St. Louis Sights

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The Gateway Arch

• Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, 4431 Lindell Blvd. (at Newstead Avenue in the Central West End neighborhood), +1 314 373-8200 www.cathedralstl.org - Open 7AM-7PM. This Roman Catholic church contains the most mosaic art in one site in the world--83,000 square feet, installed by a family of artists who used more than 41 million tiles with more than 7,000 colors.

• The City Museum, 701 North 15th Street, www.citymuseum.org. For the young or young at heart. Don't let the name fool you--this place is a blast! The City Museum is a huge playground built in an old warehouse made largely out of architectural artifacts from around St. Louis collected by an eccentric millionaire. There are concessions inside the museum as well as bar service by local brewery Schlafy. Not really much of a museum as it is mazes, obstacle courses, tunnels, airplanes suspended in midair, and chutes and ladders.

• Contemporary Art Museum, www.contemporarystl.org. Sharing a courtyard with the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, this is a contemporary art museum located near the hip 'loft district' downtown, in the Grand Center arts district.

• Eads Bridge - This bridge was the first to cross the Mississippi and represents one of the greatest engineering achievements of its time. This overlooked landmark is worth checking out for the Eiffel Tower-like iron lattice that still holds up cars and the Metro-link to this day.

• Forest Park stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark - Is one of the nation's largest city parks with 1,293 acres, open to the public for golf, tennis, baseball, bicycling, boating, fishing, handball, ice skating, roller blading, jogging, cricket, rugby and more. The park is also home to the St. Louis Science Center, the art museum, the zoo, and a history museum. Forest Park is really at the heart of St. Louis. It was also the site of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase World's Fair, which lays fame to serving the first hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream cones. You cannot visit St. Louis without hearing about, driving by, or exploring Forest Park.

The Old Courthouse

• Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, +1 314 655-1700, www.nps.gov/jeff. A large park located along the Mississippi River facing downtown St. Louis, with plenty of big lawns, wood areas, and a few ponds.
  • Gateway Arch, +1 877-982-1410, www.gatewayarch.com - Daily 9AM-6PM, (Summer 8AM-10PM). Designed by Eero Saarinen, it's the world's tallest national monument, built to be a symbolic gateway to the west. The icon of the city, the Arch is in the Jefferson Expansion National Memorial Park by the Riverfront. You can ride a unique elevator - essentially it's a cross between a cable railway and a ferris wheel - up to the top. There is also an innovative historical museum under the Arch. Don't miss the movie, "Monument to the Dream," about the building of the Arch--it is an exceptionally well-made and memorable tribute to how a vision was made tangible. The Arch was designed as an inverted catenary curve (a shape similar to a parabola) scaled from 21 inches of string held 7 inches apart. Its foundation is anchored 60 feet underground.
  • Museum of Westward Expansion, underneath the Gateway Arch, +1 314 655-1700, www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/museum-of-westward-expansion.htm.
  • Old Courthouse, www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm. The site of the historic Dred Scott slavery case which was one of the seeds of the Civil War.
  • Old Cathedral, 209 Walnut Street, +1 314 231-3250, www.psichurch.com/churches/140stlouis. The first cathedral built west of the Mississippi River.

• Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu Skinker Blvd and Forsyth Blvd. Located on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, this museum was recently voted the best Museum in St. Louis by the Riverfront Times. One of the world's finest University art collections, it is also the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi River - it was founded in 1881. It is now housed in a new facility designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect, Fumihiko Maki. Among the permanent collection are pieces by Pablo Piccasso, Rembrandt, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Juan Gris, Alexander Calder, and a separate department dedicated to currency called the Newman Money Museum.

• Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, +1 314 577-9400, +1 800-642-8842 www.mobot.org - A place of serenity, beauty, and fun amid the bustle of the city, the Missouri Botanical Garden is open every day except Christmas Day (Dec 25). Stroll the grounds, explore the home gardening resources, or enjoy one of the many events throughout the year. This is a "must see." One of the main features is the Climatron, a very large geodesic dome that houses a good portion of the Garden's 80 acres of horticultural offerings. 2006 featured hundreds of glass sculptures around the park by glass artist Chihuly.

• Missouri History Museum, www.mohistory.org/content/HomePage/HomePage.aspx. Also located in Forest Park off of Lindell Blvd, it is free and open to the public as well. Check out the Charles Lindbergh exhibit and see a life size replica of the original Spirit of St. Louis.

• Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, www.pulitzerarts.org. Experience modern art in a stunning avant-garde structure. A permanent installation titled Joe by Richard Serra is large enough for visitors to walk through and experience first-hand. The uber-modern concrete building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando.

• Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, Tel: 314-721-0072, www.stlouis.art.museum. Tu–Su, 10AM–5PM; F 10AM-9PM. Located in Forest Park atop a large lake and hill, it is one of the leading comprehensive art museums in the nation. They host visiting displays which in the past have included such exhibits as the Angels of the Vatican and the Royal Tombs of Ur. Free.

• Saint Louis Science Center, www.slsc.org, in Forest Park, is a fun hands on learning experience for the entire family. Equipped with an IMAX Dome theater, a planetarium, floors of interactive activities, and several traveling exhibits, the Science Center has something for everyone. The museum is free and open to the public daily. The museum consists of two buildings joined by a walkway.

• Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, +1 314 781-0900 www.stlzoo.org - Daily 9AM-5PM. Recognized as one of the top five zoos in the nation. The zoo has both indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a children petting zoo. There are several centers for in depth exploration and learning. Free.

• Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, 7400 Grant Rd, (314) 842-3298 ext. 245, www.nps.gov/ulsg - One time home of Ulysses S. Grant. Known as "White Haven" was intially the home of the family of Julia Dent, Grant's wife. Free.

• Wainwright Building, 705 Chestnut Street www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/wainwright/wainwright.html - Designed by Louis Sullivan and built in 1890, it is one of the first skyscrapers.