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Saint Louis Art Museum
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Arts & Entertainment Art Galleries Shopping Art Galleries Museums, Art Galleries [Edit]
1 Fine Arts DrSaint Louis, MO 63110
Neighborhood: Forest Park
(314) 721-0072
- Nearest Transit:
-
Fine Arts Dr @ Art Museum (3, 90)
Fine Art Drive @ Government (3, 90)
Fine Arts Dr @ Grand Basin (3, 90)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
Fri 10 am - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
66 reviews for Saint Louis Art Museum
Review Highlights
"...Gogh "Stairway at Auvers" and Claude Monet "Water Lilies."
(in 5 reviews)
"...stars: collection, price (free Fridays to special exhibits."
(in 5 reviews)
"It is a must see for art enthusiasts."
(in 5 reviews)
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66 reviews in English
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Review from Lisa B.
1/24/2012
I'm jealous I don't live in a city with a free art museum of this caliber (or a free one at all) (or a paid one of this caliber). I'm just jealous.
Glad I got to visit! :-) Please visit if you have the opportunity. The surrounding park is so lovely, as well, even on the cold day that I was there without my coat because I thought the sun was going to stay out all day.Listed in: Meet Me in St. Louie!
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Review from Chelsea B.
Saint Louis, MO
1/28/2012 4 photos
Full disclosure: I'm a St. Louis native, so I have a bit of a soft spot for the St. Louis Art Museum. It's a free museum located in Forest Park, so it's really just a great place to go on a rainy day to relax, stroll, and enjoy the art.
The museum is beautiful on the inside and has many unique collections--like the armor and weapons room, the modern art section upstairs, the ancient and Asian art, the decorative arts section including objects and furniture, and the period rooms--which make it a fun place to explore. The museum is full of quiet nooks and is never over-crowded, which makes me appreciate our city's free museum even more. I am very excited for what the new expansion will bring. -
Review from Beth B.
Saint Louis, MO
There is nothing better than the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) but also, HUGE disclaimer - I am a born and raised St. Louisan. Started coming here during kindergarden, art classes in grade school all the way through college, and now enjoy the very cheap date time is gives me with the boyfriend.
Not only is SLAM free - YES, FREE - all the time, but on Fridays even the special exhibits are free! AND it is open until 9pm! You have no excuse not to be cultured when you live in STL.
My parents, who live out of town but force fed me Forest Park as a kid, were in town this past weekend. We wanted to go see the Monet Water Lilies exhibit, but being as popular as it is, was out of tickets for the day. While there we went and explored the other main galleries.
Side Note: Right now SLAM is in a transitional phase. Growing pains if you will. There is a multi-million dollar addition being added to the building and inside, many painting are being moved in and out of storage.
My parents were introduced to the magnificent Max Beckmann (do yourself a favor and look him up) now being showcased one of the main galleries. My heart jumped to my throat, I was so excited to see there "new" paintings that I have never seen before. SLAM has the largest public collections of Beckmann,
See? Even though I have been coming here as a child, SLAM is always rotating paintings in and out and the museum is still NEW. The art and artifacts range from ancient Egypt, China and Americas to Medieval swords and chain mail, to religious, to contemporary!
The sheer history of the building is amazing in itself. Built for the 1904 Worlds Fair - which St. Louisans still brag about as if they were there - on top of the most beautiful spot in St. Louis, Art Hill with the Grand Basin at the bottom. With the regal Louis IX looking onward, take a deep breath and enjoy the city.
I know it this is a very objectionable review, I gave a disclaimer before you started reading! Just go and see the serene grounds which surround a historical landmark in St. Louis.
Everyone will have their chi recharged when they visit SLAM - I guarantee it.Listed in: Culture for Culture's Sake!
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Review from Belle S.
San Diego, CA
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Beautiful building and great artwork. Best part is that it is free and located in a beautiful park. The museum is fairly large, but you can get through it in about 2 hours. We went to the park for a walk and ended up here at the end.
