Art Hill

Went for a walk in the park and this was a good halfway point. Nice lookout across the hill and water. Not much by the way of art though...it's just in front of the art museum. Worth stopping by, not somewhere you need to spend time at.

Wonderful annual SLSO concert here. Even an every day, a great view of people chilling or if you are lucky in the winter, sledding. Just a nice hill and a part of a stellar park.

One of my favorite places to see in the city. Museum was closed but the view is still beautiful.

Today is Monday, September 8, 2025 and it’s spectacularly gorgeous today. 72° and not a cloud in the sky. No chemtrails either! 😉

A beautiful day. A wedding party and prom dates and robed college graduates came to take pictures. Families on the lawn. Picnickers and kite flyers and rowers on the water. In the museum, beautiful and interesting art including a gallery of gifted high school artists. Enticing, well curated museum shops. I bought a tiny book of Paris stickers for me and a Mother's Day gift of Monet decorated coffee mugs. Andrew was in the snack shop, making delicious sandwiches and uplifting conversation. I stayed at the museum for three hours inside and out and left restored.

This is one of my favorite spots in my city of birth, St Louis. Many moments of sitting at the top thinking, and having family and friend gatherings. Way back in the day, we used to also sled down the hill with frequent childhood snow days! Wonderful memories, and scenic, peaceful, place.

Beautiful outside space overlooking the basin in Forest Park. Site of frequent outdoor movies, concerts, and festivals

Scenic and a great place to walk, hang out with others, or sit and think. A small creek runs nearby and there is often a great egret in there. Lots of seating, paths to walk on, paddleboats if you want to take them out on the lake, and it's accessible by bus! What more could you want?

11/10 would recommend the art hill film festival series. we saw et and loved it. there is food trucks and live music before the movie. lots of people but still a great view of the screen; the audio was also still good. i would recommend getting there before it's dark so you don't have to walk far in the dark. we got there 1 hour early and still had to park .9 away

This place is great for picnic or just to walk around and take in nature. There tends to be quite a few people going here on weekends. However it is so big and space out therefore you hardly notice. Besides walking and picnic, there is also paddle boating. People also bike here. This place is overall a great relaxing way to enjoy nature. Plus the zoo is right around the corner.

It's always the perfect spot to relax, read a book, roll down the hill, people watch, catch some vitamin D and exercise.

One of the best places to get outside in stl! Art Hill has been the spot for a lot of great outings for me. No matter what the season or time of year, it's always a great time to go. Spring and summer is a great spot to eat lunch and sit on the hill and relax. It overlooks the basin at Forest Park which is such a great view. Depending on the timing of the seasons, there are beautiful flowers that outline the statue, and make it so seasonally gorgeous. Fall time here is incredible because of the changing leaves, and it's a great time to walk on the paths on the outskirts of the hill to soak it all in. Winter time is probably the best to bring kids too for when there is snow on the ground. Best sledding in stl, and I have so many great memories from when I was younger. Celebrate Earth Month and get outside :) Art Hill is the place to do it!

Can you even say you are a true St. Louisan if you didn't spend your winters sledding down the powdery snow that falls upon Art Hill? Probably not. The Art museum is free and the only caveat is that if you want to park in the garage there is a charge. There is plenty of parking across the street and throughout the park, if you don't mind walking a bit. From picnics in the spring, to crisp leaves falling in autumn, and the sounds of cicadas on long, lazy summer evenings there isn't a season that isn't special Art Hill. Spend a day lying with a book in the green grass, take a pet on a walk, or just feel in the fountain mist blowing as you sit near the Grand Basin on a warm day. Art Hill is a true gem in St. Louis that should not be missed.

I discovered this spot on my first walk in Forest Park. It is one of my favorite highlights in the park since you have a 180-degree view of the park, fountain, and sky. It's also the perfect spot for soaking in sunshine, reading a book, or having a picnic here. It is truly breathtaking. If you are done with the outdoors, there is a museum several steps away that you can check out, too.

