City Museum Takeaway. A Stange, Creepy, Delightful Museum. Made for older kids and kids at heart. I'd recommend being at least 8 years old to fully appreciate the museum, although plenty for younger kids to do. A truly unique experience. They have an innumerable number of individual "attractions" to explore in one visit. My favorite exhibits include the five-story slide, outside plane, and outside tunnel. My younger guys liked the long indoor slide and various exploration points inside.
Unfortunately, it's expensive. One of the few private museums in St. Louis, it costs $20 for general admission tickets or $18 if you go after 5 pm. There's a convenience fee for buying online. Parking in the dedicated lot is $15, but you can find cheaper street parking. That makes it close to $100 for a family of 4 to visit, which is expensive for St. Louis.
With tons of tunnels and tricks, keeping track of little kids can be hard. You need to either be ready to follow them or install an Apple tag. Exhibits can stretch between levels and rooms in the building, so following kids can get tricky. Hours can be odd, so make sure it's open before visiting.
City Museum Summary
I can honestly say I've never been to any other museum in the world, quite like the City Museum.
A twisty, turvy, sometimes creepy museum with surprises around every corner, it's a fun place to spend an afternoon. My son and I came while my wife interviewed for a job, so it's technically the first museum we ever went to in St. Louis.
Now that I think about it, I've been coming here since before the birth of my second son.
Makes me sound old.
It's expensive by St. Louis museum standards because it's private and actually charges an entrance fee. At around $100 for a family of four after parking, it's considerably more expensive than the free Saint Louis Zoo and Science Center, the closest big ticket substitutes.
That said, if you visit St. Louis only once in your lifetime, you should definitely add the City Museum to your bucket list to go along with a visit to the Arch. There's no other museum else quite like the City Museum.
The five-story plus building hosts an innumerable number of rooms and exhibits. I wouldn't call them rides per se since they don't move by themselves, but you have to climb, walk, or shimmy through most of them. They're part living pieces of art and part playgrounds.
I'd suggest a minimum age of eight to truly experience the whole museum. You need to be able to trust and communicate with your kids that you will meet at an exact spot after a ride/exhibit/obstacle. Many span floors or magically end up in different rooms, so following younger kids gets tricky.
If you go when the weather is nice, the museum doubles in size with outdoor activities. You'll see the plane teetering on a blade's edge and a bus hanging over the side of the building. A mesh tunnel system connects everything and tests even the oldest kid's nerves.
We have gone three times in the four years we've lived here. The City Museum plays host to the Children's Hospital winter holiday party so that fills our annual quota. And that's why you see so many holiday decorations in my pictures.
I have still not been to the roof, which costs an extra $8 on top of regular admission. Life goal I guess.
City Museum Things To Do
I'm going to go through my kids and my favorite attractions. When you visit the City Museum, get ready for slides, climbing, and exploring.
Indoor Five Story Slide
I finally got to make a run down the five-story slide during our last visit to the museum. A twisty, slippery run that lasts for what seems like forever. It's a fun time for adults or taller kids. My four-year-old didn't hit the height requirement, which he didn't take well.
Indoor Three-Story Slide Near The Entrance
There's a slide aimed at younger kids right when you enter the museum. You have to go up three stories to find the entrance on the side by the doors to the outside. My four-year-old did this slide on repeat for twenty minutes. By fast stepping down the stairs, I made it to the bottom to meet him each time.
Outdoor Mesh Tunnel
The mesh tunnel connects all the outdoor attractions, but the tunnel that spans the entire width will test your trust in humanity. For older kids, you can take it to the tallest outdoor slide. For younger kids, it lets them brave the expanse.
They call in MonstroCity.
Outdoor Airplanes
Both my sons love getting up to the two airplanes perched atop the towers. It basically feels like you're going to fall the entire time you're in it, but you don't.
There's also a castle to explore, a big crane to climb up, and a treehouse. The slides here can be super fast, so be careful of little kids going a bit too extreme.
Indoor Playgrounds and Slide
Every floor has its own take on slides and playgrounds. My younger guy enjoyed playing in a designated playground for younger kids, which had balls and a giant net to walk across to the slides. They call it Toddler Town.
My older guy took slides that spanned two or three floors and two or three floors. We just agreed on a meeting spot before he'd hop on any slide.
City Museum Details And Info
Unlike most other major children's activities in St. Louis, the City Museum charges an entrance fee. Here's what I gathered from their site in terms of pricing:
| Tickey | Price |
|---|
| General Admission | $20 |
| General Admission After 5pm Fri/Sat | $18 |
| General Admission + Pinball | $26 |
| Kids 2 and under | Free |
| Additional Roof Access | $8 |
They also have a family pizza deal for a pizza and 4 drinks for $29.99.
Getting a membership costs $44.99/year/person and includes access to the rooftop.
They run a really convoluted schedule in terms of hours. It's best to just link to the schedule here. You should check before heading over.
Parking At City Museum
The City Museum has a dedicated parking lot, which costs $15 for non-members and $10 for members. You can pay with a credit card or electronically with Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Alternatively, I usually find street parking within a couple of blocks. Depending on the time of day and day of the week, that can be free, but otherwise, the meters cost a couple of dollars.
City Museum Receipt
