Free & Cheap Things to Do in St. Joseph

History & Museums

In the original 1860 stables where Pony Express riders launched the daring relay to Sacramento, this museum brings the mail route to life with a Hall of Riders, hands-on exhibits, and an interactive timeline — the definitive stop on St. Joseph's frontier-history trail.

Address: 914 Penn St, St. Joseph, MO 64503

Tip: Open Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 11–4. Adults $10, students $5, under 3 free; active-duty military families visit free in summer through Blue Star Museums. Allow about an hour.

History & Museums

Built in 1858 as a grand hotel, Patee House served as Pony Express headquarters and now holds a sprawling collection — a full-size train, a re-created Victorian streetscape, and antique vehicles. One block away stands the home where outlaw Jesse James was shot in 1882.

Address: 1202 Penn St, St. Joseph, MO 64503

Tip: Patee House admission is $10 adults / $6 students / free 5 and under. The Jesse James Home a block away charges a small separate fee; groups of 20+ touring both get a combined rate.

Museums & Galleries

One ticket opens four museums on Frederick Avenue, led by the Glore Psychiatric Museum — the world's largest — which chronicles 130 years of state-hospital history through unforgettable exhibits. The complex also holds Native American galleries, the Black Archives, and a doll museum.

Address: 3406 Frederick Ave, St. Joseph, MO 64506

Tip: One admission ($12 adults / $8 students / free under 4) covers all four museums; budget about 1.5 hours. The Glore is intense — best for older kids and up. Groups of 10+ pay $7 each.

Wildlife & Nature

On the Missouri River, this city nature center centers on a 7,000-gallon aquarium of native fish, plus wildlife dioramas, a full-size bison, Native American and Lewis & Clark history, and a paved loop trail around the grounds — a cheap, easy outing for families.

Address: 1502 MacArthur Dr, St. Joseph, MO 64505

Tip: Open Mon–Sat 10–5, Sun 1–5. Adults $5, youth 4–15 just $3, under 4 free. The riverside trail is free to walk even without museum admission.

Arts & Culture

One of the Midwest's notable regional art museums, the Albrecht-Kemper holds a strong collection of 18th- to 21st-century American art in a 1930s Georgian mansion and a modern wing, with changing exhibitions and an active studio-class program.

Address: 2818 Frederick Ave, St. Joseph, MO 64506

Tip: Open Tue–Fri 10–4, weekends 1–4; closed Mondays. Adults $10, students $7, under 6 free. The mansion grounds make a pleasant free stroll.

History & Culture

St. Joseph native Walter Cronkite — 'the most trusted man in America' — is honored in this free memorial at Missouri Western State University. Exhibits trace his career from local roots to the CBS anchor desk, with a re-created newsroom, murals, and video tributes.

Address: 4525 Downs Dr, Spratt Hall, St. Joseph, MO 64507

Tip: In Spratt Hall on the MWSU campus; free admission, open weekdays 10–4 (closed when the university is). Look for the Cronkite banners outside Spratt Hall and park in Lot C.

Parks & Nature

St. Joseph's grand 1890s public park spreads across 165 hilly acres with a natural-bowl amphitheater, a lagoon, stone archways and castle-like structures, a rose garden, and shaded picnic groves and playgrounds — a favorite for free summer movie nights and festivals.

Address: Karnes Rd & St Joseph Ave, St. Joseph, MO 64505

Tip: Open daily and free. The Friends of Krug Park host free family events — movie nights, Park-A-Palooza — through the warm months. Great for a picnic among the historic stonework.

History & Museums

This row of 1850s townhouses was built by city founder Joseph Robidoux, the fur trader who platted St. Joseph. Restored period rooms and the St. Joseph Historical Society's collection tell the story of the town's earliest days for just a few dollars.

Address: 219 E Poulin St, St. Joseph, MO 64501

Tip: Open Tue–Sat 10–4; adults $4, youth $2, under 4 free — one of the cheapest history stops in town. Allow about 45 minutes. Operated by the St. Joseph Historical Society.