I am so impressed by Art Hill! Definitely one of the to-go spots in STL. It's right in front of the art museum and has a gorgeous view of the lake and some of the parks. Also when I was there, there was a lot of people also picnicking and taking wedding photos. I will say that parking is kind of a hassle as there are a lot of people here during the weekends. I can't wait for wintertime to go sledding here or during summer where they have free movies. Definitely one of the must-sees in Forest Park an St. Louis!

Beautiful place to spend some time with nature. Of all the nature spots in st. Louis this is in my top ten. My favorite thing to do is to being a picnic lunch and a book. Then i lay down on the hill read and soak up some sunshine!!

Art Hill is an iconic landmark in Forest Park and St. Louis. This is one of my favorite places to take a walk and soak in some vitamin D. There are beautiful greeneries and fountains. Lay down a picnic blanket here and you'll have plenty of opportunities to sunbathe as well as people- and dog-watch. It's also a popular spot for photos, whether it be engagement, weddings, or even graduation. Lastly, there are often events held here throughout the year, for example, the annual SLSO free summer concert.

One of the most versatile outdoor areas in forest park. A beautiful scenery with St. Louis himself right in front of the art museum (hence the name) looking over the hill and towards the pond with beautiful fountains where you can watch kayakers, canoers, and paddle boaters go by. It's so beautiful in fact that you will often see wedding parties and high school prom goers stopping by to capture pictures of their magical day. Makes for a great date in the park just lounging on a blanked, or one of their benches, reading a book, eating lunch, talking, or just spending time with each other when the weather is nice out. Your bound to have other people out as well. In the winter time, it makes for a great sledding spot when it snows. In the summertime (when there is not a global pandemic going), there's typically lots going on: screen on the green held every other friday with food trucks, performances from the STL Symphony, and plenty more. Whether you're hanging out with friends, spending time with family, enjoying a partner's company, or just enjoying some private time to yourself, Art Hill is definitely a great place to spend a nice afternoon.

This place is an amazing spot to visit while in STL. There are just so many free and fun things to do while here! Not many cons, so I'll just make a list of everything you should try while you're here. Technically Art Hill is the area in from of the Art Museum. But there are so many walking points near by, I have to list them all for you to try! + St Louis Art Museum + Aquarium + History Museum + Slide down Art hill during the winter + Forrest Hill runs + Biking + Great Gardens that are beautiful for pictures + Balloon Glow in the Fall + Shakespeare in the Park

Hi love this spot. I've walked my dog here often and she loves having such a big grassy area. It has a fantastic view and really great trails to walk on nearby. It is a gorgeous area. There are also plenty of places to sit and rest or read. Great for a picnic and breath of fresh ait.

Art Hill not to be confused with the famous St. Louis Hippie Hill is another beautifully iconic location inside of our beloved Forest Park. The hill is an extension of the St. Louis Art Museum and sits just between their parking lots. An amazing statue dons the top of the hill and the Grand Basin (water fall) rest at the bottom. Art Hill serves many purposes to residents and visitors. On any given day you can catch exercise enthusiast running the treacherous hills, boot camps take place here, yoga classes, kite flying, festivals, snow sledding during winter months, walkers making their way around laps of the basin and even paddle boaters on a leisurely row. You may even catch me doing a handstand (before tumbling over at least lol) Whatever you choose enjoy it!

The perfect place to spread a blanket out and read on a nice day. I love the sounds of the water features in the basin. Usually (and even before Covid) i can get a spot all to myself, so i feel good about the ability to socially distantly enjoy this spot.

Came here at sunset just to see how the place was lit up at night. It was also a cold winter day, so all of the grass was dead (not as appealing of a picture). I could only imagine how great this place is during summer. There is a parking lot across and past the building and since not a lot of people came at this time, the lot was mostly empty. From the top of the hill you can see multiple paths for running, walking your dog, etc. in the park. I love finding large, well maintained parks in each city, so I think St. Louis did a pretty good job here. It's something to consider if you ever move out to this city, so check it out.

