City Museum
Museum · Downtown West ·
Artist-built playground from repurposed objects, slides, caves
Artist-built playground from repurposed objects, slides, caves
"I explored the quirky City Museum and took in its unconventional, playful attractions." - Katy Spratte Joyce Katy Spratte Joyce Katy Spratte Joyce is a food, business, and travel writer based in Omaha, Nebraska. Her work has appeared in a variety of print and digital outlets, including Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy, Hemispheres, Condé Nast Traveler, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A wildly hands-on, highly interactive museum located just off I-70 in St. Louis that invites visitors of all ages to climb, explore, and discover; praised as an incredible, family-friendly institution ideal for letting kids burn off energy and spark imagination during a road-trip stop." - Stratton Lawrence Stratton Lawrence Stratton Lawrence is a Charleston-based writer covering hotel openings, buzz-worthy restaurants, and in-demand attractions in the Lowcountry and around the U.S. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Housed in the former International Shoe building, the enormous 600,000 square-foot St. Louis City Museum is more of an adult-sized playground than a standard museum. Visitors are encouraged to climb on and play in the various exhibits, which include an indoor skate park, salvaged bridges, over 30 different slides, a “Tiny Train Town,” a live circus, enchanted caves and—perhaps the highlight in a museum overflowing with wonders—an exhibit called MonstroCity, which features a castle turret, an adult sized ball pit and two jets suspended high above the ground. Created by artist Bob Cassilly, the museum has a higher purpose beyond being an adult jungle gym. Built by Cassilly and his team of 20 artists, the City Museum is constructed from materials reclaimed from St. Louis and continues to have a section displaying an “ever-expanding collection of architectural relics.” Don’t miss the ten-story spiral slide that starts at the roof and takes you all the way down to the entrance of the enchanted cave." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"Located in a former shoe factory, City Museum devotes 600,000 square feet and four levels to play for all ages. The museum was the brainchild of artist and entrepreneur Bob Cassilly—along with a crew of 20 artisans known as the Cassilly Crew—who constructed the space from objects found around the city, from construction cranes and fire trucks to church pipe organs, old airplanes, and plenty of reclaimed building materials. The result is a wonderfully weird and wacky museum that’s constantly evolving, depending on what’s been donated and collected recently. There’s a sky-high jungle gym, a rooftop Ferris wheel, an aquarium, and multi-story slides that once served as chutes for shoes. The museum has a “no map” policy to encourage exploration, but does advise visitors to bring their own flashlight—you never know what you’ll find in those dark caves."
Part sculpture park, part playground, all St. Louis—this repurposed shoe factory overflows with slides, tunnels, and rooftop rides. Praised by The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, it’s the city’s most talked‑about, hands‑on art adventure.