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Review from Steve G.
New York, NY
1/21/2012
One of American's fine museums, with a great location on the hill, majestically commanding a view in Forest Park. But, naturally, its what's inside that really matters. I was an undergrad at nearby Wash. U., and would visit the American 19th Century painting collection many times--in fact, its one reason why I'm an artist now. There are a few killer Richter pieces--and its FREE! Thank you Saint Louis.
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Review from Miss H.
Mt Vernon, IL
1/4/2012
My favorite museum by far. The art is impeccable and will take you a couple hours to view it but it is worth your time. You can also take your camera and take as many pictures as you want and people will move out of your way to allow it. I enjoyed it and will gladly visit again soon. Also, its free and located by the beautiful forest park and right next to the zoo!
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Review from Stephen H.
Overland Park, KS
8/5/2011
As a one-year resident of the Lou (next week is my last week :-(, alas) I've become accustomed to the notion that there is a good reason why St. Louisans take so much pride in their city and think that they are better than so many other cities, not least of which, their sister city on the other side of the great state of Missouri, and where I live, Kansas City.
Not only am I used to it, but given all the wonderful places in the city, I've come to take it as somewhat of a truism. So it was with some surprise that I found out that the St,. Louis Art Museum is no where close to the blow-your-socks-off experience that the Nelson-Atkins Museum is in Kansas City.
This isn't to say that the Museum isn't tres charmant. It is. That magnificent equestrian statue of St. Louis, Roi of France and patron of this fair city overlooking a reflecting pool with 8 different fountains conjures Versailles, surely. And it's a great way to start your way into the museum...but there you will also see two massive cranes, and you'll realize the museum is in the midst of a multi-year modernization and expansion that won't be complete until sometime in 2013. "When in 2013?" I asked. "Ummm, sometime," the docent nervously said. "We've had some setbacks already, so I don't want to disappoint." You can't disappoint me 2 years in the future, darlin', I thought to myself.
The entrance puts you onto the 2nd floor, where most of the best works in the museum are. There are some lovely Christian artifacts and paintings, as well as some from the Impressionist, English Landscape, and Renaissance periods, just to name a few, with more Dutch School works than I think I've seen in a Midwestern museum...
There is also an arms and weapons level - and there are - at various levels - "family guides" which help the nerdy mom or dad teach their kids about what they are looking at.
While looking at the mummies I was privy to a kid who came in and said, "King Tut's up in this bitch!" in reaction to the mummies. Up in here, yes. 4000 years he/she has waited to hear you say that :-)
While downing my favorite frappicano at Park Avenue later that afternoon, while I told my friend about what a good time the museum was, and, incidentally how the Nelson in KC was better, she, a St Louis native, quickly quipped, "Yeah, but our zoo is better."
I laughed. St. Louisans, always fiercely proud of their city. And with good reason. Add this to your to-do list, but if you're a native, you can put it off for 3 years or so. I think it will be magnificent then.Listed in: 70 Places to Enjoy in St Louis…
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Review from Shin e.
Saint Louis, MO
11/28/2011
Such a solid four stars: collection, price (free Fridays to special exhibits!), hours (some evenings til 9pm), parking (expansive and close), architecture (grand and growing). Definitely worth repeated visits!
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Review from Kayley H.
Niles, MI
10/23/2011
After visiting the zoo, I decided to stop in at the Saint Louis Art Museum. I went on a Tuesday in mid-October, and had no issues finding free parking across the street from the museum. I didn't see the entire collection, but I really enjoyed the Asian Art/Buddhist Art exhibits very much, and would go back just to see some of those pieces. Currently, they are running an exhibit on Monet's Water Lilies. Admission to the museum is FREE, but special exhibits have a fee. (Around $10).
Next time I return to St. Louis, I plan on hitting up the museum again, and really looking around. But from what I saw, they have quite an array of different types of art. Staff was incredibly friendly as well. -
Review from Stephanie L.
