Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Takeaway. Another Free Art Offering That Will ‘Blow' You Away. At least for the next six months while Paul Chan's "Breathers" blow around the gallery. A small but uniquely fun experience. They rotate the main exhibit through one artist each season. The current Paul Chan exhibit runs through the end of August 2024.
Did I mention that it's free?!? St. Louis is awesome. One of the best free things to do in the city.
The staff was super helpful with questions and directions. You have to wear your bag on your front or leave it at the front desk. No food or drink except in the cafe. Bathrooms available. Kid Playspace is available for drawing and doing arts and crafts. It's probably not ideal for kids, but they might last thirty minutes without getting too bored. It took me exactly thirty minutes to take it in by myself.
Park on the street. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Summary
Sometimes, we don't realize the awesomeness that's next door.
Or, in this case, across the city.
The Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis (CAM) is a unique, small, and FREE museum I only learned about because we parked in front of it when we went to the Fox Theatre.
They rotate through a contemporary artist every six to eight months, which takes up most or all of the first floor. They then complement the main exhibit with more local artists and exhibits upstairs.
Paul Chan was on display during my visit, and I absolutely loved it. Most of his exhibits centered around what he calls "Breathers," but what you and I would call "Tube Men" you'd expect to see at a car wash. However, these specifically designed tube men dance in particular ways to look like witches around a cauldron or a couple dancing.
It's a very creative use of the medium.
The overall aesthetic of the Museum is streamlined and concrete. The galleries are, for the most part, giant open spaces lined with the artist's work. It makes the pieces take on a larger-than-life aesthetic.
They closed off the back portion of the gallery a bit, with lower ceilings and some exhibits lined up closer together.
Taking in the entire museum only takes about thirty to forty-five minutes. I read through every piece's placard and took too many pictures in twenty-five minutes. I can tell by the timestamps of the far too many pictures exactly how long it took.
And that's probably my biggest takeaway. I just wish there was more art! And the fact that it's free is still mind-blowing to me. I randomly Googled "Pittsburgh Contemporary Art Museum," and it's $22 per adult.
We take for granted the free cultural access you get for living in St. Louis.
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Things To Do
The CAM has two levels. The first level displays the main artist's exhibits, while the second level has more local artists and activities.
Paul Chan was on display during my visit to the first floor. I already mentioned the "breathers," but he also had some other really interesting artwork that used electrical cords and projectors.
The last area of exhibits in the back included an homage to the publishing company he started.
The upstairs had an exhibit on local voting. It broke down the districts around St. Louis city and county and gave a background on how city planners created the divisions.
Further down the hallway on the second floor, you'll find the education galleries. They combine artwork from local children with a lesson on how art can achieve social justice - an education double-entendre.
Just past the education gallery is a Playspace for kids. Maybe a 20' x 20', lined with arts and crafts materials. It seems like a place that might keep my kids busy for five minutes until they realize all they can do is draw. It's kind of like the Draw STL at the Saint Louis History Museum.
Lastly, a small library of one or two racks is right past the playspace. It contains a bunch of different art and art history books. You can pick up an old CAM magazine from the top of the rack, although it looked like they stopped publishing new issues long ago.
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Details And Info
Like all museums in the area, the museum has rules regarding backpacks, food, and flash photography. Apparently, people have knocked over art with their backpacks, so you either have to leave yours at the front desk or wear it on your belly.
That's more relaxed than the Kemper Museum and the Saint Louis Art Museum, which both require you to leave it up front or check it.
The food and flash photography rules are standard across every museum I've visited lately.
The front desk staff was very receptive and chatty. The women gave me background on how often the exhibits change and what to expect in the gallery. They also directed me to the bathrooms behind the gift store.
The CAM has a cafe area that overlooks an internal plaza. The brightly colored benches and pillows contrast the tons of concrete and glass that decorate the rest of the museum.
Parking At The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
I had no trouble finding street parking the several times I've been in the area visiting the museum or going to the Fabulous Fox Theatre. There is no dedicated lot for the museum.
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Receipt