Urban planning at its finest. A true community space that welcomes all. I was so impressed to see this space buzzing on a Sunday afternoon with cyclists, runners, museum-goers and so on. In the Art Hill vicinity you'll find golf, bike rentals, a free art museum, zoo and history museum, trails, gorgeous gardens, etc. etc. The park alone could offer two days worth of entertainment. I love that this space is equally friendly for tourists as it is for locals who are looking for a spot to run and stretch their legs. Parking can be on the tricky side but a good walk never hurt anyone. At the top of the hill you'll find a statue of Saint Louis overlooking a large pond with water fountains and gorgeous skyline views of St.Louis.

This is my favorite place in Saint Louis! During the summer its really nice to take a jog through the trails here. The Art Museum also have a lot of events here during the summer, my favorite is the Movies on Art Hill, where they show movies on giant out door projectors! Another really fun event not to miss is the SLAM underground events. Every last Friday of the month, the Art museum throws a themed party with cocktails, performances and scavenger hunts, it is a ton of fun!

This review is less for Art Hill and more for the St. Louis Art Museum July movie night. I saw Forrest Gump on 7/29. This is a really lovely event that the museum organizes. The movie is shown on a giant inflatable screen and there are designated areas for people with blankets versus chairs so that everyone can see. There are food trucks in the lot prior to the movie and there is a water station and free popcorn for museum members. There were lots of people and kids and dogs, etc. Great even and I will absolutely be back.

Located in Forest Park between the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Grand Basin is a tranquil spot called Art Hill. This huge multipurpose hill is used year-round by locals and tourists for a variety of activities. In the wintertime, sledding & tubing down the ultimate snow covered slope is very popular, while in the summertime, it's all about sunbathing, kite flying, Frisbee tossing, picnicking or just chilling out on a beautiful day. I love to stop by here when biking the park and enjoy lying on the grass just taking it all in. The hill itself has a long history going back to the days of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. At the top of the hill, a palace was built to house fine art. It later became the Saint Louis Art Museum. At the base of the hill is the Grand Basin which was the center of activity for the big fair as it was surrounded by temporary palaces which were torn down after the fair. Since then, the hill has been used as an amphitheater and was even used as a golf course for a while. I was surprised to learn that in 1914 the hill was the site of a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of St. Louis. A theatrical production with a cast of 7,500 was viewed by over 100,000. 5 stars for the history and this being one of my favorite places to stop after a good bike ride around the park on a nice day.

I absolutely loved visiting The Art Hill! I started at the bottom and by the time I got to the top I hated The Art Hill. :P I got to experience the Shakespeare Festival performing "Twelfth Night" and that in itself was awesome. I highly recommend watching it because its free and if you've read any of my other reviews you know "i like me some freebies". Anyways. The sun was setting as I made my treacherous journey to the top of the hill. As i walked and gasped for air, I saw a multitude of people enjoying the hill and the park. Hippies playing in a drum circle, a religious group praying, a girl lying in the grass reading a book, dogs playing frisbee with their owners and those crazy people that run up hills... A whole array of people having fun. There was so much fun to be had there, that I even saw a used condom in the grass. Funny that I didn't see any litter besides that. With the art museum at the top and beautiful creek running through at the the bottom, it was a really gorgeous sight to see. I definitely will go back to this section of the park and explore what it has to offer even more. A word to the wise though, at night it did get pretty dark so I would advise people to have company if you find yourself out in the park at night. Another thing I just remembered, the parking was street parking and there was a small lot available as well. But with the festival, the parking was a hassle so I imagine other events or when its busy at the art museum it can get kind of bad. Just wanted to throw that in there too.

