Jennifer went on another adventure – this time to St. Louis – and writes about her visit to the St. Louis City Museum.  This is a ‘don’t miss’ if you enjoy crazy, creative and ambitious efforts, and Jennifer’s description of her visit will definitely make you check it out!

St. Louis may not rank high on your list of places to go for a quick vacation.  But, if you have a fondness for art, architecture, environmental friendliness, and a sense of discovery, it should.  The city is home to one of our country’s hidden gems… The St. Louis City Museum. I first discovered the City Museum last winter while visiting family in St. Louis.  It was an incomparable place. After a day of climbing through tunnels and sliding down multi-stories tall slides, we vowed to come back when the acclaimed roof top was open (unfortunately, in January, it’s not).  Ten months later, here we are. 

Opened in 1997 by acclaimed artist, Bob Cassilly in the former International Shoe Company building in downtown St. Louis, the City Museum is like no other place on the planet.    Cassilly has built the museum out of what otherwise would’ve ended up in a landfill.  As you approach the 600,000 square-foot building, it’s clear you are in for an adventure.  At the entrance to the building, Cassilly has designed a virtual jungle gym for adults and kids alike.  Using anything from repurposed refrigeration coils from Anheuser Bush, to railroad stakes, to the cabin that Daniel Boone’s son was born in, two old planes, and multitudes of other scrap, the front of the museum takes the shape of “MonstroCity”.  The result is a discovery zone that allows the more daring among us to climb to heights up to 4 stories and then be whizzed down the side of the building on a slide.  The fact that Cassilly designed the concept is impressive enough.  The fact that he’s created it out of little pieces of the city’s history, which would have otherwise ended up as trash, brings him to the level of genius… at least in this museum goer’s eyes. 

Entering into the museum is equally as impressive.  You are transported into a place of imagination.  There are tunnels to crawl through, slides, aquariums, a circus, and even an exhibit with architectural ornamentation from buildings designed by the great architect, Louis Sullivan.  Everything here is repurposed and everything invites discovery.  The rooftop didn’t disappoint either.  Cassilly has put an old school bus, hood dangling off the side of the building, at the corner or the rooftop.  You can enter through what used to be the emergency exit and walk to the drivers seat as you peer over the skyline of St. Louis.  Is it safe?  I’m not sure, but I willed myself  not to worry about it.  Which is the same reaction I had on the Ferris wheel that has also found its way to the rooftop.  I’m not usually afraid of heights, but being in the open air, at the top of a Ferris wheel on top of a 10-story building, can definitely produce some adrenaline.  That same adrenaline will help inspire you to climb inside the dome that used to sit atop the Science Center, which has also now found a home on the City Museum’s rooftop.  Once you climb out of the cap of the dome, rest assured, there is a slide to get you back down. 

The thing about all of the repurposed stuff is that you find yourself walking through the museum, constantly thinking, “what WAS that?”  or  “what IS that?”  Luckily, I had arranged for a tour.  My tour guide, Charles, has worked at the museum since it opened 12 years ago.  He is full of stories and knowledge and can answer those queries.  He entertained my questions long past my time limit and often reminded me “what it was” wasn’t as important as “what it could be.”