St. Louis Area Attractions
ABOUT ST. LOUIS: "MUST SEE" ATTRACTIONS
Area Attractions
Arch and Museum of Westward Expansion .
The Gateway Arch is the ultimate symbol of St. Louis. It rises 630 feet
above the city and the riverfront, providing an astounding view from
the top. The Museum of Westward Expansion located underground offers
exhibits and films about westward expansion, and about the construction
of the Arch.
The Arch grounds - the only National Park Service facility in
the City of St. Louis - are a pleasant strolling and picnicking area,
with two lakes, views of the riverfront, and a grand staircase, known
as the Monumental Feature, leading to the wharf.
http://www.stlouisarch.com
Aloe Plaza.
This majestic fountain entitled "The Meeting of the Waters" located in
Aloe Plaza across from Union Station sculpted by Carl Milles in 1939-40
was originally controversial because of its depiction of the Missouri
and Mississippi Rivers as nudes. Its first proposed name, "The Wedding
of the Rivers," was equally controversial.
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/parks_div/aloeplaza.html
America's Center and Edward Jones Dome.
From university commencement ceremonies, to corporate shareholder
meetings, to auto and boat shows, America's Center (formerly the
Cervantes Convention Center) is St. Louis's highly versatile,
state-of-the-art convention complex. The center features over 502,000
contiguous square feet of convention and meeting space including 6
convention halls, 69 meeting rooms, the 1,411-seat John C. Ferrara
Theatre, the St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the Edward Jones
Dome.
http://www.americascenter.org/
Busch Memorial Stadium.
The home of the St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium also hosted the St.
Louis Cardinals football team and numerous other events - including
monster truck racing and a concert by The Beatles - since its 1966
opening. Tours of the stadium are available.
In early 2004, construction on a replacement Busch Stadium began
immediately south of the current stadium. The 2005 season is the final
one for the current Busch Memorial Stadium.
http://cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/stl/ballpark/stl_ballpark_history.jsp
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St. Louis Cardinals.
The St. Louis Cardinals baseball team (founded 1892) has a rich history
in St. Louis, and indeed the entire western United States, because it
was the westernmost major league baseball team until the 1950s. The
Cardinals have played at Busch Stadium since 1966. The Cardinals have
won the World Series nine times, most recently in 1982.
http://www.stlcardinals.com
Campbell House Museum.
This 1851 home and the furnishings of the Robert Campbell family are
the only remnants of the once fashionable private street Lucas Place. A
recent extensive restoration has made the Campbell House an exceptional
example of the Victorian upper-class lifestyle of the 1880s.
http://stlouis.missouri.org/chm/
Centenary United Methodist Church.
This historic church, built in 1869, was saved from demolition in the
Plaza Square redevelopment of the 1950s, and today continues to serve a
large congregation downtown. A recent capital campaign provided for the
maintenance of the historic sanctuary. The plaza in front contains a
decorative labyrinth, and the church is active in the community, with
the most recent initiative being a drop-in center for the homeless.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/structdetail.cfm?Master_ID=1375
Christ Church Cathedral.
Christ Church is the oldest Episcopal congregation west of the
Mississippi River. The Cathedral is on the National Register of
Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. It is home base
for a number of Episcopal community outreach initiatives, and houses a
satellite of Girls, Inc., a community center for girls.
http://www.yourcathedral.org/
City Hall. St. Louis City Hall, built between 1893 and 1896, is modeled after the Hotel de
la Ville, the city hall of Paris, France. In Washington Square, the park surrounding City Hall,
there are statutes of President Ulysses S. Grant, briefly a St. Louis resident, and Pierre
Laclede Liguest, the founder of St. Louis.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/structdetail.cfm?Master_ID=1326
City Museum.
A creative museum created by local artists Bob and Gail Cassilly where
art, science, history and fun are integrated in an historic warehouse
setting. Features include MonstroCity and the World Aquarium.
http://www.citymuseum.org/
Civil Courts Building.
Punctuating the city skyline at Tucker and Market is the Civil Courts
Building, with its top-floor law library enclosed in a model of the
Temple of Halicarnassus. Ongoing renovations have helped the facility,
built in 1930, continue to service the busy 22nd Judicial Circuit
courts. The name of the building is a bit of a misnomer, though, since
both criminal and civil cases are tried there.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/structdetail.cfm?Master_ID=2090
Cupples Station.
This 12-acre area in downtown just west of Busch Stadium contains nine
historic turn-of-the-century warehouses. The new 230-room Westin Hotel
is an exciting, upscale addition to the hotel market downtown. Plans
are underway by HRI Properties, Conrad Properties and Walsh|McGowan to
complete the renovation of the remainder of the complex into a major
mixed-use development with offices, apartments and retail, thus
enhancing the historic character of these massive brick and stone
edifices.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/structdetail.cfm?Master_ID=1394
Downtown YMCA.