I'm a bit surprised that only 2 people have wrote reviews for Art Hill. Despite it being a "hill" -- this one particular place holds some dear memories to my heart that I've acquired over the last year I've been here in St. Louis. If you have not been here in years, you should come. If you are coming to St. Louis for the first time, make a point to come here. Bring your family, a friend, a date, or yourself. Enjoy the tranquil serenity of this place. Fun facts -- - Art Hill once held as many as 100,000 people on it as Charles Lindbergh flew over in his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, in 1927. - Every year, Art Hill will find many sledders of all ages, ethnicity, and cultures mingling together to enjoy the steep snow covered slope. Thank goodness for the hay bails that prevent you from going into the Grand Basin at the bottom! - At the top of Art Hill you will find the statue of King Louis IX. It has been an iconic figure of the city since the 1904 World's Fair. Though not the original statue of the fair, it unofficially symbolized the city until the construction of the Arch in 1965. The replica of the original cost about 2/3 less to make the "new one" versus the original as well. The original artist sued the city for using his design and won against the city. Despite this, the replica has been used and has remained since being made of bronze versus the original which was made of plaster. Trivial knowledge for our beloved St. Louis.

Art Hill as one of the most beautiful you vistas you can stumble upon in St. Louis. There is a reason everyone and their mom gets their wedding pictures taken in Forest Park by Art Hill. The fountains give it a classic look and you can see a ton of greenery beyond them. Besides pictures, it's the perfect spot for a picnic on the hill or to sit down and read. I pretty much always go on a walk around it after visiting the Art Museum or Zoo. The great thing about Art Hill is it looks good no matter the season! If you're in Forest Park you have to visit Art Hill or you're missing out. It's worth the trip!

One of the most beautiful and amazing spots in St. Louis. This became my home away from home while I stayed here as my daughter received treatment in a local hospital. In addition to the amazing park, the fizzing fountains, the immaculate landscaping, the many walking paths, the musicals at the MUNY, I also saw a man propose to his future wife here, I saw babies running happily down the hill toward the fountains, and a fish even nipped at me when I slipped my feet into the Grand Basin.

I've been on Art Hill many times but most recently, only during summer on Sunday nights. On the "balcony" just in front of the St. Louis Art Museum by the King Louis statue. The fountains are fabulous and beautifully lighted. And you can witness incredlble fire dancing way down below and over by the basin. You can hear the drums and watch the artful fire dancing. Just amazing and mesmerizing! I don't know who's doing it. It's just spectacular. And we've met so many friendly dog-walkers and their lovely four-footers!! Had some great canine fixes there! We went once, and there was a movie going on with an incredibly HUGE screen, with lots of people sitting on the lawn with lawn chairs and blankets. That was probably a mistake, because we were yapping and were asked to "leave" or "move". Nonetheless, from that "tower" overlooking such a beautiful area -- busting buttons knowing that Forest Park is bigger than Central Park in NYC -- is incredible!

How can you not give Art Hill five stars?? It is one of my absolute favorite features about Forest Park. No matter what the season there's a reason to hang out on Art Hill: Winter - Sledding! Ok, granted I haven't actually been sledding on Art Hill since I was a kid, but I still remember being terrified every time I went down, sure I was going to land in the lake. They put up hay bails now, but not so sure they did back in the '80s. Spring - Packing a picnic lunch and heading out to Art Hill on a sunny Saturday on one of the few weekends in St. Louis where it's warm, but not yet humid and oppressive is one of my favorite things to do. Even on the most perfect weather days there is always plenty of room to spread out and have your own space. Sit here and watch the dogs run around and the kids fly kites. Summer - Not so great to hang out here during the day without melting, but do come at night when they are showing old movies on the big screen. Bring your blanket/chair and snacks and enjoy a night under the stars. Fall - My absolute favorite event is the SLSO free concert in early September. It's the event to kick off the symphony's new season and is so much fun. The weather is almost always perfect and the symphony plays well-known and loved pieces so it's great for the whole family.

During the 2011 World Series, SLAM hosted the viewing of (at least) two games projected on an inflatable screen midway down Art Hill. This is hands down one of the neatest things I've seen in St. Louis -- there were friendly vendors offering hot chocolate, popcorn, and Gus's pretzels for free, and one night the Pi on the Spot truck even came by to sell their deep dish. Bonfires were set up, too, making the scene a great way to celebrate Cardinals baseball. Many other reviewers have spoken well of Art Hill during the winter, too, and even though I've never sledded down the beast myself, it sure seems like a lot of people enjoy the option while I drive by. It's such a gorgeous vista, here, with King Louis perched at the top of the hill; any St. Louisan needs to enjoy this gorgeous spot at least once.

