World Chess Hall of Fame

Museum · Central West End

World Chess Hall of Fame

Museum · Central West End

1

4652 Maryland Ave #1, St. Louis, MO 63108

Photos

World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by Max Ahlborn (Used with Permission)
World Chess Hall of Fame by kickgirl91 (Atlas Obscura User)
World Chess Hall of Fame by kickgirl91 (Atlas Obscura User)
World Chess Hall of Fame by Collector of Experiences (Atlas Obscura User)
World Chess Hall of Fame by kickgirl91 (Atlas Obscura User)
World Chess Hall of Fame by Max Ahlborn (Used with Permission)
World Chess Hall of Fame by Max Ahlborn (Used with Permission)
World Chess Hall of Fame by kickgirl91 (Atlas Obscura User)
World Chess Hall of Fame by Max Ahlborn (Used with Permission)
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null
World Chess Hall of Fame by null

Highlights

This museum in a historic building explores the game of chess, with exhibits, tours & a gift shop.  

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4652 Maryland Ave #1, St. Louis, MO 63108 Get directions

worldchesshof.org
@worldchesshof

Information

Static Map

4652 Maryland Ave #1, St. Louis, MO 63108 Get directions

+1 314 367 9243
worldchesshof.org
@worldchesshof
𝕏
@WorldChessHOF

Features

gender neutral restroom
restroom
crowd family friendly
crowd lgbtq friendly
crowd trans safespace
wheelchair accessible parking lot
wheelchair accessible entrance
wheelchair accessible restroom

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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@atlasobscura

"Those who are knowledgeable about the Keizer system and believers in the Tarrasch rule, as well as mindful of the difference between zugzwang and zwischenzug, will find much to delight them at the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF). Those not so sure will find that there’s much to learn. The Tarrasch rule, for example, is the general principle that rooks should be placed behind passed pawns. It’s named after Prussian chess player Siegbert Tarrasch, one of the players enshrined at this institution in St. Louis, which serves as a museum, an education center, and a monument to great achievements in the classic game. Tarrasch is one of 19 to have been inducted into the World Hall of Fame and 52 members have been inducted into the U.S. Hall of Fame, which is also in the building.   The WCHOF is the only institution of its kind and managed by the United States Chess Trust. It opened here in the Central West End neighborhood in 2011. Its permanent collection includes a book of chess openings signed by Bobby Fischer, a 500-year-old senet piece, the first chess-playing computer, and a silver chess set presented to champion Paul Morphy. It partners with the local chess club to provide instruction for players of all ages and also hosts some of the most competitive tournaments to be had." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

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Samantha Mostafa

Google
Super fun time! There were of course a lot of interesting chess sets, but it was interesting to learn the chess history as well! We took a break for a quick game to teach my parents chess and released our inner kids with the coloring sheets. A great little museum!

Rell I.

Google
The chess museum location was terrific. It was great, it was free. I wish there were more stuff for chess to look at. But for the most part, it was pretty sweet. Three floors, each floor had An era of chess With a fine art aspect of how chess was in everything overall. Pretty good place to visit and look at and support. Great for people who love chess or people who are just interested in chess in general. It's a great little museum. The area around is pretty lovely as well. For kids, they have great chess Floor for them to play. Pro: Free Beautiful Not overwhelming packed Con: Wish it was a little bigger

Alix Thomsen

Google
This was a great pit stop in the city! It is free to enter, but please make a donation, even if it is just a couple bucks. The first floor was my favorite (2nd floor was closed and 3rd floor was mostly for youth) and all of the unique sets were amazing! Look closely at the detail on them, you might miss it or mistake it for natural markings. My favorite set was the Norse one. My favorite non-set was the sketch on bone. (See pictures) Gift shop was nice. Large post cards are only a buck each. Bathrooms are on the 2nd floor and are very well kept. Front desk person was very kind and explained things well. Great way to enter a museum!

Ruoqing Wang-Cendejas

Google
It is a very interesting museum. I truly enjoyed the two current exhibits (Feb 2024) and learned a lot about chess and its history in St. Louis. The third floor has interactive intros of the current grand masters. Unfortunately, the system encountered technical difficulties when I visited on 2/25/2024, but I looked up the life stories of some grand masters on Google after the visit. It was a good introduction, and I appreciated the information. Recommend 30-45 minutes to visit.

Alexander Viduetsky

Google
WCHF is a very interesting place for all chess enthusiasts. There is the largest chess piece in the world by the main entrance to the WCHF. The entrance is free (a $5 donation is recommended). There is limited parking available, which is free on Sundays. WCHF has three floors. The lower two floors were open for visitors when I was there, while the top floor was closed for the general admission because of a chess tournament. At the WCHF, there are numerous historical photos and artifacts related to prior chess world champions. Both male and female champions are represented there. My favorite part of the exhibit was a replica of a tournament table, chairs, and the chess board used by Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky during their famous championship match in 1972. WCHF is rather compact. A visitor could see all everything in less than one hour. WCHF has a gift shop with chess books, sets, and other chess-relater items. Right across from the WCHF, the St. Louis Chess Club is open to visitors as well.

Praghalathan Kanthakumar

Google
Good for one time visit. The large chess piece at the front with the chess board is a good site to take a few photos/ selfies. The museum itself is small and it feels more like a chess-related art gallery. There are some innovative chess boards and art pieces. However, there is nothing about Hall of Fame; I didn't see any exhibits of photos or artifacts of famous chess players. No chess history either.

Jane Zimmerman

Google
Fantastic place to learn and enjoy! The exhibits are fascinating, the building is charming, and the staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Give it about two hours, check out the chess club across the street, and enjoy lunch or a drink at one of the many places nearby.

Veronica Goosey

Google
I loved the visit! The art exhibit, Dodson's Match of the Matriarchs, was compelling and well-curated. The historical exhibit was highly informative. The employees were very helpful.