Tips for Visiting The City Museum in St. Louis

Our adult kids have been telling our younger girls about The City Museum in St. Louis for years.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. [Learn more]

They have visited the museum on a road trip to Wisconsin they take each year with Chey’s in-laws.

The City Museum

So, this past summer, while planning our Airstream Road Trip, we knew we had to put in our list of things to do.

Even when things kept changing logistically during the planning process, I insisted we had to go through St. Louis.

And I’m so glad we did! The kids had such an incredible time at The City Museum. It was a perfect break after hours on the road and completely exhausted our energies for a good night’s rest.

Mostly though, we had a blast! Although I couldn’t do as much as the kids (hello, claustrophobia), I was able to do quite a bit.

But there was nothing really keeping the kids from exploring every floor of the museum.

Well, other than the fact that we meet a terrible storm driving into St. Louis that left behind a bit of damage in its path. And, unfortunately, some of that damage was to the roof of The City Museum.

So… we weren’t able to go on the roof during our visit, but do plan on going back and doing it the next chance we get!

But, that didn’t ruin our experience. We still had a fabulous time and made the most out of our visit, even when the storms hit again while we were climbing outside.

Fortunately, because our older kids had visited a few times, they were able to give us plenty of tips before we stopped. Therefore, now I’m going to share those tips with you!

Tips for Visiting The City Museum

• Wear closed-toed shoes. Flip-flops or sandals will not give you the best climbing experience.
• Dress in light clothing. Climbing and exploring with several dozen other people can get warm. Clothing that allows you to climb comfortably without overheating is probably best.
• Knee pads are your friends. Our kids fought us on these but soon discovered there was a real need for them. We bought knee pads with high-density strengthen foam for plenty of protection.
• A clip-on flashlight can be extremely helpful. Some of the climbing areas can be a little dark.
• Admission price is lower after 5pm on Friday and Saturday evenings; plus your wristbands allow you to come and go. You can also purchase tickets online to save time!
• The roof level is an additional charge and is open seasonally, weather permitting (as I described above).
• The City Museum Parking is $10 (cash only) or there is meter parking along the nearby streets.
• There are no maps, so have a meeting place (especially for younger children). Writing your phone number on your child’s wristband is a great idea!
• There is a toddler area on the third level near the Circus (which is free, by the way; look for posted times).
• The entrance to the “Enchanted Caves” and 10-story slide is on the 1st floor near the front of the museum, by the stairs.

We were at The City Museum for several hours. Fortunately, there are also restaurants on various levels of the museum and plenty of water to stay hydrated!

If you plan on making the stop on a road trip, you’re going to want to allow a good bit of time to explore it all.

As I mentioned above, it was a great way for the kids to stretch their legs after being in the car all day.

Plus, if you have time during your stay in St. Louis, we also recommend visiting The Gateway Arch.

We found the history behind it quite interesting and enjoyed the walk around the grounds.