Where Can You Go For Free?

Where can you go for free these days? In most cities, not far.

But things are different in St. Louis. Here you’ll find dozens of uniquely interesting places to go and things to do that won’t cost you a dime. Yep – you read that right. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. And we’re not talking about a bunch of lightweight freebies – these free attractions are some of the best, most popular places around. Here’s a sampling of what you can do for free in St. Louis:

Underneath the Gateway Arch, the Museum of Westward Expansion offers a chance to relive the Old West. Visitors can get a glimpse into the land that Lewis and Clark explored and see how mountain men lived in the 1800s. There are rare Indian Peace Medals, weapons of survival and an authentic tipi, and the historic tale is by the voices of life-like “animatronic” figures.

One of St. Louis’ newest downtown attractions is Citygarden. Framed by office towers and surrounded by the hustle and bustle of downtown, Citygarden is a free, 2.9 acre sculpture park that incorporates a unique design of water, stone, architecture and modern artwork by world-renowned artists.

There’s more free history for the taking at the Old Courthouse, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The Old Courthouse served as the site of many historic trials, including those associated with the Dred Scott slavery trial. If your timing is right, you might be able to participate in a courtroom trial reenactment.

Then head for Forest Park and a visit to the Missouri History Museum and a host of exhibits detailing St. Louis’ diverse history. Check out exhibits on everything from Charles “Lucky” Lindbergh and dozens of local breweries to more artifacts from explorers Lewis & Clark and a look at the storied 1904 World’s Fair.

Another Forest Park freebie is the Saint Louis Science Center and its 700-plus hands-on exhibits. Visitors of all ages can explore the “gene scene” and cast their vote on the ethical issues of genetic engineering, or build a replica of the Gateway Arch. Get a feel for what it’s like to live, work and play on the International Boeing Space Station, then use radar guns to clock the speed of cars zooming beneath the enclosed bridge spanning I-64.

Atop Forest Park’s Art Hill is the Saint Louis Art Museum, the only building that remains from the 1904 World’s Fair. Built to house priceless artwork from countries around the world during the Fair, the museum continues the tradition today, with an extensive collection of 30,000 objects from ancient to contemporary. In fact, the museum’s pre-Columbian and German Expressionist collections are considered among the best in the world.

The Saint Louis Zoo has more than 6,000 exotic animals, many of them rare and endangered, from the major continents and habitats of the world. Wander through the Jungle of the Apes and the River’s Edge for a look at the elephants, cheetahs, mongooses and hyenas. Other attractions include the cool Penguin & Puffin Coast habitat and Fragile Forest, home of the great apes.

While there’s no general admission charged at Saint Louis Zoo, Art Museum and Missouri History Museum, the institutions frequently host special exhibitions that require an admission fee. But – have no fear – all offer days and times when these fees are waived. Daily from 9 – 10 a.m. at the Saint Louis Zoo, visitors can enter the special Children’s Zoo for free, and enjoy a variety of animal shows and programs, and educational play activities. Fees for special exhibits at the Missouri History Museum are waived every Tuesday when museum hours expand to 8 p.m., and on Fridays, the Saint Louis Art Museum stays open until 9 p.m., with no charge to tour special exhibits. Free, docent-led tours of the collection are offered Tuesday through Sunday between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

There are even more free museums in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district. The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, highlights contemporary art and architecture, and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis offers free admission to visitors each Thursday. Nearby, the Saint Louis University Museum of Art features collections of Asian Decorative Arts, collections of the western Jesuit missions, and a gallery of modern and contemporary arts.

Or head west for Laumeier Sculpture Park for free art of another kind. The open air “museum” features a fascinating – and sometimes whimsical – world-class collection of more than 70 modern sculptures. The 105-acre campus includes indoor galleries and exhibitions of paintings, ceramics, glass and photography related to the outdoor sculpture program, as well as an outdoor garden.

The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum holds “Target Free Family Nights” every third Friday of the month from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm. These special nights enable a family (no more than two adults and four of their own children) to enjoy the more than 100 hands-on exhibits in the museum.

Spend a day in the “country,” at Grant’s Farm, the former homestead of President Ulysses S. Grant, and family estate of the beer-making Busch family.

In 1848, Grant married a St. Louis girl and built a small cabin in 1848 he nicknamed “Hardscrabble.” In addition to the cabin, Grant’s Farm also features a 281-acre wildlife preserve with more than a 1,000 animals from six continents, including the Budweiser Clydesdale breeding and training facilities. There’s also a petting zoo, animal shows, tram rides through the Deer Park, and the Bauernhof – German for ‘farmstead’ – which houses the Busch family’s renowned carriage collection.

Across the road, the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site features another of Grant’s St. Louis homes – historic White Haven. The National Historic Site includes the Main House, built in 1816, an interpretive museum in the historic stables and a Visitor Center that frequently hosts a variety of Grant-related touring exhibits.

