St. Louis Art Museum
The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the leading art museums in the country. With an average of more than 550,000 visitors each year, the Museum is among the top ten nationwide in attendance. The oldest publicly supported art museum in the country, it consistently ranks first nationwide in per capita educational service to its community.
Areas of notable depth include Oceanic art, pre-Columbian art, ancient Chinese bronzes, and European and American art of the late 19th and 20th centuries, with particular strength in 20th-century German painting. The Museum also offers a full range of featured exhibitions and a research library.
Built as the Fine Arts Palace of the 1904 World’s Fair and one of the nation’s leading comprehensive art museums. Collections include works of art of exceptional quality from virtually every culture and time period. Highlights include free admission to special exhibitions on Fri. and programs that range from films to performances.
The Museum was founded in 1879 and was then called the St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts, an independent entity within Washington University. The museum has the largest collection of artwork on display in the city, with three floors featuring a variety of styles of artwork from all over the world. The first floor has artwork from all of the continents. The second has more traditional artwork such as paintings, Christian art, sculptures, and special exhibits. The third floor has abstract and contemporary art.
Designed by famed architect Cass Gilbert, the Museum’s Beaux-Arts style building bears the inscription Dedicated to Art and Free to All. Through generations of public support and private benefaction, the Museum has assembled one of the finest comprehensive art collections in the country.
Admission fees to featured exhibitions vary; admission to featured exhibitions is always free on Fridays. All other exhibitions are free every day.
Location: One Fine Arts Drive Forest Park, St. Louis, MO
Phone: (314) 721-0072
Hours: Tue. – Sun., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Open until 9 p.m. on Fri.; Closed Mon., Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