Indianapolis, IN
4/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
The St. Louis Art Museum, perfectly situated in beautiful Forest Park, is a must see for art enthusiasts. I visited St. Louis last weekend and I was very impressed with the museum. It was pretty easy to navigate, had a great collection, and was FREE!
This is the perfect size museum--not too big to be overwhelming for one visit, but not too small that you can cruise through in less than an hour. I spent about 2 hours pursuing the collection (fairly quickly) and was able to see everything except the special exhibit. I'm a huge Impressionism fan, and I was surprised at what great impressionist works they have on display. They hit all the biggies- Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne- and even a bronze sculpture of a beautiful ballerina sculpture by Degas. I loved seeing Van Gogh's Stairway at Auvers--what a great work.
They also have a large collection of Oceanic art, along with a pretty creepy looking totem with a human skull that is supposedly haunted. Scratches on the glass? Scary.
The museum is undergoing a renovating currently, so I was hit a few empty galleries and blank walls. Should be pretty cool once they finishing re-doing everything! -
Review from Kyle H.
St Louis, MO
9/29/2011
Quite amazing of a display based on the size of St Louis. There are many very giving people who have donated great works from their private collections. The ongoing exhibits are amazing. My favorite part of the Museum has to be the Egyptian, Asian and African exhibits in the basement. The modern arts wing is also great but on my last visit it was closed. I am very excited for the future of the museum due to the new modern expansion. Every member of staff I have ever encountered has been really sweet. The only thing I would pass on during construction is the food. Puck's is closed and the cafe is pretty sad.
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Review from Sherah B.
Peoria, IL
5/8/2011
I really love this museum. We recently went to the Mayan exhibit which was cool, although I have been to actual Mayan ruins in Mexico so it wasn't as cool as seeing it in person, but is it ever? :)
Anyway, the art is all so beautiful. I love looking at paintings andcould stroll for hours doing so. I think this museum is comparable to a lot of bigger city museums (Chicago, for example), it is just smaller in size, not smaller in quality.
5 stars! -
Review from Mark T.
7/25/2011
Being from Chicago, I am spoiled for museum choice, and I can add the SLAM to my list of great midwestern museums. What a treasure! I didn't know what to expect, as I did no research on the museum before arriving. I was very impressed with the entire Forest Park area and the museum itself. Even though I toured the facility during construction, there was still plenty to see and explore. I was so surprised that a museum of this caliber is free year round! Chicago (I'm looking at you, Art Institute!) could learn a thing or two. This will be a must-see for every STL trip I take in the future.
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Review from Curtis B.
Upper Marlboro, MD
5/12/2010
Very impressed!
They had ton of interesting exhibits in here...from religous, to historical, to technological and to the just down right weird. It was way bigger than I thought...it has like 3 or 4 pretty big floors I think. It took us about a hour in a half to view everything in the museum. It was pretty cool to see the Eygptian artifacts, the old customized guns, and all the medieval armor. You don't have to be a huge art fan (God knows I'm not) to enjoy yourself here...besides it is free.Listed in: Great Places to Visit
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Review from Sarah N.
St Louis, MO
7/23/2010
I really enjoyed the art museum. It was a lot bigger than I expected (even though quite a few exhibits had been removed due to renovation) and it took us nearly two hours to make our way around the place, and I'm sure we missed something.
I liked looking at the cultural differences in art as well as the modern pieces (which I wish they had more of). They have some very good pieces; I was impressed at the amount of Monet's they had. Even if you don't like art, there's plenty of tatas in various sizes on the paintings and New Guinea art (they must worship the breast down there!). I think my favorite piece was a real skull that had been covered in clay and molded into a creepy face. They also have a nice furniture and pottery section in the basement.
There's a video section upstairs; this week it was "The Birds," a choppy video of birds flying around amidst the clouds. They'll pass off anything as art these days.
