St. Louis Magic House
Photo by Denise Bertacchi

The Magic House Children's Museum in Kirkwood has been a family favorite for 30 years. The Magic House can be enjoyed by kids from babies to about 12 years old.

Little ones will love Little Bit of Magic, a special area set aside as a play space for kids under 6. The scaled down exhibits include an indoor sandbox, slides and water table area.

One of the most interesting sections in the Magic House is the Children’s Village, a child-sized town ready for imaginative play. Kids can "fish" in the pond, shop in the grocery store or try their hand at auto repair with a kid sized garage. There's even a TV station where kids can film their own newscast.

The oldest part of the Magic House is full of hands on science experiments. Kids can build with magnets, study electricity, play with air power and so much more.

The newest addition to the Magic House has more exhibits for older kids. Here you can check out a realistic mock-up of the White House’s Oval Office, see a kid-sized construction zone and climb a three-story beanstalk.

First time visitors should be warned that the Magic House isn’t stroller friendly. This has nothing to do with a lack of access – in fact, the Magic House has several elevators and is handicap accessible. The problem is the crowds of excited children. Even on a Tuesday afternoon, visitors are likely to run into a swarm of kids on field trip or playgroup moms. The oldest part of the Magic House is actually a Victorian home with the exhibits crammed into tight quarters.

If you want to see the whole House, get a map and work through it in zones. Plan several hours if you want to see the whole thing.

For more info: the Magic House is located at 516 S. Kirkwood Rd, St. Louis, MO. Admission is $8.50 for everyone over 1 year old. Go to the Magic House website for driving directions and hours of operation, which change with the season. Click here to find out about the Magic House’s hotel specials for out of town guests.

Click here to find coupons for free admission to the Magic House and other St. Louis attractions.