The main YMCA facility on 16th & Locust Streets once included a
dormitory, now converted to senior citizen apartments. Many aspiring
local athletes have trained in this building. The massive building
still serves many people through its indoor swimming pool, gym, fitness
centers, and handball courts.
http://www.ymcastlouis.org/marquette/home.html
Eads Bridge.
Eads, the first bridge over the Mississippi River in the region was
completed in 1874, and hailed as an engineering marvel. MetroLink
carries commuters and visitors across the bridge's lower deck today.
New decking, opened in 2003, provides access for pedestrians and
bicyclists as well as cars, and a dramatic location with a tremendous
view of the Arch for special events such as the cleverly named "Eats
Bridge" al fresco dining on selected summer weekends. For such events,
the bridge is closed to cars, while dining areas are situated along the
entire span.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/structdetail.cfm?Master_ID=1324
Edison Brothers Warehouse (murals).
The former Edison Brothers Stores warehouse at 14th and Spruce --
originally opened in 1929 as the J.C. Penney western states
distribution center and later donated to the University of Missouri --
is covered on three sides by murals that look like real statuary and
fenestration. In reality, this is a simple box warehouse adjacent to
I-64. The murals were commissioned by Edison Brothers and painted by
muralist Richard Haas and his team in 1985-6.
The building now houses condominiums developed by Donald Breckenridge,
and the Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel & Suites.
http://www.edisoncondos.com/home.htm
Eugene Field House and St. Louis Toy Museum. This three-story rowhouse built in 1845 at 634 S. Broadway just south of the new Busch Stadium is the birthplace of poet Eugene
Field, famous for writing children's poems such as "Little Boy Blue" and "Wynken, Blynken,
and Nod." His father, Roswell Field, was the attorney for Dred Scott.
http://www.eugenefieldhouse.org/
Famous-Barr.
The historic flagship store of the Famous-Barr department store chain
is located in downtown. The "Train Window" is a popular Christmas-time
display at St. Louis's own department store, "Famous and Barr." A
recent escaltor reconstruction project ensure Famous will remain a
fixture downtown for years to come.
http://www.famousbarr.com/
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The local office of the Fed, the central bank of the United States,
serves portions of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and
all of Arkansas. Tours of the Federal Reserve Bank are available for
selected school groups with reservations; each visitor receives a small
bag of shredded dollar bills.
http://www.stlouisfed.org/
Gateway Arch Riverboats. The Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher cruising riverboats offer sightseeing, dinner cruises and charter cruises.
http://www.gatewaycruises.com/
Hard Rock Cafe.
The St. Louis branch of Hard Rock Cafe, located at Union Station,
includes memorabilia from such great rockers as Chuck Berry and Ike
& Tina Turner.
http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes/Cafes.aspx?Lc=STLO
International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. The Museum displays the entire
panorama of bowling's international history, from ancient Egypt to modern tenpins. It's also
home to the only bowling lanes in downtown St. Louis (2 automatic, and 2 "old time" lanes).
http://www.bowlingmuseum.com/
Kiener Plaza.
A popular downtown open space, the park's centerpiece is a pool and
fountain containing a statue known as "The Runner" by sculptor William
Zorach. It is next to the many-stepped fountain and amphitheater named
in honor of Morton D. May.
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/parks_div/kienerplaza.htm
Laclede's Landing.
"The Landing" is a nine-square block historic warehouse district of
cobblestone streets on St. Louis's riverfront filled with bars,
restaurants, and entertainment spots at night, and thousands of office
workers by day. Among the attractions on the Landing are:
http://www.lacledeslanding.org
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The Laclede's Landing Wax Museum.
The Wax Museum is home to more than 180 authentically costumed wax
figures from London: Monsters of the silver screen, presidents,
medieval tortures, movie stars, royalty, world leaders, and religious
figures. (314) 241-1155.
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Dental Health Theatre.
The only one of its kind in the world, the Dental Health Theatre
presents entertaining and educational programs on dental health care at
no charge. The focal point of the theatre is the lower dental arch of
16 three-foot-high fiberglass teeth. (314) 241-7391.
Lucas Garden Park. The sunken garden park behind the Central Library is a quiet gem
of an urban park. Downtown Children's Center has its playground here.
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/parks_div/lucas.html
Marriott Pavilion Hotel (now St. Louis Marriott Downtown). The first floor of this downtown hotel is the former Spanish
Pavilion from the 1964 New York World's Fair, acquired by St. Louis mayor A.J.
Cervantes in 1965 and relocated to St. Louis. Some of the interior decorative elements of
the Spanish Pavilion remain inside the lobby and Pavilion Restaurant.
http://www.marriott.com/property/propertyPage/STLPV
Mel Carnahan Courthouse.
This massive 1934 Public Works Administration was originally the U.S.