But ignoring the pointless bird video, I enjoyed the art museum. And it's free; you can't really ask for more! -
Review from Julia W.
6/25/2008 1 Check-in Here
It's a free art museum, people. It's not the biggest or the best art museum ever, but it has a nice variety of exhibits and its collections range from African sculpture to ancient Asian ceramics to Impressionist oil paintings to 20th century furniture... and on and on.
Did I mention this museum is completely free?
That means that someday, when you're wandering around Forest Park enjoying a nice summer day and suddenly you're incredibly hot or thirsty or need to use a nice restroom, you can hightail it over to the Art Museum, attend to your business and then get cultured FOR FREE!
If you haven't been to the Museum in a while, please let me suggest visiting before August 3 (2008, folks) to check out the photography of Gordon Parks. The first African-American photographer for Life Magazine, Parks really brought (and still brings) to light racial and socio-economic inequities in the United States and abroad. His work is beautiful and poignant and right now it's FREE at the Art Museum.
Use this place as the excellent cultural resource it is.Listed in: LUV in the STL
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Review from Chris Z.
Another free Forest Park attraction. The museum is incredible. You could spend all day inside looking at all the different pieces. My favorites are the Vincent van Gogh "Stairway at Auvers" and Claude Monet "Water Lilies". Both are downstairs right by the main entrance so you can pop in an look at these two and be out in 15 minutes.
Friday nights they are open until 9. Impress your date and stop by for a bit before you go out.Listed in: Date Night
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Review from Lisa C.
7/5/2008
It's free, there's a mummy downstairs, and a room full of Beckmanns. Sweet.
Oh, and in the ninth grade, one of my friends touched the 'Water Lilies' by accident, and only got yelled at a little bit. -
Review from Dave F.
2/19/2010
The free museum this large is a great visit. If we get tired of seeing art, we can leave and no money (unless I choose to donate) is lost. Having no real pressure to see everything is nice. They do charge for special exhibits.
I took my niece and nephew here once (about 5 and 7). We walked up to on piece (pile of glass) and they said "somebody is in trouble" and all the adults around laughed. After about half way through they got bored and cranky. I was young and got mad and left. In retrospect, this place is great because I can go for as many short or long visit without even paying for parking and only donate when I can afford it.
While I do not understand all exhibits (that small muti-media room showing videos of monkeys?), I can still enjoy the experience. I do like that they have enough of a selction to feel I am exposed to different cultures and time periods.
Luckily there there has been enough people donating that the tradition has been carried on that bums like me can experience art. -
Review from Richie D.
3/14/2009
Architecture and viewing perspective-wise, STELLAR! I'll definitely give this much to the museum for being high up on a hill with a pleasant statue of Saint Louis on horseback looking down upon the gorgeous Grand Basin. On the other hand, there's a reason it's free...
After taking a picture of the exterior facade and such, I couldn't recommend anyone really entering (or the plain lobby will say everything). The variety of art is slim (or lets say there may be some variety but the amount of art within each category/collection is limited). I expected it to be much bigger and better.
I am excited about the new $125 million addition that they'll be adding on. Even though it'll be super modern and contrasting to the currently existing museum, it will hopefully push the museum to be in the same circle with other art museums nation-wide. -
Review from Jaffa A.
Saint Louis, MO
8/8/2008
The fact that the St. Louis Art Museum is free is awesome! In most other cities, you have to pay an entrance fee, but here you can go for free every day if you wanted to. Of course, for the special exhibitions, there is a charge, but there are even free days for that.
Some of the art has been there forever, especially the ancient and Victorian art (including some furniture). That can get a bit boring when you think about how you've been looking at the same thing since you were 9, but you're not forced to spend time on it, so just move on to something new (or old) that you find more intriguing or go to one of the rooms that gets new pieces on a fairly regular basis.
No offense to those of you that do enjoy staring at sarcophaguses endlessly. -
Review from Tor B.
