Among the wide array of historic landmarks in St. Louis, a good number of them are geared toward families. These places provide activities that bring the family together and allow kids to explore at their own pace and learn about things in a non classroom environment. The following is five of these places in and around the St. Louis area. The Super 8 Belleville and the Holiday Inn Forest Park-St. Louis are the closest hotels to these landmarks.
1) Our Lady of the Snows Shrine
Opened in the late 1950s and located nine miles southeast of St. Louis, the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows is a Catholic shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The main attraction of the shrine is the annual way of lights which features 1.1 million+ lights and has 350,000+ visitors each year. Apart from that, the shrine offers many family oriented programs through its different ministries. It is best to call or check the shrine’s website for more information.
2) City Museum
Located in an old shoe factory in downtown St. Louis, the City Museum was the creation of the late Bob Cassilly. Featuring artifacts such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and two abandoned planes, the City Museum is a place for people young and old to explore and have fun at the same time. As Mr. Cassilly himself put it: “City Museum makes you want to know. The point is not to learn every fact, but to say, ‘Wow, that’s wonderful.’ And if it’s wonderful, it’s worth preserving.”
With a mission statement of "to ignite and sustain an interest in life-long science and technology learning", the St. Louis Science Center has been doing that ever since it was first founded as a planetariumin 1963. Now home to a wide range of both permanent and rotating exhibits, the St. Louis Science Center is the premier place for kids to learn about science. At the same time, it is also a top family-friendly landmark and a great place for parents to introduce science to kids while having fun as well.
One of the oldest botanical institutions in America, the Missouri Botanical Garden is home to a wide range of plants from around the world. The centerpiece of the garden is the Climatron, a greenhouse that is enclosed in a geodesic dome that was designed by T.C. Howard of Synergetics, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina. Like with the St. Louis Science Center, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a great place for families to come and learn about plant life in a non classroom setting while having fun at the same time. Other highlights of the garden include the Biblical garden, the annual Japanese and Chinese festivals, the Tower Grove House, Strassenfest German Garden, English Woodland Garden, the Linnean House, Gladney Rose Garden and the Seiwa-en Japanese Garden, which is the largest in North America.
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