Free & Cheap Things to Do in Springfield

History & Culture

The site of the first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi, Wilson's Creek is a stunning free National Battlefield Park with a 5-mile self-guided auto tour, hiking trails through original battlefield terrain, and an excellent visitor center museum. Admission was permanently eliminated in 2023 — one of the best free NPS sites in the Midwest.

Address: 6424 W Farm Rd 182, Republic, MO 65738

Tip: The visitor center film is an excellent 20-minute introduction before doing the auto tour. Trails wind through preserved Civil War terrain — the Ray House and Bloody Hill overlook are the most evocative stops. About 10 miles southwest of downtown Springfield.

Parks & Nature

Free to wander year-round, the Springfield Botanical Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park feature dozens of themed garden areas — including a Japanese stroll garden, native butterfly house, rose garden, iris beds, and native plant collections — spread across a beautiful 113-acre park. One of the best free botanical gardens in the Midwest.

Address: 2400 S Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO 65807

Tip: The outdoor gardens are always free and open year-round during park hours. The Japanese Stroll Garden and butterfly house (April–October) are the highlights. The $6 Botanical Center is optional but worth it for the indoor exhibits.

Arts & Culture

The jaw-dropping world headquarters and flagship store of Bass Pro Shops is a free attraction in its own right — a 500,000-square-foot outdoor sports mecca with massive indoor aquariums, waterfalls, wildlife mounts, and three free on-site museums: the National Archery Museum, National Sporting Arms Museum, and Motor Sports Museum. Hundreds of thousands of people visit just to explore.

Address: 1 Bass Pro Dr, Springfield, MO 65807

Tip: Even if you have no interest in fishing or hunting gear, the sheer spectacle of the store is worth visiting. The free museums inside are surprisingly well done. Next door, the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium is a separate paid attraction (one of the best aquariums in the country).

History & Culture

Springfield's downtown history museum opened in 2019 inside the restored Fox Theatre building on Park Central Square, walking visitors through 14,000 square feet of immersive galleries covering 14,000 years of Ozarks story — from Osage and Cherokee history to Civil War to Route 66 to the famed 1865 Wild Bill Hickok shootout that happened on the very square outside.

Address: 157 Park Central Square, Springfield, MO 65806

Tip: Allow at least 90 minutes to do the galleries justice. The Wild Bill Hickok shootout exhibit is a highlight — the duel happened on the square just outside the museum. Open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–4pm; closed Sundays and Mondays. Park Central Square parking is free for two hours.

Parks & Nature

A 60-acre AZA-accredited zoo on the north side of Springfield home to over 500 animals — including the Asian elephant herd that's been a Dickerson signature for decades, plus giraffes, cheetahs, river otters, and an excellent walk-through aviary. One of the most affordable AZA-accredited zoos in the country for a family day out, with a long-running breeding program for endangered species.

Address: 3043 N Fort Ave, Springfield, MO 65803

Tip: Open year-round but most animal activity is morning to early afternoon, especially in summer when keepers do scattered talks. The elephant exhibit and Wild Africa giraffe yard are the must-sees — free giraffe feeding times are posted at the entrance. Parking is free; strollers rent at the entrance.

History & Culture

A scrappy hands-on military museum on Kearney Street operated by veteran volunteers — outside displays include a restored Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter, a Lockheed T-33 jet trainer, Army jeeps, and field artillery; inside, dense rooms of uniforms, weapons, medals, and personal artifacts span every American conflict from the Revolutionary War through Iraq and Afghanistan. The hands-on promise is literal — visitors are encouraged to handle most exhibits.

Address: 2305 E Kearney St, Springfield, MO 65803

Tip: Open Tuesday–Saturday noon–4pm only. The outdoor aircraft can be photographed any time but accessing cockpits requires being inside the museum. Plan an hour minimum. Volunteer docents are veterans and add the best stories — ask questions and you'll triple your visit.

Arts & Culture

A private collection of over 70 immaculate classic cars displayed in a polished gallery setting at the south edge of Springfield — including a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, several Model A and Model T Fords, a 1929 Duesenberg replica, vintage Cadillacs, and a rotating cast of muscle cars and Hollywood-famous vehicles. Springfield is the official birthplace of Route 66, signed into law on the square here in 1926.

Address: 1634 W College St, Springfield, MO 65806

Tip: Open daily 9am–5pm year-round. Free on-site parking. Photography is encouraged. The gift shop has Route 66 memorabilia worth browsing even if you skip the museum. Plan an hour for the full collection; longer if you read every plaque.

Parks & Nature

A 79-acre Missouri Department of Conservation nature center on Springfield's southeast side with three miles of paved and natural-surface trails through Ozark woodlands, a 2.5-acre lake, and a renovated visitor center packed with live native animals, kid-focused exhibits, and a wraparound deck for bird-watching over the wetlands. One of the best free family destinations in southern Missouri.

Address: 4601 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804

Tip: The visitor center is open Tuesday–Saturday 8am–5pm; trails are open daily sunrise to sunset year-round. Pick up a free trail map at the front desk. The Boardwalk Trail is fully accessible and leads to a wildlife observation deck overlooking Lake Springfield. Free parking.

Museums & Galleries

A six-floor, 60,000-square-foot hands-on science museum downtown, packed with interactive exhibits — a high-ropes Sky Cycle, a crime-scene lab, a kid-sized grocery store, and a tornado simulator. A full day of STEM play in the Queen City of the Ozarks.

Address: 438 E St Louis St, Springfield, MO 65806

Tip: Pay with cash to save $2 a ticket. Closed Mondays. The Sky Cycle ropes course and bubble lab are the big draws. Allow 2–3 hours — it's bigger than it looks from the street.

Shopping & Strolling

Springfield's original 1870s business district, a National Historic district of Romanesque Revival and Victorian storefronts now filled with locally owned shops, international restaurants, murals, and sculptures — a free, walkable slice of the city's railroad-era past just north of downtown.

Address: Commercial St, Springfield, MO 65803

Tip: Free to stroll; shops and murals cluster between Washington and Grant Avenues. First Fridays bring art walks and live music. A great low-cost lunch stop with diverse, independent eateries.

History & Culture

The oldest house still standing in Springfield (1856), preserved in Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park alongside an 1840s log kitchen, a two-crib barn, a log granary, and an 1895 one-room schoolhouse. A free window into Ozarks pioneer life, staffed by costumed volunteers on weekends.

Address: 2400 S Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO 65807

Tip: Grounds are free dawn to dusk; the buildings open weekend afternoons April–October (1:30–4:30pm) with costumed interpreters. It sits inside the free Springfield Botanical Gardens park — easy to combine.