Saint Louis, MO
10/18/2007
I visited the St. Louis Art Museum for the first time last week. (My wife and I are moving to St. Louis, and I wanted to see what Cultural Attractions St. Louis had to offer.)
I was blown away. What an absolutely glorious museum. The grounds remind me of the Chateau de Versailles; including homage to Versailles' equine fountain. Cass Gilbert's Beaux-Arts style building is a jewel, and of course there was the Art. The St. Louis Art Museum has a very comprehensive collection, across most genres. As I roamed the halls and galleries I was filled with the sense the St. Louis is full of formidable art patrons, with a long appreciation for the art world.
The citizens of St. Louis should be commended for this wonderful place.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from John K.
St Louis, MO
7/24/2010
I'm no art-buff but I thoroughly enjoyed this place. There's all different sorts of art, from all over the world, from all different time periods. I'm pretty sure there's something here for everyone. Even your hyperactive ten year-old son will like the medieval swords and armor. Despite some areas being closed for renovation, this place is still really big. After the expansion I don't think you could see it all in one day.
Paintings look better in-person than on your monitor! -
Review from Jennifer H.
Columbus, OH
12/29/2009
This museum is awesome! It's a great place to visit on a rainy or snowy day. We were there on Christmas Eve. It was wonderful, and there is so much on display that you could go there over and over and not see it all. It's my second time there and I will certainly be back again!
Bottom line....it's a great place, and it's free to visit! You can't beat that. -
Review from Eve C.
1/11/2009
St. Louis Art Museum is one of my favorite museums in the world. The permanent collection offers something from everywhere - classical/European works, modern and contemporary art, Egyptian, pre-Columbian works, even furniture. And there's usually a worthwhile exhibition happening too.
Best of all, it's free! You can wander in from a stroll through Forest Park and soak up a little culture for a couple hours on a whim. The special exhibitions usually require tickets, but they're never too pricey.
My family has always been a member of the museum, so we get free tickets to the exhibitions and other special events. But even if I wasn't I'd definitely come by. Currently, there's a modern art exhibit featuring pieces by Pollack and de Kooning. It was great!
I used to come here for art classes when I was a kid and always had a great time! There's a cafe for lunch (and sometimes dinner) - Puck's - featuring a Dale Chihuly chandelier. The food's a bit pricy, but it's yummy. There's also a little cafe on the lower level across from the museum shop where you can get a coffee or a nibble. There's abundant free parking behind the museum, as well as over towards the zoo. -
Review from Carlos S.
New York, NY
10/7/2010
This is a great must see spot for anyone heading or around the St. Louis area. The first great bonus is that there is no admission fee, you hear that people?! IT'S FREE! For never hearing about the museum before, it has a pretty decent collection from a good amount of different eras in history.
The museum is bigger than it looks. I went inside thinking, Oh, I'll be done in 10 minutes and I'll walk out... how wrong I was! They have great religious art, Greek vases, furniture, and even the obligatory sarcophagus you usually see at every art museum.
Additionally, the museum is currently under renovation for its mass expansion. I know I can't definitely wait to see what they bring for the allocated new space.
With respects to Parking, they do have a decent sized parking lot right by the museum. However, during the summer time it can get pretty full with the weather being great and the zoo being close by.
Most of the staff there were pretty friendly and helpful. However, a few of the guards who watch the art always gave this look as if I had the intentions of stealing everything in the museum and running away with it. Additionally, I pretty much had one guard obviously following me around even though they tried to make it seem they weren't. This is the only reason why I've gave this place 4 stars instead of 5.
I highly recommend this place to anyone whom are interested or not interested in art. -
Review from Aaron J.
Saint Louis, MO
4/26/2008 1 photo
Now with a big round of applause and a standing ovation, please welcome the St. Louis Art Museum. So after reading that sentence, if you have ever been there before, you would actually be standing up and clapping your hands together because of how awesome this really is. The St. Louis Art Museum is really a top-notch place. This is no opinion based on bias either.
