Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Saint Louis Art Museum is the city's major art museum, set on top of Art Hill in Forest Park, St. Louis. It occupies a grand building designed by Cass Gilbert for the 1904 World's Fair, and its collection spans many centuries and cultures. General admission has long been free, which makes it one of the easiest big museums to visit in the country.

The story behind it

The building began life as the Palace of Fine Arts at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the World's Fair held in Forest Park. Unlike most fair pavilions, it was designed to last and was kept after the fair closed. It then became the home of the city's art museum, whose roots go back to the late nineteenth century.

In front of the entrance stands a large equestrian statue of Louis IX, the king the city is named after, looking out over the slope and the lagoon below. In 2013 a modern wing designed by David Chipperfield opened beside the historic building, so the visit moves between a classical hall and a contemporary one. The collection is known for its strong holdings of German art, including many works by Max Beckmann, and for Monet's Water Lilies triptych.

What to look for

• The statue of Louis IX at the front steps, which gives the museum its best-known photo and a clear view down Art Hill.
• The classical stone facade and columned entrance, which show the building's World's Fair origins.
• The contrast between Cass Gilbert's historic halls and the cleaner lines of the Chipperfield addition.
• The view from the top of Art Hill back across the Grand Basin and the park, especially on a clear day.

Tips for your visit

• Plan one to two hours for a focused visit, or longer if you like to read labels and see several galleries.
• General admission is free, but special exhibitions may need a ticket, so check current opening hours and exhibition details before you go.
• Pair it with a walk around Forest Park. The Saint Louis Zoo, the Missouri History Museum and the Jewel Box are all close by.
• Arrive earlier in the day for quieter galleries, and keep time for the lawn outside, where the hill is a pleasant place to sit.

See it on a quest

Families can pass the museum on Kid Quest: Solve the case of the lost senses in St. Louis, MO. You reach the Saint Louis Art Museum on foot as one stop of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. The detective theme keeps children looking closely at what is in front of them. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start at any time, with no guide and no group to join.