This is the hill everyone knows. The place to go sledding on snow days, see the statue of King Louie, watch the free Symphony concert every September, and its just across the street from the entrance to the St Louis art museum.

Art Hill is simply THE destination for so many occasions. First of all, it is the heart of Forest Park. Located directly in the center it offers gorgeous views as it slopes down from the Art Museum and is anchored by the Grand Basin. Pick any saturday between March and October and I promise you will see multiple wedding parties coming here for pictures. The hill itself is Huge and offers plenty of luscious green grass for all to share. It is the ideal location for a lazy picnic or to let the kids (including the four legged ones) run around and play catch (or fetch). In the summer you will find regular happenings like movies on the hill and orchestra concerts. One of my favorite lesser known facts about Art Hill is that it really is perfect for sledding and the Park lets you come and even tends to let the 10pm curfew be a little more lax when the sledding is good. They will start bonfires at the top of the hill after snowfalls to keep you warm. Later at night you can even find a bit more of an adult crowd hanging out, remembering what its like to be 12 again. My advice on the sledding is to be patient. If you are the first one out there, it won't be fun. But if you go late in the day then everyone else will have done the hard work for you (packing down the snow) and your sledding will be much more fun!

Just won symphony tickets! Fun venue any time of year!

I have loved Art Hill since I was a young adult. One of my favorites is of course the St. Louis Art Museum. I remember the boat rides in Art Hills lake and the lake was such a romantic bomb. God and St. Louis and nature gave us one awesome gift in St. Louis Art Hill, located in Forest Park!

What a great place in the heart of St. Louis! When a STL person hears the words "Art Hill", we instantly think of sledding in the winter. However my husband and I recently went to Art Hill to hear the STL Pink Floyd tribute band El Monstero put on their summer show. It was a warm summer night but being by the lake when the sun went down, there were no words to describe how pretty it was. It was a good location for the concert. Plenty of space to spread out and still get a good view of the stage. Parking was the same as it normally is around the area. They had food trucks to purchase from and drink stations to keep cool with beverages from. The large crowd took care of the area and it was a very enjoyable night in St. Louis.

It's easy to take gem's like Art Hill and Forest Park for granted when they are only a few minutes from your home. But I sure don't! Forest Park is an amazing spot for locals and visitors alike. From summer theater at the Muny to the incredible Saint Louis Zoo to the museums.......Yet I find myself at the Art Museum for SLAM (Friday night's/monthly) almost every month and when I jog or workout I always take time to relax and enjoy the view from atop Art Hill. Watching the paddle boats in the Summer. Sledding in the winter (a must do if you are a local, get there right after a good snow and you will FLY down the large hill....just be sure to stop before you get to the pond!). In the Fall and Spring this is a great spot to picnic and people watch. And don't forget the Saint Louis Symphony free concert every fall (and possibly in the Spring, I'm not sure - check out the SLSO website/facebook for updates) that ends with a firework display that is always amazing. See you on the Hill.

Great view of a great park. Art Hill has always been the "GO TO" place for winter sledding as a child. Now, as an adult, I'm learning about all of the great things Forest Park is using the space for in other seasons. Recently, the family went to Art Hill and sampled food truck while watching Field of Dreams during a pleasant evening out. Large crowds are easily managed and the view is one of the best in the city.

One of many awesome features of Forest Park. Undoubtedly one of my favorite discoveries in St Louis thus far. With the art museum looking down onto a green lawn bordered at the base of the hill by The Grand Basin. Art Hill is practical for concerts, movie screenings, and also used as a hill-running spot.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Great place for a picnic with an awesome view! Pop into the St. Louis Art Museum or paddle boat at the Yard House nearby. Insta-goodtimes!

Had a great day at the Museum - drank wine in the cafe - saw some amazing master's paintings - bought cool stuff from the museum store and then sat outside and watched a kid flying a kite and people on paddle boats - very beautiful spot!