Speaking of Anheuser-Busch, you can see how beer is made with a free tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The tour includes the historic Brew House, Budweiser Clydesdale stables, lager cellar and packaging plant. At the end of the tour, visitors are rewarded for their rapt attention with a visit to the Hospitality Room for free samples, along with sodas and salty snacks. Complimentary tours on a smaller but no-less-interesting scale are served up at Schlafly Bottleworks, a microbrewery that produces a litany of Schlafly ales, stouts and specialty brews. The tour includes a video about St. Louis’ brewing history and manufacturing as well as a look at some “antique” advertising memorabilia.

Learn all about the mighty Mississippi at the National Great Rivers Museum located at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in nearby Alton, IL, and then get a look at the breathtaking view at Confluence Point State Park. The park offers a bird’s eye view of the merger of two mighty American rivers, as the Mississippi and the Missouri join forces. There’s a collection of outdoor exhibits that detail the role both rivers played in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, along with the history of the rivers.

Explore an ancient civilization at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. Located just minutes from downtown St. Louis, Cahokia Mounds has been designated a World Heritage Site for its importance to the understanding of the prehistory of North America. The 2,200-acre tract features the remnants of a prehistoric native civilization that lived in the complex community known as the Land of the Sun, which vanished after 1400 AD. It includes the 100-foot tall Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric earthen structure in the New World.

Get some kicks. Even if you’re not old enough to remember the legendary Route 66 or the famous TV show, you’ll enjoy a trek to Route 66 State Park. There are miles of trails for walking and biking and a free museum with memorabilia from the days when Route 66 was America’s Main Street. Afterwards, experience the historic Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which was once Route 66′s link between Illinois and Missouri. Today, it serves as America’s longest pedestrian bridge, and is open daily to hikers and bikers.

Late spring brings free theatre to Forest Park during the annual Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis. For two weeks in early June, The Bard’s works enjoy a lively display under the stars, much to the delight of the picnicking audience members. Across the park at The Muny, 1,500 free seats are available on a first come, first serve basis for each evening’s performance. The outdoor theater offers Broadway musicals during its season, which runs from mid-June through mid-August. These are just a few of the many freebies awaiting visitors to St. Louis. So plan a visit soon and see how many things you can pack in for free.

ST. LOUIS’ FREE ATTRACTIONS

Anheuser-Busch Brewery - I -55 & Arsenal St., (314) 577-2626

James “Cool Papa” Bell Memorial – St. Peter’s Cemetery, 2101 Lucas & Hunt Road

Bellefontaine Cemetery – 4947 W. Florissant Ave., (314) 381-0750

Bigfoot 4×4 - 6311 N. Lindbergh Blvd., (314) 731-2822

Black Madonna Shrine - St. Joseph Road, Eureka, MO 63025, (636) 938 5361

Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site - Hwy. 157 & Rte. 3, Cahokia, IL, (618) 332-1782

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site & Interpretive Center  – 30 Ramey St., Collinsville, IL, (618) 346-5160

Calvary Cemetery - 5239 West Florissant Ave., (314) 381-1313

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (New Cathedral) – Lindell Blvd. & Newstead Ave., (314) 533-0544

Center for American Archeology - Kampsville, IL, (618) 653-4316

Christ Church Cathedral - 1210 Locust St., (314) 231-3454

Citygarden - Bound by 8th, 10th, Market & Chestnut streets (314) 241-3337

Civilian Conservation Corps Museum - 16 Hancock Ave., (314) 487-8666

Clark Gravesite – Bellefontaine Cemetery, 4947 W. Florissant Ave., (314) 381-0750

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area - Columbia Bottom Rd., (314) 441-4554

Concordia Historical Institute - 801 DeMun Ave., (314) 505-7900

Confluence Point State Park – Edward and Pat Jones State Park – West Alton, MO at confluence of Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, (636) 940-3325

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis - 3750 Washington Boulevard, (314) 535-4660: Free Thursdays Only

Craft Alliance Gallery - 6640 Delmar, (314) 725-1177

Crown Valley Winery Tour - 23589 State Rte. WW, Ste. Genevieve, MO, (573) 756-9463

Eads Bridge – St. Louis Riverfront

Forest Park Visitor Center – Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center – Forest Park, 5595 Grand Dr., (314) 367-7275

Fort Belle Fontaine - N. end of Bellefontaine Rd. at the Missouri HillsHome, (314) 544-4714

Gateway Classic Cars, Antiques and Treasures - 5401 Collinsville Rd., Fairmont City, IL, (618) 271-3000 or (800) 231-3616

Grant’s Farm- 10501 Gravois, (314) 843-1700

Great Rivers Museum - #2 Lock & Dam Rd., Alton, IL, (618) 462-6979 or (877) 462-6979 (toll free)

Holocaust Museum & Learning Center  – 12 Millstone Campus Dr., (314) 432-0020 ext. 3711

Holy Family Parish Log Church- Hwy. 157 & Rte. 3, Cahokia, IL, (618) 332-1782

Jefferson Barracks Historic Park - S. Broadway & Kingston (south side), (314) 544-5714