The first time that I had ever gone to the museum I was amazed at what they had. I literally spent an entire day there and went back the next to make sure that I had seen everything. The museum, because it is art, is also a history museum also. They have Egyptian mummies to Picasso. The place has it all.
When I go there, even though I have seen some of the exhibits before, I still always enjoy seeing them again. It never grows old. The ones that I enjoy the most however is their modern art collection. I really enjoy the interpretive aspect of the pieces, even though, if what I think isn't the same as the artist, I sill enjoy the pieces, even if they are a little off the wall.
The St. Louis Art Museum is a must for anyone in the St. Louis area, especially with the dog days of summer around the corner soon, the Art Museum will provide a way to beat the heat and get out of our caves for a little while. -
Review from Tanya m.
6/9/2010
a must see in STL. I went during the Ming Dynasty exhibit. It was cool that they gave you an ipod to listen to while you walked through and gave a bit of history of the items. Pucks is a very good restaurant. One of the statues i took a picture of is now the pic on my debit card.
FREE to get in. gotta love free. -
Review from Sarah S.
7/21/2010
The Art Museum is a solid place to go- and again, FREE! You can easily walk there from the zoo, which is cool. Only one parking job needed. It has a good collection for being in St. Louis. They are renovating it to be bigger. The restaurant is nice too.
I've found the security guards to be both good and bad. Good because some can chat you up and are informative in telling you where to find stuff. Bad because some look at you suspiciously for no reason! And when we were there, we were badgered about having backpacks (hello- we were spending a whole day in Forest park and needed water, cameras, wallets, etc...). We were told they had to stay only on one shoulder. No reason why? I didn't get it at all. They checked them out, so they knew nothing was in there. One kid forgot and got badgered again about it in a gallery. Bummer.
The exhibits that usually cost something are free some nights, so it's always nice to check it out then if it interests you! -
Review from Michael E.
Dallas, TX
1/20/2009
SLAM is the tapas of fine art museums. A little taste of many different genres. Good for children - they won't be bored. Beautiful building, fantastic location, especially walking up to it in the summer. Impressionist selection was a bit lacking for my taste, but the Egyptian exhibit was quite good,
FYI - for those rating it highly because it is free - the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC is technically free as well. The admission is actually a "suggested donation." You can decline to pay it and they will still allow you admission -
Review from Dean B.
Saint Louis, MO
5/29/2009
Well, you get what you pay for. Yes, the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) is free. Not free as in "well technically it's free but we still pressure you into a donation", or free as in "the museum is free but you pay $20 to park", it's completely free. The only thing that costs money are the special exhibitions, food, and the gift shop. You can literally walk right through the doors and head straight to whatever gallery you want.
I'm a huge art lover. When I go on trips I always make art museums top of my list of places to visit. I've been to museums large and small, in huge cities and small towns, so I have some experience in this. And the conclusion for my hometown museum? Meh, it's alright.
For those uninitiated, SLAM is undergoing a large expansion that will increase their space for 20th and 21st century art. Unfortunately, this is long overdue. They've been stuck in the same building for over 100 years and due to a stipulation in the city's charter, cannot charge admission to the museum. They get their primary revenue through donations and a special tax district that covers most of the St. Louis area.
Ok, so the good news is that they're in the process of expanding, which should put them back in the running of being about the size they need to be to be relevant in the art world. But 2 pieces of bad news:
#1: The expansion is being delayed due to stricter lending procedures (the museum claims the all the funding is in place however, which I am slightly skeptical of in this economy).
#2: Until the expansion takes place, large parts of the museum are closed off or empty, citing vibrations caused by construction. So essentially we are left with 2/3rds of a museum that wasn't all that big to begin with.
This is really unfortunate, considering construction will take place for several years, and with everything beling delayed, there is not much light at the end of the tunnel. People visiting the museum for the next 2-3 years will have to live with looking at a lot of empty galleries and missing out on a lot of great art that would normally be displayed.
