Weather Winter with Warm Visits to Local Museums

Wednesday December 17, 2014

By Explore St. Louis Guest

While temperatures have dropped, our city has plenty of inviting, comfortable, safe and warm places to envelope you all winter long. Come inside and stay warm with a visit to some of the best museums in St. Louis. Discover the fantastic and diverse cultural arts that await you indoors and out of the cold.

Saint Louis Art Museum
With a collection expanding over 33,000 pieces, you’ll be awed by everything from sculptures, paintings and visual arts to photographs, drawings, architectural pieces and more. The museum’s collection of works by African American artists date from the early 19th century to present day and includes artists like Archibald J. Motley, Jr., James Van Der Zee, Edmonia Lewis and Henry Ossawa Tanner.

Missouri History Museum
Examine our state’s past at the Missouri History Museum where they strive to deepen our understanding of the past in an effort to find meaningful possibilities for our future. Several exhibits highlight the lives and contributions of black St. Louisans, like Dred Scott’s Freedom Trial and Jeannette Forchet, a free black woman who was one of the first landowners in St. Louis.

Saint Louis Science Center
Don’t leave the Forest Park area without stopping by the Science Center. Kids will love to roll up their sleeves and get messy as they explore over 700 hands-on exhibits. Let their curiosity guide them through scientific demonstrations, life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, the planetarium and so much more. Now through January 4th, you can help solve a fascinating murder mystery in the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes.

Museum of Westward Expansion & the Gateway Arch
Experience the Old West with exciting exhibits and rare artifacts that take you on a journey into the past. Learn about the Native Americans and pioneers who helped shape the development of our country, including the significant role that the African American Buffalo Soldiers played in conquering the western plains. Afterwards, take a tram to the top of the Arch for a view of St. Louis from 630 feet in the air.

Griot Museum of Black History and Culture
Carve out a couple of hours to spend at the Griot Museum of Black History and Culture, where they preserve and share the stories, culture and history of African Americans. Permanent exhibits like their life-size wax figures, authentic artifacts and interactive programs depict the lives of important men and women who contributed to our country’s development. In addition, the Griot features traveling exhibits that enhance community outreach and cultural education.

Guest Blogger Jackie Tucker, a freelance writer contributed to this blog.