I’m a big museum lover ever since I can remember and all because of my mom. I remember riding the metro downtown to go to the museums and making a whole day adventure out of it with our packed lunch and being able to ride the metro back home. She especially made sure that we saw every exhibition that came through that was from a Latino/a artist and you best believe she knew all the days when museums were free because unlike St. Louis they charge. Luckily living here there are so many free museums and even if they have exhibitions you might need to pay to get in they have free days when you can check them out so you never have to spend a dime. But do be sure to tip on your way out or leave a few dollars for them because it takes a lot to keep museums up and running to keep free to the public.
If you’re visiting St. Louis or live here and want something free to do here is my list of some of my favorite free museums St. Louis has to offer:
- Saint Louis Art Museum– This is where the picture above was taken. The Art Museum sits inside Forest Park and has a great over view of the park and the city of a whole. They have some great historic pieces and a few rotating exhibitions, for their major ones they do charge but every first friday of the month everything is free and this includes the exhibitions in which you’d usually have to pay for. They also have a built in cafe and have added an extended wing so you can spend hours in here and still have so much to see.
- St. Louis History Museum– This museum is also in Forest Park so you only have to drive a bit to reach this next destination. On of their permanent exhibitions that I love that gives a great history of the city is The World Fair. In case you may not know, St. Louis was the location of The World’s Fair in which everyone all over the world came to exhibit the latest and greatest inventions that each county had to offer, a great piece of history to see. They also have a kid section in which you little ones can interact a little more with the exhibition plus some great rotating ones throughout the year.
- CAM (Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis)– This is by far my favorite museum in town (and favorite spot in the city) because of the great exhibitions they have, events they create and the space they are in. My favorite kind of art is also contemporary to this is an all around win for me. Compared to the rest of the museum buildings on this list this one by far has the most open concept and has a courtyard connecting you to its neighbor museum next door, The Pultizer. Besides being a great space, the people who work here are always so friendly and doing their best at bringing free and private events to the public. It’s such a great space that one of my best friends got married in the courtyard and had the party at CAM and it by far was one of the most memorable weddings I have ever been to (picture below- @voguerhythm). You can even grab a bite at their cafe and support some local artist in their gift shop!
- Pulitzer Arts Foundation- As mentioned above they share a courtyard with CAM and the metal sculpture you see on the left side in the picture above actually belongs to The Pultizer, which is super fun to take pictures inside of. They have a smaller space but are able to wonders with it when bringing in exhibitions, one of our favorite ones we have seen there is from a artist who creates these woven masterpieces. They are must visit if you are already at CAM.
- Arch Grounds Museum/Gateway Arch- A must while in St. Louis is visiting The Arch and of course go all the way to the top but one of the things that I think many people don’t know is that they have a brand NEW renovated museum below that is completely free! This museum does a phenomenal job at explaining the history of St. Louis and how it was key when it came to the exploration and expansion of the Midwest.
- Moto Museum– If your’e into motorcycles then this museum is for you. Found right by Saint Louis University. They have a great collection of motorcycles that have come and gone through the decades. This is also a small space so this is a great pit stop on your way to your next stop!
- Soldiers Memorial Military Museum– This is a museum that is actually still on my list but that I have heard great things from. Another free musuem worth checking out in which you can learn so much from.
I hope this helped you if you’re planning to visit St. Louis or if you currently live here and are looking to explore a few new free spots!
As always, thank you for reading. Como siempre, gracias por leer.
