Skip to site content
The Group Travel Leader Small Market Meetings Going on Faith

Known for Museums

St. Louis

There’s nothing, quite as uniquely St. Louis as the Gateway Arch. But those who haven’t been there may not realize that beneath the arch is the underground Museum of Westward Expansion, which is “a hidden treasure of St. Louis,” said Donna Andrews, director of public relations for the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission. The museum, which is free, showcases the era of westward expansion between 1800 and 1900. Exhibits include tools, weapons, and clothing of explorers, pioneers, cowboys and Native Americans.

But the favorite St. Louis museum of locals and visitors has to be City Museum.

“People go crazy about City Museum in St. Louis,” Andrews said. “Don’t be fooled by its title because it’s totally a warehouse of adventure.”

The museum is housed in a former shoe factory and warehouse, and everything inside is made from salvaged, found or reclaimed items and building material. Part art museum, part playhouse, part Tim Burton-esque workshop, City Museum features a three-story slide, rope swings and crawl spaces in the floors. There are also re-created Missouri caves, a display of the world’s largest pair of underwear and a circus that performs every day, Andrews said.

“When you’re in downtown St. Louis, you know where City Museum is because you’ll see a Ferris wheel, you’ll see a slide, and you’ll see a yellow school bus hanging off the side of the building,” Andrews said. “You have to go there to experience it.”

At the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, visitors will find all things dedicated to man’s best friend, and they can bring along their own MBF; displays include portraits of pointers and exhibits about celebrity dogs like Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.

www.explorestlouis.com

 

Cleveland

Cleveland rocks, which is why one can’t talk about Cleveland museums without talking about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The iconic glass-and-metal pyramid tells the story of some of rock’s most iconic stars, from the Beatles to KISS. Exhibits showcase the roots of rock ’n’ roll — gospel, blues and country — explore the unique sounds of different cities and tell the story of Hall of Fame inductees.

“Common Grounds: The Music Festival Exhibit,” which runs through January, features music festivals as both concerts and community events and takes visitors through iconic festivals from Woodstock to Coachella. In addition to guided group tours, the museum also offers educational, discussion-based evening classes for groups that want to learn more about rock ’n’ roll history, said Jackie Spencer, communications coordinator for meetings and conventions for Positively Cleveland.

Groups visiting Cleveland can also step into a replica of Ralphie’s house from the 1983 movie “A Christmas Story.” Although only the exterior of the yellow Victorian house was used in the movie, the owner gutted the interior and re-created it as it appeared on film complete with the “major award” ablaze in the front window. The museum is open year-round, and guides tell the history of which parts of the movie were filmed in Cleveland, Spencer said. Just across the street from the house is the official A Christmas Story House Museum, which exhibits original costumes, props and memorabilia from the movie.

www.thisiscleveland.com