Missouri Historical Museum
Lindell Blvd. and DeBaliviere Avenue - Forest Park
St. Louis, MO
314-746-4599

The Missouri Historical Society operates the Missouri History Museum. The Historical Society, which was founded in 1866, has been collecting written records, photographs and artifacts representing the people who live and work in St. Louis and Missouri. The Society was housed at a number of locations until 1913, when it moved to the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park. The Jefferson Memorial Building is on the site of the main entrance to the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis World's Fair) and was built with proceeds from the fair. In 2000 a significant building addition, the Emerson Center, was completed. The Emerson Center features a ground-to-roof southern glass façade and provides substantially more exhibition space, an auditorium, classrooms, a restaurant, and a gift shop.

The Missouri History Museum is dedicated to documenting and interpreting the history of the St. Louis area. The museum permanent collection includes both national artifacts, as well as Missouri and St. Louis related materials. The original Louisiana Purchase transfer document that formally passed the Louisiana Territory from Spain to France on March 9, 1804 can be seen. The French then signed over the territory to the U. S. the next day. Among the signers was Meriwether Lewis, co-leader of the Lewis & Clark expedition that explored the new American territory from 1804-1806. Artifacts from the Lewis and Clark Expedition are in the permanent collection, as St. Louis was the starting point for the expedition. The museum also displays personal artifacts from explorer William Clark including furnishings and artifacts from his St. Louis office. The Museum also displays a number of local colonial and Native American artifacts.

The Missouri Historical Society hosts both traveling and special exhibits. Use the link to the Historical Society's website below to find out what is currently showing at the Museum.

Visiting the Missouri Historical History
     Visiting Hours
          10 am to 5 pm daily. Tuesdays: 10 am - 8 pm
          The Museum will be closes early on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve
          Closed Christmas Day
General admission to the Museum is free. Tickets are required for special exhibits except on Tuesdays when they are free.

Location: The Missouri Historical Museum is located on Lindell Blvd. at the intersection of DeBaliviere Avenue along the northern border of Forest Park. The Museum is also accessible by MetroLink by taking the light rail to the Forest Park station.

Learn more about the St. Louis area.

Missouri Historical Society - Use the official site of the Missouri Historical Society for answers to all the questions you may have.