That being said, what is left is good for a few hours of visiting. The Impressionist collection is small but well-represented with important pieces from all the masters. In fact, the same can be said for many of the collections, including the Asian Art, Design, Renaissance Art, and Egyptian Art collections. However, SLAM is probably most well-known in the art world as having some of the preeminent art of German Expressionists, made in the years following WWII. Several galleries exhibit this, culminating with an entire hall of Max Beckmann paintings.
I myself am a huge contemporary art fan, but it seems that SLAM is underrepresented in this category. Yes, there's a Lichtenstein and a Warhol or two, and a few Stellas, but when it comes to art created in say...the last 30 years, there are not nearly enough pieces that exhibit the breadth of the titanic shifts in the art world during this time. In other cities, the local Contemporary Art museum picks up the slack for these voids, but without a permanent collection, the St. Louis Contemporary has only rotating exhibitions.
Presumably, the expansion will solve this problem, as well as other problems, such as having only a small cafe to eat at (and not a very good one at that). But until then, people will have to make due with only 2/3rds of a museum. Without the galleries closed off, I can only give the museum 3 stars, but in its current state I can't justify more than 2 stars. Rest assured I'll update my review when the expansion is complete, and I hope to be able to up it to 4 or 5 stars, but in the meantime, you get what you pay for, and remember that admission is always free. -
Review from Lesley S.
1/1/2010
Considering we are in St. Louis, MO and the fact it is FREE. Yes, FREE! You can't really gripe much. I visit here and the zoo many times a year. Especially in the supper. Nothing is better than parking at Forest Park visiting the Art Museum, packing a picnic and a kite and laying out on the grass. Usually I bring wine packed into a plastic bottle. Who needs a date when you can romance yourself for free?
It does have some good paintings and the place is HUGE! -
Review from Marianne G.
Corona, CA
1/26/2009 6 photos
Aside from the Anheuser-Busch factory, this is my favorite place to visit whenever I'm in St. Louis. If memory serves me correctly, there are 4 floors in this massive building. I spent an hour on each floor.
I got lost in Picasso. The religious paintings were entrancing. The statues, breathtaking. I loved every solitary hour in this place. 4 hours roaming around this museum was sheer heaven. I even adored the Monets and I'm not a big Monet fan but somehow it appealed to me during my visit.
I can't believe they only ask for a voluntary donation but I'm happy for it. Traveling and sight-seeing alone makes me extra cheap. Guests are free to take pictures but without the flash. They are dead serious about this too. I was scolded quite a few times because I kept forgetting to turn off my flash.
Glorious. I love it here and always long to go back. I don't even want to bring anyone - I wanna roam around it by myself all over again. -
Review from Hans G.
Seattle, WA
12/27/2006
More than St. Louis deserves.
I, for example, am ashamed to admit I visit less than annually, despite a neverending stream of shows worth my attendance. -
Review from Mary P.
Saint Louis, MO
1/30/2010
"Dedicated to art and free to all."
I had lived in Saint Louis for over 4 years before I set aside the time to go to the Art Museum. I had spent hours in Forest Park exploring the paths and features. I finally set aside the time during the Balloon Race in 2008.
A co-worker and I had gone to the St. Louis Symphony concert on Art Hill, which was a part of the race weekend events. When he learned that I had not been to the museum yet, we made plans to meet there on Sunday.
Having had the fortune to live in Paris, Moscow, New York City and the Twin Cities, I did not know how well Saint Louis would fare by comparison. I was thrilled to discover that my new home town has a museum with an impressive collection of art and artifacts (from the Egyptian mummies) to a very rare painting from the 17th century female painter, Artemisia Gentileschi.
Add to this discovery, my delight in their modern art collection, especially one of the rarer Van Gogh pieces from his northern paintings, and the St. Louis Art Museum is a place that I visit as often as I can. Just this past New Year, my boyfriend and I spend a lovely afternoon strolling through the galleries. He was equally impressed.
