Where Can You Go for Free?

In most cities, not far.

But St. Louis is not most cities. Here you’ll find more than 60 interesting things for nothing. We kid you not. You can have fun for days here and spend nothing-nada, zip, zero.

And most of the places you can visit without spending a cent aren’t lightweight freebies. They are some of the best attractions in town. Here’s a sampling of what you can do for free in St. Louis:

Visit the world. The world-famous Saint Louis Zoo has more than 6,000 exotic animals, many of them rare and endangered, from the major continents and habitats of the world. Wander through the Jungle of the Apes and the River’s Edge - the zoo’s 10-acre exhibit - for its elephants, cheetahs, mongooses and hyenas. The area includes a waterfall, streams and hills. The coolest place in town is the new Penguin & Puffin Coast habitat and The Fragile Forest home of the great apes. In the Zoo’s Living World center, hands-on, interactive exhibits teach lessons on man’s relationship to the animal world and creepy, crawly critters and beautiful butterflies are awesome inhabitants of the Monsanto Insectarium.

Feed your soul. The Saint Louis Art Museum, the first public-funded art museum in the country, has an extensive collection of 30,000 objects from ancient to contemporary - the museum’s pre-Columbian and German Expressionist collections are considered among the best in the world - and you can see it all for free. Then visit Laumeier Sculpture Park for a free taste of art of another kind. A free 96-acre sculpture park with an outdoor sculpture garden, a museum of art and hiking trails, Laumeier features a fascinating, sometimes whimsical, collection of permanent and visiting modern sculptures. There are free museums located within the Grand Center arts and entertainment district at the following venues: The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays, highlights contemporary art and architecture; the adjacent Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is free to visitors each Thursday and neighboring Saint Louis University Museum of Art has complimentary admission.

Experience the rivers. Plan time to relax and watch the barges as they make their way up and down the Mississippi, the country’s longest river. Pretend you’re Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn and try skipping pebbles across the water as you meander the cobblestone shoreline of the St. Louis Riverfront. Then learn all about the Mighty Mississippi at the brand new, National Great Rivers Museum located at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in nearby Alton, Il. View the breathtaking coming together of America’s two great rivers - the Mississippi and Missouri - at Confluence State Park.

Touch history. St. Louis is full of history - and much of it is free. For starters, visit the Old Courthouse downtown where the Dred Scott slavery trial was held. If your timing is right, you might be able to participate in a courtroom trial reenactment there. Then spend a day at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park where a brand new exhibit gives visitors a glimpse at the storied 1904 World’s Fair. And, explore the many sites where legendary travelers Lewis & Clark began their historic journey of discovery.

Tackle a mystery for free. One of the biggest mysteries of all time is detailed at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site just minutes from downtown St. Louis. Here the remnants of a prehistoric group of people living and working in the complex community known as the Land of the Sun can be viewed as the story of this Indian civilization which vanished after 1300 AD is told. Then climb the 100-foot tall Monks Mound, largest prehistoric earthen structure in the New World, for some great views of the St. Louis skyline.

Something exciting is always going on at the Saint Louis Science Center. In hands-on exhibits, visitors can explore the gene scene and cast their vote on the ethical issues of genetic engineering; build a replica of the Gateway Arch; see what it’s like to live, work and play on the International Boeing Space Station; clock the speed of cars zooming beneath their feet from the enclosed bridge spanning I-64 with a radar gun and lots more.

Spend a free day in the “country.” Grant’s Farm, the former homestead of President Ulysses S. Grant, is now a 281-acre wildlife preserve with more than a 1,000 animals from six continents. It is also home to one of the Budweiser Clydesdale breeding and training facilities. Visitors can have an up-close view of Grant’s cabin “Hardscrabble,” and take a tram ride through the Deer Park. There’s also a petting zoo and an area where you can feed the goats. Grant’s Farm is the ancestral home of the Busch family of Anheuser-Busch brewery fame. Across the road, the free Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is another of Grant’s St. Louis homes - historic White Haven.

Walk on the retro side. Even if you’re not old enough to remember the legendary Route 66 or its famous T.V. show, you’ll love St. Louis’s newest state park-Route 66 State Park. There are miles of trails for walking and biking and a free museum with memorabilia from the days when Route 66 was America’s Main Street. Then experience the historic Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Once Route 66’s link between Illinois and Missouri, the bridge is now America’s longest pedestrian bridge. It’s open daily to hikers and bikers.

See how they brew it! St. Louis has long been famous for its beer, and you can see how it’s made with a free tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The tour includes the historic Brewhouse, the Budweiser Clydesdale stables, the lager cellar and the packaging plant. Also included is a stop at the Hospitality Room for a free sample. Complimentary tours on a smaller but no-less-interesting scale are served up at the new Schlafly Bottleworks, a microbrewery tour that features a fascinating video about St. Louis’ beer-brewing history and beer manufacturing and advertising memorabilia.

Make like a Victorian. Travel through Tower Grove Park and enjoy the gazebos statues and fountains of this Victorian walking park created in 1868 by Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw.

Free Time. While there’s no general admission charged at St. Louis’ Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center and Missouri History museum, there are days or times when fees to special exhibits at these institutions are waived. Daily from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. at the Saint Louis Zoo, visitors can enter the special Children’s Zoo for free. Fees for special exhibits at the Missouri History Museum are waived every Tuesday when museum hours expand to 8:00 p.m. Each Friday the Saint Louis Art Museum hours are extended to 9:00 p.m. when special exhibits are open at no cost courtesy of a grant by the Ford Motor Company. Free, one-hour docent led tours of the collection are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum, waives its admission charge on the third Friday evening of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. thanks to Target stores. A grant to The Magic House from the Anheuser-Busch Companies provides free Summertime Tuesday Nights, also from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. from June through October (excluding July 4). Free admission is for families (two adults and four of their own children).

Free Theatre. Late spring brings free theatre to Forest Park during the annual Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and 1500 free seats are available on a first come, first serve basis to each performance at The Muny during its mid-June through mid-August season of Broadway revival musical entertainment.

These are just a few of the many freebies awaiting visitors to St. Louis. So plan a visit soon and see how many things you can pack in for free.

Places to Go:

Anheuser-Busch Brewery (http://www.budweisertours.com) - I -55 & Arsenal St., (314) 577-2626

James “Cool Papa” Bell Memorial - St. Peter’s Cemetery, 2101 Lucas & Hunt Road

Bellefontaine Cemetery - 4947 W. Florissant Ave., (314) 381-0750

Bigfoot 4x4 (http://www.bigfoot4x4.com) - 6311 N. Lindbergh Blvd., (314) 731-2822

Black Madonna Shrine (http://www.franciscancaring.org/blackmadonnaforward.html) - St. Joseph Road, Eureka, MO 63025, (636) 938 5361

Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site (http://www.state.il.us/hpa/hs/Courthouse.htm) - Hwy. 157 & Rte. 3, Cahokia, IL, (618) 332-1782

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site & Interpretive Center(http://www.cahokiamounds.com) - 30 Ramey St., Collinsville, IL(, 618) 346-5160

Calvary Cemetery (http://www.stlcathcem.org) - 5239 West Florissant Ave., (314) 381-1313

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (New Cathedral) (http://www.cathedralstl.org) - Lindell Blvd. & Newstead Ave., (314) 533-0544

Center for American Archeology (http://www.caa-archeology.org) - Kampsville, IL, (618) 653-4316

Christ Church Cathedral (http://www.yourcathedral.org) - 1210 Locust St., (314) 231-3454

Civilian Conservation Corps Museum (http://www.cccalumni.org/museum.html) - 16 Hancock Ave., (314) 487-8666

Clark Gravesite - Bellefontaine Cemetery, 4947 W. Florissant Ave., (314) 381-0750

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area (http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/areas/areas/bottom) - Columbia Bottom Rd., (314) 441-4554

Concordia Historical Institute (http://chi.lcms.org) - 801 DeMun Ave., (314) 505-7900

Confluence Point State Park (http://www.mostateparks.com/confluence.htm) - Edward and Pat Jones State Park, West Alton, MO at confluence of Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, (636) 940-3325

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (http://www.contemporarystl.org/default.asp) - 3750 Washington Boulevard, (314) 535-4660: Free Thursdays Only

Craft Alliance Gallery (http://www.craftalliance.org) - 6640 Delmar, (314) 725-1177

Crown Valley Winery Tour (http://www.crownvalleywinery.com) - 23589 State Rte. WW, Ste. Genevieve, MO, (573) 756-9463

Dental Health Theatre - 727 N. First St . - Suite 103, (314) 241-7391

Eads Bridge - St. Louis Riverfront

Eckert’s Country Store & Farms (http://www.eckerts.com) - 951 Greenmount Rd., Belleville, IL, (618) 233-0513

Forest Park Visitor Center (http://www.forestparkforever.org) - Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, Forest Park, 5595 Grand Dr., (314) 367-7275

Fort Belle Fontaine (http://www.stlouisco.com/parks/ftbellefontaine.html) - N. end of Bellefontaine Rd. at the Missouri HillsHome, (314) 544-4714

Gateway Classic Cars, Antiques and Treasures (http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com) - 5401 Collinsville Rd., Fairmont City, IL, (618) 271-3000 or (800) 231-3616

Grant’s Farm (http://www.grantsfarm.com)- 10501 Gravois, (314) 843-1700

Great Rivers Museum (http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Rivers/ngrm.htm) - #2 Lock & Dam Rd., Alton, IL, (618) 462-6979 or (877) 462-6979 (toll free)

Holocaust Museum & Learning Center (http://www.hmlc.org) - 12 Millstone Campus Dr., (314) 432-0020 ext. 3711

Holy Family Parish Log Church (http://www.cahokia.cjb.net) - Hwy. 157 & Rte. 3, Cahokia, IL, (618) 332-1782

Jefferson Barracks Historic Park (http://www.stlouisco.com/parks/j-b.html) - S. Broadway & Kingston (south side), (314) 544-5714

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (http://www.cem.va.gov/nchp/jeffersonbarracks.htm) - 2900 Sheridan Rd, (314) 260-8720

Katy Trail State Park (http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail/index.html) - *begins in St. Charles, MO, (660) 882-8196

Laumeier Sculpture Park (http://www.laumeier.com) - Geyer & Rott Rds., (314) 821-1209

Lewis & Clark Monument - Frontier Park, St. Charles, (800) 366-2427

Lewis & Clark State Historic Site (http://www.campriverdubois.com) - 1 Lewis & Clark Trail, Hartford, IL, (618) 251-5811

James S. McDonnell Prologue Room (http://www.boeing.com/prologueroom/flash.html) - Corner of McDonnell Blvd. and Airport Rd., (314) 232-6896

Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing (http://www.confluencegreenway.org) - On the Riverfront Trail, (314) 416-9930

Melvin Price Locks & Dam (http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Rivers/ngrm.htm) - #2 Lock & Dam Rd., Alton, IL, Call National Great Rivers Museum @ (618) 462-6979 or (877) 462-6979 (toll free)

Memories Museum (http://www.stlouisunionstation.com) - St. Louis Union Station, 1820 Market Street, 2nd Level, St. Louis, MO 63101(314) 421-6655

Missouri History Museum (Missouri Historical Society) (http://www.mohistory.org) - Forest Park, (314) 746-4599

Mount Pleasant Winery Tastings (http://www.mountpleasant.com) - 5634 High Street, Augusta, MO, (636) 482-WINE or (800) 467-WINE

Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (http://mocra.slu.edu) - 221 North Grand Blvd., (314) 977-7170

Museum of Westward Expansion (http://www.nps.gov/jeff/mus-tour.htm) - *Under the Arch, (314) 982-1410

John B. Myers House - 180 Dunn Rd., (314) 837-7661

National Great Rivers Museum (http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Rivers/ngrm.htm) - #2 Lock & Dam Rd., Melvin Price Locks and Dam, Alton, IL, (618) 462-6979 or (877) 462-6979 (toll free)

National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows (http://www.snows.org) - 442 S. DeMazenod Dr., Belleville, IL, (618) 397-6700

Old Cathedral (Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France) (http://www.catholic-forum.com/stlouisking) - 209 Walnut St., (314) 231-3250

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (Trailnet, Inc.) (http://www.trailnet.org) - North of St. Louis on the Mississippi River, (314) 416-9930

