Missouri History Museum
Discover artifacts and exhibits detailing St. Louis’s history from 1764 to the present, including the 1904 World’s Fair and the Civil Rights Movement.
Planning your visit
The Missouri History Museum sits in Forest Park, which is the appropriate location: the 1904 World's Fair was held there, and the building was funded from the fair's surplus. That exposition is a museum strength — it drew twenty million visitors, introduced technologies and foods into American life, and included the notorious anthropological displays of living people that the museum now addresses critically.
The collections cover St Louis and Missouri from 1764 onward: the fur trade and the city's founding as a French settlement, its role as the gateway to westward expansion, Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis material, the Mississippi river economy, and the civil rights movement — including the Dred Scott case, filed in St Louis, and the more recent events in Ferguson.
Admission is free, which is true of most Forest Park institutions.
Allow two hours. Bookable options include walking tours run by the museum. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is Missouri History Museum?
Missouri History Museum is in St. Louis, United States. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Missouri History Museum?
Allow two hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Missouri History Museum in advance?
Guided tours run to a fixed schedule and small group sizes, so they are usually booked ahead.