I am thrilled that they have completed groundbreaking on the new wings and eagerly anticipate their opening in 2012. Until then, there are so many exhibits that I have to explore in depth. That should take me a few more visits. -
Review from Nnamdi E.
Philadelphia, PA
5/14/2009
This museum single-handedly lays waste to the adage "you get what you pay for". At the Saint Louis Museum, you will invariably get much more than that. Where the exhibits may lack in breadth, they more than make up for in depth - helpful employees are numerous, as are detailed explanations of whatever visual art you're intently looking at. I really must stress how great the staff here is. Without them, how would I have known that yes, people have tried to sit on the displayed furniture before and yes, it has broken as a result? This factoid was relayed to me with none of the condescending tone you'd expect from a museum employee (okay, well a BIT of said tone was present, but in this case it was warranted.) Little things like this make the museum seem much less like a static entity and more like the vibrant organism it truly is.
All of the usual suspects (Egyptian, classical European fare, modern art, plus whatever exhibit is currently all the rage) are present and laid out in a manner that is equal parts intuitive and accessible. You could probably get though all of it in a day, but if you're like me and like to read every comment on every piece of art, it would be a damn long day. Some critics of the museum are down on it because of its small size compared to museums in much bigger cities ---- did I just hear the record skip? Comparing restaurants in St. Louis and, say, New York City makes sense. Comparing museums does not. I really, really hope that nobody needs me to explain why.
The only thing this museum will cost you is time, so put yours to good use and stop by the SLAM for an hour or four. -
Review from Yen D.
Santa Barbara, CA
11/24/2009
I completely agree with Michael E. below, that SLAM is a tapas of fine art. The collection is small, rather small, but also very good. There's a lot of unexpected gems in the museum, such as the fantastic period rooms, a Gaudi clock, and a nice van bruegel the elder.
It's a miserable day in St Louis, and a perfect day for SLAM- a good way to spend a few hours and get a small taste of a lot of art. Teeny little Impressionist section, some mummies, Oceanic art, a bit of contemporary, etc. combine for a pleasant experience. Very kid-friendly; the armor exhibit was one of the coolest things I've seen lately.
The design area on the lower level could've used some more explanations, but besides that this museum is pretty on top of things. Can't wait for the expansion in 2012 for a world-class museum! -
Review from Lauren L.
Manhattan, NY
9/28/2009
Free? check
Gorgeous architecture? check
In Forest Park awesomeness? check
Clean bathrooms? check
Air conditioning? check
Viewings from the Met Opera on Saturdays? check (sometimes)
I grew up going here. Definitely wish there was a selecion of 20th-21st century art in there cause there basically is NONE which is ridiculous. But it's great otherwise. Especially when you're exercising/picknicking/rolling down Art Hill in Forest Park and you're hot and sweaty and need to pee and freeload off some A/C. And get cultured. And it's all available at the same place. For free. -
Review from Kate W.
Clayton, Saint Louis, MO
11/19/2010
Hey, did you know... this place is free! It's wonderful. I came here with a class, and it was just delightful. Personally, I am a big fan of art museums in general, and this one is no exception. You can just walk in and roam around, which is both soothing and intellectually stimulating. And on Fridays they're open late! In an effort not to be redundant I'm going to leave it at that. Go here. It'll be good for you, it was for me. And it's free!
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Review from Patrick C.
Columbia, MO
5/9/2009
Great for STL!
This is not Chicago, this is not Denver, this is St. Louis MO. For the size of STL this is great museum. Its free to which is cool, and who wouldn't like that?
Had many good traveling exhibits as of late (Napeleon, The Angels from the Vatican (Chicago didn't get that one!), African Art.
I very good museum when compared to cities like Little Rock, Nashville, and Memphis.
Not as crowded as Chicago's either!
