St. Louis: Two Unique Experiences

St. Louis is a great place for educational tours or senior class trips. The Gateway City features a vast array of things to keep a group occupied. But what to do after your group has made the obligatory visit to the Arch, and spent a few days exploring Forest Park? What else is there? The answer can be found in some of St. Louis’ more eclectic experiences. These can be found all over the city, if you know where to look. The Delmar Loop and the St. Louis City Museum are two such places, and for a true taste of the St. Louis Spirit, your group won’t want to miss them.

The City Museum is one of St. Louis’ most unique experiences. It is one of the strangest museums your group will visit. Designed by Bob Casilly, it is located in an old shoe factory and mostly contains recycled and salvaged materials. This gives the museum a very diverse and artsy feeling. Hundreds of tin bread pans line the walls of the first floor, a two story slide is constructed from old factory parts, and an abandoned plane is now suspended outside the museum and can only be reached by crawling through an iron slinky that hangs from the second story.

The first floor of the museum emulates an underwater scene, and includes a fish tank, caves and a giant whale with a tubular digestive tract that can be climbed into. The more adventurous guests will find some fun in the ball pit, which is filled with large rubber dodge balls. There is also an outdoor climbing playground that loops and twists several stories into the air. The second floor leads to an aquarium that is filled with a world of stingrays, sharks and seahorses, and the third floors features a three ring circus with daily performances. Students who like art should check out Art City, where they can watch professional artists blow glass, or create some art of their own. Guests are invited to paint, mold clay, tie-dye or make mobiles out of paper scraps and recycled items. The City Museum offers group discounts, and tour of the aquarium. If desired, the City Museum can also provide material for a scavenger hunt as well as discussion questions that focus on specific aspects of the museum. This is truly an experience that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

The Delmar Loop is another place that will afford a unique experience. This street was named one of the top ten streets in the United States by the American Planning Association, and once you visit you’ll know why. Simply walking down the street is an experience in itself, and older students especially will enjoy soaking in the atmosphere and doing some shopping. Street musicians and performers line the walkways especially during the summer months. Specialty shops, vintage clothing stores and record shops can be found and restaurants offering Thai and Greek dishes add spice to the experience. The Tivoli is also located on this street and is an old theater that shows independent and foreign films.

These are just a few unique places to visit when your group is in St. Louis. They are definitely two experiences that will give your group an idea of the St. Louis Atmosphere.