Griot Museum of Black History

[Visit: April 6, 2024] First visit and experience in St. Louis! Super cute museum. The atmosphere is very calm and peaceful. The young lady at the entrance (who also answered the phone) was extremely welcoming and pleasant. She answered all of my questions prior to arriving, gave a brief introduction to the museum, and provided a handy quiz. The museum recommends that the entrance area be the only area where photos can be taken, along with the gift shop. Most visitors have respected those requests (please continue to honor that request). This museum is excellent for small groups (i.e., 7-10 people), however, medium to large groups should definitely schedule a visit. This will allow the group to enjoy the museum as a whole, as well as complete the quiz without interfering with other guests. All ages, levels of school, and types of communities are sure to gain insights, as well as test their skills in museum details. There is an option to check and verify answers at the end. Free street parking is available in front and around the museum. I do hope the museum will expand. It was a pleasure.

I recommend this museum. I had been in wax museums before, and I was greatly surprised at the high quality done on people that I’ve read about. The people at the front desk were able to give me a lot of information. I especially enjoyed the Josephine Baker room since I had actually seen her tomb in Paris. She was such a brave individual working in the French resistance. I wish more people would come and visit this place to learn about the history of the United States. The number of slave markets that were in St. Louis along the Mississippi river.

Great place work tons of information. Workers fill with information which made it even greater. You can't take pic but still so worth going to.

A very interesting museum with unique exhibits that are a mix of entertaining and moving. The Josephine Baker exhibit is beautiful. While the exhibit about the slave trade and the middle passage was heart wrenching and thought provoking. Definitely one of the more unique attractions of St Louis.

I’m so happy I visited The Griot Museum. The wax figures, videos, and information was very informative. I learned so much about black history and of slaves I’ve never heard of. This is a place to visit and bring children to learn about history; black history. The staff is very nice as well.

This was my second time we brought a couple of students and they also enjoyed the displays as well.

The Juneteenth celebration was free. The museum is the only Black History museum in St Louis Missouri. The artifacts are real.

Visiting the Griot Museum of Black History was an experience. I’ve lived in St. Louis for most of my life, but I had never been to this museum until now. From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by the visuals and how they were incorporated into the storytelling and exhibits. The first exhibit was tough for me—mainly because of my emotions toward slavery. The well-preserved artifacts truly transport you back in time, making history feel immediate and real. I had no idea the slave trade was so openly conducted in St. Louis. However, this museum isn’t just about slavery—it’s about history as a whole. The second half focuses on the achievements and contributions of Black St. Louisans, many of whom I remember from my childhood. Beyond the exhibits, the staff was very welcoming, adding to the overall positive experience. My only small critique is that the Griot doesn’t allow photos—I would have loved to document my visit. If you enjoy St. Louis history, this is a must-visit. The admission price is reasonable, especially in a city with so many free museums. I was more than happy to pay $10 per adult and $5 for children 12 and under. This North St. Louis gem deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the Missouri History Museum or City Museum—it’s a hidden treasure that more people should know about

This is such a cultural treasure that is kind of off the beaten path further downtown that I don't hear enough people talk about. It chronicles the African-American history of St. Louis, and you'd be surprised which African-Americans who are very famous and well-know have ties to this city. The wax sculptures are awesome and really bring life to the exhibits, and most were created by the museums founder, Ms. Lois Conley. I love how they also pay homage to little known St. Louis from the Black community who made indelible marks civically and cultural on the local and state level because you never hear about those heroes and sheroes on the global stage. This is a must see when visiting STL. Admission is $7.50 and there's ample street parking.

I have visited the Griot Museum twice. Once when it first opened and again in 2021. Each time visited, I was impressed with the wax figures, the shared information and the progress of the museum over the years. Currently, looking forward to revisiting to indulge in the artwork that will be placed outside, around the building. This is a treasure to have in St. Louis City and a place where the young and old can walk away with an impact and important lesson on black history.

This place is a hidden gem. Would not have known about it if I I was not intentional in my searching. Very humbling. Plan to spend anywhere from 45 min - 1 1/2 hour there. Rich in history. Highly recommended no matter who you are.

A very great place to visit! Great staff and it's rich in African American History! A MUST GO!!

Great experience! I'd even go again in case I didn't get to take in some of the information. Every local family (no matter your race) should visit. There's so much to learn about local African Americans and businesses. I was impressed by the vast amount of knowledge within. If you have relatives or friends visiting St. Louis, add this to your itinerary!

It was such a valuable experience. I learned a lot. it was exciting and was educational. It was interesting. It was wonderful to see the teenagers, reading the history facts and walking around discussing in among themselves. This was an experience that I would've asked any person to take the child to even as an adult, you'll be surprised how much you can learn, and how much you really did know.

What a powerful hidden gem in St. Louis. Handmade wax figures, incredible artifacts, many photos, diagrams, historical documents, movies, and an inside look into the painful and resilient history of black Africans and AAs in St. Louis and through out the US! This is an unabashed exploration and witness of the our true history. It is well planned out walk through, through time and events. The wax figures are so well done and there are many artifacts to really showcase the horrors endured as well as the stories and contributions of black Americans to this country. It is important to not overstate the distance we may perceive we are from the past, but to remember how it touches our communities to this day. This is was a powerful and deep and unapologetic reminder of our nation's truth... please if you come visit or are in the areas, to not forget this local museum!

Wow! What a fantastic museum! Everyone should visit this place! We went for a fundraising event and were really impressed by the quality of the displays, including plenty of photographs, wax figures, educational boards and more. I have visited slave castle museums in Ghana where slaves were kept in dungeons before transport, and the slave ship quarters replica here was actually more impactful than at Elmina or Cape Coast because of the wax figures. This is a tremendous asset to St. Louis and to the entire Midwest. There is so much black history that needs to be acknowledged and celebrated, and this museum is doing a wonderful job!

Nice museum and very informative. I enjoyed my time there. I would prob add some soft music in the background tho. Some of the figures can be scary

Like some of the places in St. Louis, I had not heard of this (sadly) until I saw it had an stl250 cake. This is one of the most underlooked historical places in St. Louis. And needless to say, it has a lot of history inside it. The wax figures make it look very realistic. Here you will find a near-comprehensive look at African-American life in the last two centuries, starting with slavery. I won't give much away, because I think it is worth checking out for one's own experience. I really hope the museum and organization continues to raise plenty of funds, as you will see (midway through) that they always take donations. There is still a lot of history they can include in the place, but being under-funded apparently has not made it happen yet. For the record, I have done my part. I hope to come back here in the future. Keep up the good work!

My fiancé surprised me and brought me here for Valentine's Day! This is one of our passions, so it was a wonderful surprise! There was a video and many exhibits with histories ranging from entertainment, the establishment of churches, to hair care products for African Americans. They have wax figures and replica's in addition to original pieces! We had a great time learning and although the memories are painful, we are just constantly reminded of how hard our ancestors worked to fight for what they believed was right ANDY how the torch is now on us to do the same!