Free & Cheap Things to Do in St. Louis

Iconic Landmarks

The 630-foot stainless-steel Arch is the tallest US monument and the symbol of St. Louis. Its riverfront grounds and excellent underground museum — six galleries on westward expansion — are completely free; only the tram to the top costs extra. The 1864 Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott case was argued, is part of the park and also free.

Address: 11 N 4th St, St. Louis, MO 63102

Tip: The grounds, museum, and Old Courthouse are free. The tram to the top is pricey ($39+) and sells out — reserve ahead or skip it for the free museum. National Park fee-free days waive part of the tram cost.

Parks & Nature

At 1,300+ acres, Forest Park is larger than New York's Central Park and the green heart of St. Louis. It holds four major free institutions plus boating, biking and walking trails, the Jewel Box greenhouse, and the Muny outdoor theater — and hosted the 1904 World's Fair and Olympics.

Address: 5595 Grand Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112

Tip: Parts of the park are recovering from the May 2026 storm — check before visiting specific areas. Free parking throughout. Rent a bike or paddleboat in summer. The free art museum, science center, zoo, and history museum all sit inside the park.

Arts & Culture

One of the nation's leading free art museums, with 30,000+ works spanning six continents and 5,000 years — a renowned German Expressionist and Oceanic collection among them — inside a grand 1904 World's Fair palace atop Art Hill in Forest Park.

Address: 1 Fine Arts Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110

Tip: Free general admission daily; special exhibitions sometimes charge (often free on Fridays). The Art Hill view down to the Grand Basin is iconic at sunset. Free parking in the garage and lot.

Museums & Galleries

One of only a handful of free science centers in the country, with 700+ hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, live demonstrations, and a skybridge over the highway where kids clock the speed of passing cars. An easy half-day of free STEM play just south of Forest Park.

Address: 5050 Oakland Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

Tip: General admission and most exhibits are free; the OMNIMAX theater and some special exhibits cost extra. The domed James S. McDonnell Planetarium is the landmark. Reserve free timed entry online on busy days.

Family & Wildlife

Consistently ranked among the best zoos in America — and free. Home to 12,000+ animals across penguins, big cats, primates, and a renowned elephant program in Forest Park. An optional Adventure Pass covers the railroad, carousel, and sea lion show.

Address: 1 Government Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110

Tip: Free general admission every day. The optional Adventure Pass bundles the railroad, carousel, 4D theater, and sea lion show — worth it with kids. Arrive early for free street parking, or pay the zoo lot.

History & Museums

Free in Forest Park, this Missouri Historical Society museum covers Lewis & Clark, the 1904 World's Fair, Route 66, and St. Louis's role in westward expansion and the civil rights era, plus a Charles Lindbergh gallery. It runs a free monthly homeschool day.

Address: 5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112

Tip: Free general admission. The 1904 World's Fair gallery is the highlight. Free homeschool days run one Friday a month, September–May. The grand columned building anchors the north end of Forest Park.

Arts & Culture

A free, fence-free downtown sculpture park where two city blocks fill with world-class contemporary art — pieces by Niki de Saint Phalle, Mark di Suvero, and a giant Tom Otterness figure — alongside fountains, a video wall, and a wading pool kids splash in all summer.

Address: 801 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63101

Tip: Always free and open; kids can wade in the spray plaza and pool in summer (bring towels). It sits on the downtown Gateway Mall, an easy walk from the Arch. Cafe on site.

History & Architecture

One of the largest mosaic collections in the world blankets this 1914 Byzantine-Romanesque basilica — 41.5 million glass tesserae across 83,000 square feet of glittering domes and ceilings. Free to enter and quietly take in; a small downstairs Mosaic Museum asks a $2 donation.

Address: 4431 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108

Tip: Free to visit outside Mass times — check the schedule first. The mosaics glow in morning light. The lower-level Mosaic Museum ($2 donation) explains how they were laid over 70+ years.

Arts & Culture

A free 105-acre outdoor museum in south county with 70+ large-scale sculptures set among woods and meadows, including a monumental Tony Smith and Donald Lipski's giant 'Ball? Ball! Wall? Wall!' Walking trails, an indoor gallery, and family art programs round it out.

Address: 12580 Rott Rd, St. Louis, MO 63127

Tip: Free, open daily 7am to 30 minutes past sunset. Wear walking shoes — sculptures are spread along wooded trails. The Aronson gallery and shop keep shorter hours. Great for kids to roam.

Family & Wildlife

The 281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family, named for Ulysses S. Grant, who once farmed the land. A free tram winds through a deer park to the Tiergarten — a petting zoo with goats, Clydesdales, bird shows, and animal feedings. A classic free St. Louis family day.

Address: 10501 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63123

Tip: General admission is free; you pay only for parking (plus optional food and animal feedings). Open seasonally and closed in winter, so check dates. Reserve a free timed ticket online on busy summer days.

History & Museums

A free downtown military-history museum in a 1930s Art Deco landmark, run by the Missouri Historical Society. Two galleries honor St. Louis-area veterans from the Civil War to today through uniforms, vehicles, and personal stories, ringed by a memorial court and monuments.

Address: 1315 Chestnut St, St. Louis, MO 63103

Tip: Free admission, closed Mondays. The Art Deco building and surrounding Memorial Plaza monuments are worth a walk. Pairs well with nearby Citygarden and the Central Library, both free and a few blocks away.

Shopping & Strolling

A six-block entertainment district straddling St. Louis and University City, lined with indie shops, restaurants, and music venues — plus the St. Louis Walk of Fame, 150+ bronze sidewalk stars honoring famous Missourians from Chuck Berry to Maya Angelou. Free to stroll and star-spot.

Address: 6500 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63130

Tip: Free to wander; the Walk of Fame stars run along Delmar Boulevard — find Chuck Berry's star and statue. Lots of cheap, diverse eats. The vintage Loop Trolley runs some weekends for a small fare.

Parks & Gardens

The nation's oldest botanical garden in continuous operation (1859) and a National Historic Landmark — 79 acres including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, the geodesic Climatron rainforest dome, a children's garden, and founder Henry Shaw's 1850 estate home.

Address: 4344 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110

Tip: $16 adults; kids 12 and under free. St. Louis City and County residents get in free Wednesday and Saturday 7am–noon with ID. The Climatron and Japanese Garden are the must-sees; the children's garden is a small add-on.

Family Fun

St. Louis Children's Museum — three floors of hands-on exhibits where kids run a kid-sized town, climb a three-story beanstalk, build in the art studio, and touch the famous static-electricity ball. A perennial family favorite in suburban Kirkwood.

Address: 516 S Kirkwood Rd, St. Louis, MO 63122

Tip: $15 per person (under 1 free). Free Family Night runs the third Friday of each month, 5–8pm. Regional residents pay just $3 after 3pm. The newer MADE for Kids maker space nearby is a separate ticket.

Quirky Landmarks

A gloriously surreal playground built inside a former shoe factory from salvaged city parts — caves, ten stories of climbing tunnels, a school bus perched on the roof, aircraft fuselages, and giant slides. Equal parts art installation and jungle gym, and unlike anywhere else on earth.

Address: 750 N 16th St, St. Louis, MO 63103

Tip: $20 online beats the door price; under 2 free. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you can crawl in — knee pads are rentable. The rooftop and Ferris wheel are weather-dependent add-ons. Evenings are less crowded.