Whether there's something fun happening (like summer movies) or you just want to go somewhere beautiful to hangout, Art Hill is a great place in STL to visit.

This is one of the places that I love to take people whom aren't from here and they want to get a feel for what Saint Louis is, and it never disappoints at all! From the lovely vistas to the way the space is used it's great. I happened to love the Shakespeare festival or sledding down it's expanse in the winter!

If you want to know how beautiful St. Louis is go here. The view on Art Hill is one of the best in the world. Standing just under The Apotheosis of St. Louis, statue of King Louis IX of France, you have the most amazing view of the city, the park and all that makes St. Louis amazing. Every Friday in July they host a movie night where guests are entertained by live music, fed by various food trucks and entertained again by a movie projected on a giant inflatable screen...it's amazing to say the least! If you know me, you know how much I love food trucks and two other things I love as much are movies and live music. This is my dream location on a warm Friday evening in July. Get here early, bring a lawn chair, cooler, foods, snacks and a Frisbee. The evening I was here, the movie was Roman Holiday. I truly love great, classic black and white movies that make me wish I lived in a time when elegance and class were a way of life. This is also a great place to exercise. I live just down the road and coming here to "run the hill" can be one of the most exhilarating and killer experiences. There is sledding in the winter and of course the Art Museum is open all year long. I can't say enough about how great this place is. It's what makes St. Louis so amazing and keeps it competitive with all other major cities. Oh yeah, the zoo is a few blocks away, too!

Gorgeous, just gorgeous. Famous in St. Louis for great sledding in the winter ( for obvious reasons). A great place for a picnic in nice weather! Can be very romantic in the right company ;)

Of course Art Hill is the bomb - I grew up in CWE and we slide down this hill as a child for crying out loud, LOL. But last night at the STL 250 Burning Love Fest was cool! So many food vendors to choose from, great music, and LOTS OF MUD!!! The weather was not so bad and I can just imagine how this year's VP celebration will be like in Forest Park. The lots were well lighted, no ice patches to report (nice weather cleared most of it up) and even in the dark on Art HIll, you can see Kingshighway and the DeBaliviere communication tower which I use to look at from my bedroom as a kid while that annoying red light blinked on and off, LOL. There were plenty of security and police staff on hand, so safety was not an issue.The firework show was awesome! The new renovations at the Museum and around the hill is nice. The only thing was a menance was the zoo smell; you can smell the animals all the way from the Zoo, so folks you need to clean the animals, lol just kidding. Go visit Art Hill, especially during the STL 250 birthday celebrations occuring throughout the year. You'll have a blast!

This hill is nice. One side is higher than the other side. There is a man on a horse at the top and a pond at the bottom. The grass is soft.

A great place to spend an afternoon and to just enjoy the best city park in the USA.

Love it! It can't be better. Plenty of space on the hill, a great view, and sometimes there are fun events going on (movies or even the symphony). If you notice it's a nice day then definitely go and just enjoy the hill. Go! What's stopping you? Oh parking. Yeah that can be a pain especially on the weekends. Well just find parking where you can and go. Walking is good for you anyways. :-)

I always love visiting art hill in Forest Park. I like to picnic on the hill while overlooking the beautiful lake and fountains below. If you ever get the chance it's also the perfect place to be for the annual balloon race that runs over the top of the park!

Art Hill is just great, that's all there is to it. Perfect spot to relax on a nice day, just grab a blanket and a drink. Only complaint is the scarce parking, but thats pretty understandable for such a popular place.

There is a tranquility about Art Hill which is surprising, given that it is in such a popular, busy, well attended city park. Yet the hill is usually free of people and the view across to the city is mesmerizing. My husband would take the children sledding there, though I would never go because I was afraid I'd slide into the lagoon. I think straw bales are placed there now, but 50 years ago it was a case of good steering. They remember lovingly how their father would help take sleds back for another run. We were engaged at a specific spot there, as were my parents and daughter and her husband. It's that kind of park.