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery - 2900 Sheridan Rd., (314) 260-8720

Katy Trail State Park - *begins in St. Charles, MO, (660) 882-8196

Laumeier Sculpture Park - Geyer & Rott Rds., (314) 821-1209

Lewis & Clark Monument – Frontier Park, St. Charles, (800) 366-2427

Lewis & Clark State Historic Site - 1 Lewis & Clark Trail, Hartford, IL, (618) 251-5811

James S. McDonnell Prologue Room - Corner of McDonnell Blvd. and Airport Rd., (314) 232-6896

Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing - On the Riverfront Trail, (314) 416-9930

Melvin Price Locks & Dam - #2 Lock & Dam Rd., Alton, IL, Call National Great Rivers Museum @ (618) 462-6979 or (877) 462-6979 (toll free)

Memories Museum - St. Louis Union Station, 1820 Market Street, 2nd Level, St. Louis, MO 63101 (314) 421-6655

Missouri History Museum (Missouri Historical Society) – Forest Park, (314) 746-4599

Mount Pleasant Winery Tastings – 5634 High Street, Augusta, MO, (636) 482-WINE or (800) 467-WINE

Museum of Contemporary Religious Art - 221 North Grand Blvd., (314) 977-7170

Museum of Westward Expansion – Under the Arch, (314) 982-1410

John B. Myers House – 180 Dunn Rd., (314) 837-7661

National Great Rivers Museum - #2 Lock & Dam Rd., Melvin Price Locks and Dam, Alton, IL, (618) 462-6979 or (877) 462-6979 (toll free)

National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows - 442 S. DeMazenod Dr., Belleville, IL, (618) 397-6700

Old Cathedral (Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France) - 209 Walnut St., (314) 231-3250

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (Trailnet, Inc.) – North of St. Louis on the Mississippi River, (314) 416-9930

Old Courthouse – 11 N. 4th St., (314) 655-1600

Old St. Ferdinand’s Shrine - 1Rue, ST. Francois, (314) 837-2110

Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center - 11715 Cragwold Rd., (314) 301-1500

Powell Symphony Hall Tours - 718 N. Grand Blvd., (314) 286-4104

The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts - 3716 Washington Blvd., (314) 754-1850

Purina Farms - 200 Checkerboard Dr., Gray Summit, MO, (314) 982-3232

Riverfront Trail (Trailnet, Inc.)  - begins in Laclede’s Landing, (314) 416-9930

Rockwoods Reservation - 2751 Glencoe Rd., (636) 458-2236

Route 66 State Park - 97 N. Outer Rd., Eureka, MO, (636) 938-7198

Sacagawea Statue – Lewis & Clark Community College, Godfrey, IL, (800) 258-6645

Saint Louis Art Museum - Forest Park, (314) 721-0072

Saint Louis Artists Guild (www.stlouisartistsguild.org) – Two Oak Knoll Park, (314) 727-9599

St. Louis Fire Dept. Museum – 1421 N. Jefferson Ave., (314) 289-1933

St. Louis Mercantile Library - University of Missouri – St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Rd., in the Thomas Jefferson Library, (314) 516-7240

Saint Louis Science Center - 5050 Oakland Ave., (800) 456-7572

St. Louis Union Station - Market Street (between 18th & 20th Sts.), (314) 421-6655

Saint Louis University Museum of Art - 3663 Lindell Blvd., (314) 977-3399

St. Louis Walk of Fame - 6504 Delmar, (314) 727-STAR

Saint Louis Zoo - Forest Park, (314) 781-0900

Schlafly Bottleworks Brewery Tour - 7260 Southwest Ave., (314) 241-2337

Shrine of St. Joseph - 1220 N. 11th St. at Biddle, (314) 231-9407

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum – 1315 Chestnut, (314) 622-4550

Soulard Farmer’s Market - 7th & Lafayette Sts., (314) 622-4180

Stone Hill Winery - 1110 Stone Hill Hwy., Hermann, MO, (573) 486-2221 or (800) 909-9463

Suson Park Animal Farm - Wells Rd., south of Hwy. 21, (314) 615-4FUN

Tower Grove Park - 4255 Arsenal St., (314) 771-2679

Trailnet, Inc. (Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Riverfront Trail, etc.) – 3900 Reavis Barracks Rd., (314) 416-9930

Trinity Lutheran Church - 8th & Soulard Sts., (314) 231-4092

Turtle Playground - Oakland & Tamm Aves., (314) 289-5300

Vaughn Cultural Center/Urban League – 3701 Grandel Square, (314) 615-3600

Ville Monument – Martin Luther King Blvd. & Sarah Ave., (314) 534-8015

Washington University Gallery of Art - Forsyth & Skinker Blvds., (314) 935-4523

Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center - 7295 Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO, (636) 329-1438

White Haven – Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site - 7400 Grant Rd., (314) 842-3298

World Bird Sanctuary – 125 Bald Eagle Ridge Road, Valley Park, MO, (636) 225-4390

Updated: November 17, 2010

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