this bus tour, guided by Amanda. It was great! Amanda has done a lot of research and her delivery was friendly and high energy. We covered downtown, North St. Louis, and the Carondelet area - fascinating for the native St. Louisans as well as our guests. One of our group brought a basket of snacks and sandwiches, which was a great idea when we were walking around at different stops.
Written July 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jason C
Littleton, New Hampshire119 contributions
Learn about St. Louis and MO in general
Jul 2021
A good museum that provided a lot of solid information. I thought it was well laid out and the paths were easy to follow. It really gave a strong flavor of what life was like in MO over the many years of development. I especially liked the exhibit on the 1904 Worlds Fair that explained the development of the area (which from the Art Museum, you can get a great view and imagine what it looked like in 1904. I did feel like I was getting a lot more "St. Louis" history than general MO history and would have liked to see an exhibit or some explanation of the Missouri Compromise as I didn't find one mention of that legislation which was pivotal in the years following the compromise and ultimately leading to where our country is today.
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Laurel62
Normal, IL28 contributions
Lovely building
Jun 2021
Very nice museum, especially in 100 degree weather. Enjoyed it very much. There was a great display on prominent women throughout the history of St Louis. A lot of excellent attention paid to represent diversity and first nation people.
Written July 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
Thanks for writing us a review, Laurel62! We always enjoy hearing from our visitors. If you're going to be in St. Louis sometime soon, we hope you can find yourself here to see our new "St. Louis Sound" exhibit. It covers the history of popular music in St. Louis using nearly 200 artifacts, media interactives, and more.
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Celia Grant
Omaha, NE131 contributions
Special Exhibit Highlights Historical Women
Jun 2021
The special exhibit on the first floor highlighted women who had significant roles in the founding and development of St. Louis, and detailed the movement for voting rights. It was well done, The upstairs galleries were set up to show the history of St. Louis from founding to contemporary times. It was also well-done, but there was also some overlap with the exhibits downstairs. Also, in an attempt to allow for social distancing, a one-way path through the exhibits meant the one way marked path went forward in time part of the time and backward in time at other parts. That was a little disconcerting.
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! Our "Beyond the Ballot: St. Louis and Suffrage" exhibit has definitely been a crowd favorite since it opened in 2020.
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
elawson
philadelphia area511 contributions
Perfect place to stop during Covid
Apr 2021
So many exhibits and totally free!
This place is really strict about Covid rules...in a good way. They never let it get crowded and masks were a must. We never felt uncomfortable at any point. Sadly, the kids' museum section is closed during Covid.
The exhibits are really informative but if you get overwhelmed, hey, it's free. Go grab lunch or a walk around Forest Park and come back.
Written April 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
It's great to hear you enjoyed your visit, elawson! We're honored to offer our local and out-of-town visitors the chance to experience history at no cost when they find themselves here.
Written April 8, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Big_bro_1_usa
Chicago, IL1,975 contributions
Might as well stop by if going to the Art Museum or zoo
Mar 2021
Not a lot to see aside from the massive statue of Jefferson, the small exhibit about the World's Fair. They have an exhibit about the river and a travelling one about suffrage. a quick stop.
Written March 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
Thank you for leaving us a review, Big_bro_1_usa! Next time you're in town, we recommend checking out our new "St. Louis Sound" exhibit opening on August 28, 2021! It will showcase St. Louis's many contributions to American popular music, such as producing artists like Nelly, Ike & Tina, and songwriters like John Hartford, and more.
Written April 8, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
CharlieV2011
Chicago, IL1,511 contributions
Loved The History!
Jul 2020 • Solo
I came here expecting to read a lot about the important Mississippi River, but Missouri is more than that. The 1904 World’s Fair exhibit is very informative and has lots of cool artifacts. I really enjoyed learning about the Fair and even purchased a souvenir with a picture of it as a souvenir for memories. The museum also goes into housing, civil rights, entertainment, and the Civil War. The staff were all welcoming and polite. Great way to spend 2 hours!
Written July 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
Thank you for finding yourself here, CharlieV2011! It sounds like you had a great time exploring our 1904 World's Fair and "Seeking St. Louis" exhibits. Next time you're in town, we hope you get to see our latest exhibition, "Beyond the Ballot: St. Louis and Suffrage." It offers visitors the chance to trace the long history of the fight for women’s suffrage in St. Louis and the events leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
Written August 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jane S
Edwardsville, IL15 contributions
An enjoyable summer afternoon
Aug 2019
We went to see the Pulitzer award photo display. It was moving and dramatic. I would not suggest it for younger ages. .
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review, Jane S! We're glad that you and almost 110,000 other visitors had the opportunity to see the Newseum's "Pulitzer Prize Photographs" traveling exhibit and our local component, "In Focus: St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photographs" before it closed in January 2020. We hope that you get to find yourself here in the near future for the opening of our latest exhibit "Beyond the Ballot: St. Louis and Suffrage" on April 4!
Written March 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JMCSTL
Saint Louis, MO4,798 contributions
Our History (and many others')
Jan 2020
My wife & I each remember visiting the Missouri History Museum several times as kids, when the exhibit spaces were all in the old part (north side) of the current complex which has retained its beautiful old architectural features. When we had youngsters of our own, we took them there a few times for exhibits of interest to them. It had probably been 20+ years since we'd last been to the Museum for a specific exhibition; but in the last few years we've reacquainted ourselves with the complex, and we've very much enjoyed what we've seen.

The continuing exhibits focus on St. Louis area & regional topics, which are likely to appeal to locals more than out-of-town visitors. We especially enjoyed the small 2nd-floor exhibit space recounting early to mid-19th Century living in St. Louis City & County (where my wife & grew up separately). With the major increase of the museum floor space in 2000 (Emerson Center expansion on the south side), the Historical Society has been able to schedule national traveling exhibits regularly which are thoughtfully supplemented by displays & works of local origin (e.g., the recent Pulitzer Prize winner photo exhibition) as well as media & educational spaces. The Museum property in Forest Park also hosted the National Hockey League's traveling exhibit of Black Hockey History back in late January, which provided a tie-in of the sport & the culture with players well known to St. Louis hockey fans.

It seems that the MO History Museum is an underappreciated tourism & learning destination among the better known attractions in Forest Park and around town. But it has a lot to offer to St. Louisans & Missourians, as well as to those visiting our city & state. And ADMISSION IS FREE. We will be keeping an eye on their website for upcoming exhibitions of interest, and we hope residents & visitors will do the same.
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MHS1866
It's an absolute joy for us to read reviews like this! Thank you for finding yourselves here over the years and sharing your thoughts about our exhibits. We strive to tell important stories of the past through the lens of the St. Louis region in a way that helps both local and out-of-town visitors learn something new whenever they walk through our doors. We hope to see you back soon, JMCSTL!
Written March 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Missouri History Museum
Missouri History Museum is open:
  • Wed - Sun 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM