Discover St. Louis
St. Louis Educational Tours
Towering high above the city is the Gateway Arch, a symbol of hope and adventure. From its beginnings as a French trading post, St. Louis gained fortune and fame as the Gateway to the West following the Louisiana Purchase.
St. Louis Overview
The Gateway Arch is just the beginning of a long list of reasons this city is a great destination for educational student tours. St. Louis is home to numerous museums, galleries, and cultural institutions that offer a variety of educational and cultural opportunities for students. Considered the Gateway to the West after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, St. Louis has been a highly influential yet often forgotten contributor in shaping American history. Many iconic aspects of American culture such as the Corvette, ragtime, blues and rock ‘n roll music, and baseball have strong ties with St. Louis.
Another must-visit attraction in St. Louis is the Missouri History Museum, which features exhibits on the state’s history and culture. The museum offers a variety of educational programs and events, including lectures, workshops, and guided tours. Students can also visit the Saint Louis Art Museum, which features an extensive collection of art from around the world, including works by famous artists like Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh. For those interested in science and technology, the Saint Louis Science Center is a must-visit attraction. The center features a variety of interactive exhibits and displays on topics like space exploration, human health, and sustainability. At one point in time, Union Station was the busiest train station in the United States. Though it no longer functions as a train station, Union Station is a great location for students groups and offers restaurants, shopping, mini-golf, and even houses the St. Louis Aquarium.
St. Louis also offers plenty of outdoor educational activities for students to enjoy. The Missouri Botanical Garden features a variety of gardens and exhibits on plant life and sustainability, as well as the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House and the Climatron. A visit to St. Louis would be incomplete without at least a glimpse of the waterfront and the mighty Mississippi River where students can see their textbooks come to life on a classic riverboat cruise.
The Gateway Arch
Every city has its own individual skyline, but the ones that really stick out in our minds usually owe their distinctive quality to one or two particular structures. The star of the St. Louis skyline is, of course, the Gateway Arch. This 630-foot monument commemorates the westward expansion of the United States – but did you know that students can take a tram ride to the top of the arch, which offers stunning views of the city and the Mississippi River? The Gateway Arch also features a museum that tells the story of the westward expansion and its impact on the country.
City Museum
Per Explore St. Louis, “Housed in the 600,000 sq. ft. former International Shoe Company, the museum is an eclectic mixture of children’s playground, fun house, surrealistic pavilion and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur, the museum opened for visitors in 1997 to the riotous approval of young and old alike. Cassilly and his longtime crew of 20 artisans have constructed the museum from the very stuff of the city and, as a result, it has urban roots deeper than any other institutions’. Reaching no farther than municipal borders for its reclaimed building materials, City Museum boasts features such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile and even two abandoned planes!”