Court and Custom House, but was sold to the City of St. Louis in 2000
after the completion of the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse. It is a
fitting complement to the rest of the municipal buildings complex
adjacent to it.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/structdetail.cfm?Master_ID=1494
Mississippi Nights. One of the most prominent concert clubs in the Midwest, and
regularly voted best music club in St. Louis, Mississippi Nights brings in up-and-coming
national acts and local bands to perform. Located just north of Laclede's Landing,
Mississippi Nights has an intimate club atmosphere.
http://www.mississippinights.com/
Old Cathedral.
Officially known the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, the Old
Cathedral is the oldest Catholic Cathedral west of the Mississippi
River, and is the only piece of central riverfront ground that was not
acquired for the Archgrounds. There has been a Catholic church at this
location since 1770. A small museum is located in the back of the
Cathedral, and Mass is still celebrated daily.
http://www.catholic-forum.com/churches/140stlouis/
Old Courthouse. Along with the Arch, the Old Courthouse is part of the Jefferson
National Expansion Memorial National Historic Site. The Old Courthouse was the site of
the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott case in 1847 and 1850. It was also where
Virginia Minor's case for a woman's right to vote came to trial in the 1870s.
http://www.nps.gov/jeff/courthouse.html
Old Post Office.
The former U.S. Customhouse & Post Office, completed 1884, is an
architectural gem surrounded by a dry moat in the heart of downtown St.
Louis. It is currently being extensively renovated to house various
government, educational and office uses, including the downtown campus
of Webster University.
http://w3.gsa.gov/web/p/interaia_save.nsf/1fd3e688294c3a74852563d3004975f4/6fe1fa3da0aa2516852565d900539fae?OpenDocument
President Casino on the Admiral.
Downtown's only riverboat casino is housed on the historic Admiral,
formerly an excursion boat on the Mississippi River. Now permanently
moored on the riverfront just north of Laclede's Landing and the Martin
Luther King Bridge, the President offers convenient gaming
opportunities for Arch visitors.
http://www.presidentcasino.com/stlouis/
Roberts Orpheum Theater.
The Roberts Orpheum Theater (formerly The American Theater) is a first
class venue for concerts and performing arts, as well as for private
events of all kinds. It is the only playhouse in the heart of downtown
St. Louis, and located adjacent to the Renaissance Grand Hotel.
http://www.robertsorpheum.com/
Savvis Center. Savvis Center is the home of the St. Louis Blues. The building is also
home to Saint Louis University Billikens basketball, and plays host
to a wide variety of other sporting events, ice shows, concerts and family shows. An
average of 200 events each year bring nearly 2,000,000 people through Savvis Center's
turnstiles.
http://www.savviscenter.net/
Soldiers' Memorial. The Soldiers' Memorial was dedicated in honor of World War I
veterans from St. Louis. The military museum inside honors the veterans of all the wars in
which the United States participated, and an additional monument across the street
memorializes all St. Louisans killed in combat, from World War I to the Persian Gulf.
http://stlouis.missouri.org/government/solmem.html
St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Catholic Church. This historic church, built in 1869, was saved from
demolition in the Plaza Square redevelopment of the 1950s, and today continues to serve
a widespread congregation from its downtown base.
http://www.archstl.org/parishes/154.shtml
St. Louis Public Library. The Central Library is a 1912 Cass Gilbert design covered
with quotations from great authors. Inside, catacombs of reading rooms and shelves rich
in history await the visitor. Also visit the Culver Gallery on the second floor.
http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/
St. Louis Union Station.
Formerly one of the nation's largest railroad passenger terminals,
Union Station is now home to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Hard Rock Cafe,
and dozens of shops and restaurants. Several historic trains are on
display near the rear of the complex, and other reminders of the
station's history are available throughout the midway of the terminal.
St. Louis Union Station is a National Historic
Landmark. There also is a museum at the Station called the Memories
Museum. Free
guided tours of the Station are offered.
http://www.stlouisunionstation.com/
St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church.
This Roman Catholic church on the southern edge of downtown, founded
originally in 1853, was a center for refugees from Hungary after the
1957 uprising, and now serves as a chapel for special occasions.
http://www.catholic-forum.com/churches/299stmary/
U.S. Post Office. The main post office, built in 1937, has magnificent
murals lining the walls of the interior lobby area, and continues to be responsible for the
distribution of mail throughout the region. It is particularly busy each April 15th.
http://www.usps.gov/
Wainwright Building. Perhaps one of the most significant buildings in American
architecture, the Wainwright was one of the first "skyscrapers" designed by Louis Sullivan.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Wainwright_Building.html
Washington Avenue Loft District.
The loft district is the former garment district of St. Louis, now
occupied by artists' loft studios, upscale loft apartments, and a
variety of nightclub spaces.
http://stlcin.missouri.org/devprojects/projinfo.cfm?DevProjectID=50&isTrans=1
