City Museum
Missouri
City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, is a one-of-a-kind museum housed in a repurposed International Shoe Company building. Founded by artist Bob Cassilly and his wife Gail in the 1990s, it opened in 1997 as an innovative space combining art, architecture, and interactive play. The museum features large-scale sculptures made from salvaged architectural and industrial materials, including a giant bowhead whale sculpture that visitors can walk through. Highlights include the Enchanted Caves, an intricate hand-sculpted tunnel system spanning multiple floors, and the Shoe Shafts, multistory spiral slides originally designed for shoe transportation. The museum also hosts live circus performances in its third-floor ring and operates The Shoelace Factory, where antique machines produce colorful shoelaces for visitors. Its eclectic exhibits and immersive environments have earned national recognition as a top immersive art experience and children’s museum. The building also contains residential loft apartments, blending cultural space with urban living. City Museum offers an extraordinary, playful exploration of art and industrial history that captivates visitors of all ages.
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Consejo: Visit during weekdays or early in the day to avoid crowds, especially on weekends and holidays. Purchase tickets online in advance to ensure entry and access to popular exhibits like the Enchanted Caves and slides. The museum offers discounts for children, seniors, and groups. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for climbing and crawling through tunnels and slides. Check the official website for updated hours and special event schedules, such as live circus acts and concerts.
Datos interesantes
- •City Museum features the largest continuous mosaic in the United States covering its first floor and building supports.
- •The Enchanted Caves are hand-sculpted tunnels that span from the first floor to the tenth floor.
- •The Shoe Shafts include a ten-story slide starting from the roof, one of the tallest indoor slides in the world.
- •A 1924 Wurlitzer Pipe Organ from New York City's Rivoli Theater was installed in the caves in 2007.
- •The museum’s building includes residential loft apartments ranging from 1,300 to over 2,800 square feet.
Historia
City Museum was founded by artist Bob Cassilly and his wife Gail in the early 1990s after purchasing the mostly vacant International Shoe Company building in 1993.
Construction began immediately but was kept secret until a preview on New Year’s Eve 1996.
The museum officially opened in October 1997 with the iconic giant whale sculpture in the lobby.
It quickly gained popularity, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Over the years, the museum expanded with new exhibits like MonstroCity (2002), Enchanted Caves and Shoe Shaft slides (2003), and the World Aquarium (2004).
After Cassilly’s death in 2011, ownership transitioned fully to David Jump and later to Premier Parks LLC in 2019.
The museum remains a dynamic cultural landmark in St.
Louis.
Guía del lugar
First Floor - Whale Sculpture and Tunnels1997
The first floor houses a life-size bowhead whale sculpture that visitors can walk through to see a large fish tank from above. The ceiling features tunnels hidden above aircraft Kevlar 'icicles' accessible by climbing a giant Slinky or through a multi-floor treehouse leading to a hollowed-out tree and cabin. The floor is covered by the largest continuous mosaic in the US, running up the building's supports.
Enchanted Caves and Shoe Shafts2003
Opened in 2003, the Enchanted Caves are an elaborate system of hand-sculpted tunnels created by Bob Cassilly and his team, spanning from the first to the tenth floor. The caves include multiple multi-story spiral slides called Shoe Shafts, originally designed to transport shoes within the building. These slides range from three to ten stories high, including a ten-story slide starting from the roof.
Second Floor - Vault Room and Shoelace FactoryLate 19th century (vault and machines)
This floor features the Vault Room, an 1870s bank vault with heavy vault doors, a hall of mirrors, a marble bar, and about 1,000 safety deposit boxes. Adjacent is St. George's Chamber with vintage opera posters and a statue from a former Chicago church. The Shoelace Factory operates here, with antique braiding machines from the 1890s producing colorful shoelaces for sale.
Third Floor - Circus Ring
The museum's third floor includes a circus ring where daily live circus acts are performed, adding a vibrant performing arts element to the museum experience.
Contacto
Teléfono: (314) 231-2489
