I’ve had several people send me messages about Missouri History Museum‘s newest exhibit, Color STL, so we decided to see it for ourselves.
If you haven’t been to the Missouri History Museum since you were in third grade, I definitely recommend you heading back to check it out - especially if you have young children. While there’s plenty that’s the same- the 1904 World’s Fair exhibit and the hanging airplane, there’s several newly updated exhibits! It might be a small museum, but it has so many fun things jammed packed inside… and just how we like our museums in Forest Park - absolutely FREE!
When you make your ways inside, past Thomas Jefferson’s statue, down the ramp, below the airplane is an exhibit all about St. Louis jazz and blues. When you enter the exhibit, there’s a QR code for you to scan which leads you to a website full of music from the various artists and artifacts displayed throughout the exhibit. You’ll hear full length songs from some of the greats like Josephine Baker, Scott Joplin all the way to Nelly’s Country Grammar. What an awesome way to hear, but also see the blues and jazz history! My two year old loved seeing the instruments and also hearing the how the instruments sound being played by amazing artists.
While we could’ve spent hours in that exhibit, we went to the newest exhibit, Coloring STL. The interactive exhibit of St. Louis architecture. Around the entire perimeter is dry erase walls with buildings from around St. Louis for you to color with dry erase markers. This was so awesome because you really got to see the components of the architecture from the communities that surround St. Louis. And who doesn’t love coloring on the walls? My two year old LOVED this exhibit! The information presented here was also fascinating, with several artifacts and lots of colorful images of places that can be seen around St. Louis. This made for a great mini lesson on colors. I might be a bit biased, but I do think that St. Louis is one of the most beautiful landlocked cities.
Lastly, we made our way to the History Clubhouse, which is geared specifically towards children. This was so awesome to see - like a beautiful mix of St. Louis history and an interactive children’s museum. When you enter, you walk through/ride a trolley and look out to see several buildings of the St. Louis skyline. On the other side, you take a step back in time to the 1904 World’s Fair. Dress up in period clothing, learn about several food vendors at the fair, and play pretend with all the food and a vintage cash register. There’s a steamboat for you to pilot down the Mississippi River with puzzles, more dress-up clothes, a steering wheel and the telescopes to look overboard. There’s a magnetic sorting game about aquatic animals, learning what kind of animals live in the river vs other bodies of water. There’s a section allows you to draw portraits or put on a puppet show, however when we were there the puppets weren’t out at that time. There’s a playhouse replicated from ancient Cahokia times with a boat for you to fish with realistic magnetic fish and fishing poles. There’s more play food and things you might seen used by Native Americans at Cahokia mounds.
The last section of the Clubhouse was more of an open ended play area. There is a stage for story times which are held weekly. Visitors can drive trains on the train track, build an arch, construct with magnatiles or wooden blocks, put together a puzzles or cuddle up inside a tree or flower with one of the many story books for you to read.
This permanent feature of the History Museum was so neat for young learners. Be sure to check out their website for their weekly story times and other family friendly events!