City Museum
A former shoe warehouse in St Louis rebuilt into a climbable structure of salvaged bridges, planes and industrial parts.
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Bob Cassilly, a sculptor, bought a ten-storey shoe warehouse in 1993 and turned it into something that resists description: tunnels of rebar and concrete, salvaged chimneys and bank vaults, two decommissioned aircraft, a school bus cantilevered off the roof edge, and slides including one that drops ten storeys. Almost everything is made from architectural salvage collected around the city. It is designed to be climbed through rather than looked at, with unmarked routes and crawlspaces where adults get stuck. Cassilly died in 2011 in an accident on site and the work has continued. The rooftop, seasonal and extra, holds a Ferris wheel. There is no map, deliberately.
What you actually see
- A climbable building - tunnels, caves and passages through salvage.
- Aircraft and a school bus on the roof - the bus cantilevered over the edge.
- A ten-storey slide - among many others.
- No map, by design - you find your own way through.
When to go
Year round; the rooftop is seasonal. A full day.
Honest expectations
It is physical - expect crawling, bruises and getting stuck. Not suitable for anyone with mobility limits or claustrophobia. Weekend evenings are extremely crowded. The rooftop costs extra and closes in winter.
Nearby
The Gateway Arch is east; Washington Avenue runs through downtown.
What to pack for City Museum
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