Old Courthouse (http://www.nps.gov/jeff/och.htm) - 11 N. 4th St., (314) 655-1600

Old St. Ferdinand’s Shrine (http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/oldferdinand.htm) - 1Rue, ST. Francois, (314) 837-2110

Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center (http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/areas/cnc/powder) - 11715 Cragwold Rd., (314) 301-1500

Powell Symphony Hall Tours (http://www.slso.org) - 718 N. Grand Blvd., (314) 286-4104

Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts (http://www.pulitzerarts.org) - 3716 Washington Blvd., (314) 754-1850

Purina Farms (http://www.purina.com/company/profile/purinafarms.asp) - 200 Checkerboard Dr., Gray Summit, MO, (314) 982-3232

Riverfront Trail(Trailnet, Inc.) (http://www.trailnet.org) - *begins in Laclede’s Landing, (314) 416-9930

Rockwoods Reservation (http://mdc.mo.gov/areas/stlouis) - 2751 Glencoe Rd., (636) 458-2236

Route 66 State Park (http://www.mostateparks.com/route66.htm) - 97 N. Outer Rd., Eureka, MO, (636) 938-7198

Sacagawea Statue - Lewis & Clark Community College, Godfrey, IL, (800) 258-6645

Saint Louis Art Museum (http://www.slam.org) - Forest Park, (314) 721-0072

Saint Louis Artists Guild (http://www.stlouisartistsguild.org) - Two Oak Knoll Park, (314) 727-9599

St. Louis Fire Dept. Museum - 1421 N. Jefferson Ave., (314) 289-1933

St. Louis Mercantile Library (http://www.umsl.edu/mercantile) - University of Missouri - St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Rd., in the Thomas Jefferson Library, (314) 516-7240

St. Louis Public Library (http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us) - 1301 Olive St., (314) 241-2288

Saint Louis Science Center (http://www.slsc.org) - 5050 Oakland Ave., (800) 456-7572

St. Louis Union Station (http://www.stlouisunionstation.com) - Market Street (between 18th & 20th Sts.), (314) 421-6655

Saint Louis University Museum of Art (http://sluma.slu.edu) - 3663 Lindell Blvd., (314) 977-3399

St. Louis Walk of Fame (http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org) - 6504 Delmar, (314) 727-STAR

Saint Louis Zoo (http://www.stlzoo.org) - Forest Park, (314) 781-0900

Schlafly Bottleworks Brewery Tour (http://www.schlafly.com) - 7260 Southwest Ave., (314) 241-2337

Shrine of St. Joseph (http://www.shrineofstjoseph.org) - 1220 N. 11th St. at Biddle, (314) 231-9407

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum - 1315 Chestnut, (314) 622-4550

Soulard Farmer’s Market (http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/soulardmarket) - 7th & Lafayette Sts., (314) 622-4180

Stone Hill Winery (http://www.stonehillwinery.com) - 1110 Stone Hill Hwy., Hermann, MO, (573) 486-2221 or (800) 909-9463

Suson Park Animal Farm (http://www.stlouisco.com/parks/suson.html) - Wells Rd., south of Hwy. 21, (314) 615-4FUN

Tower Grove Park (http://www.towergrovepark.org) - 4255 Arsenal St., (314) 771-2679

Trailnet, Inc.(Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Riverfront Trail, etc.) (http://www.trailnet.org) - 3900 Reavis Barracks Rd., (314) 416-9930

Trinity Lutheran Church (http://www.historictrinitystlouis.org) - 8th & Soulard Sts., (314) 231-4092

Turtle Playground (http://www.stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark/turtle.html) - Oakland & Tamm Aves., (314) 289-5300

Vaughn Cultural Center/Urban League- 3701 Grandel Square, (314) 615-3600

Ville Monument - Martin Luther King Blvd. & Sarah Ave., (314) 534-8015

Washington University Gallery of Art (http://www.galleryofart.wustl.edu) - Forsyth & Skinker Blvds., (314) 935-4523

Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center( http://www.wssrap.com) - 7295 Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO, (636) 329-1438

White Haven - Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site (http://www.nps.gov/ulsg) - 7400 Grant Rd., (314) 842-3298

World Bird Sanctuary (http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org) - 125 Bald Eagle Ridge Road, Valley Park, MO, (636) 225-4390

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