The Jefferson Memorial at the Missouri History Museum

The Thomas Jefferson Statue
Designed by famed sculptor Karl Bitter and sitting at the heart of the Missouri History Museum, the statue was originally commissioned by the Louisiana Purchase Company as a lasting monument to the nation's third president.

Jefferson Memorial Building
The Jefferson Memorial Building, built from 1911 to 1913 with proceeds from the 1904 World's Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition), was the first national monument to President Thomas Jefferson. Built on the site of the main entrance to the World's Fair, the building commemorated Thomas Jefferson's role in the Louisiana Purchase. Thousands of St. Louis citizens stood within its loggia and on its lawn in 1913 and watched with delight as a grand parade concluded with the unveiling of Karl Bitter's marble statue of our country's third president. On April 30, 1913, the Missouri Historical Society opened its history museum in the 39,000 square foot Beaux Arts structure

The Front Entrance to the Jefferson Memorial at the Missouri History Museum

Architectural features of the Memorial's loggia include six Tiffany pendant light fixtures, a glazed terra cotta ceiling with ornate carvings, stone columns and decorative wall castings. Within its galleries can be found elaborate plasterwork, and, in its Jefferson Gallery in particular, art-nouveau ceiling panels rich with images of allegorical and metaphorical figures painted in 1913. World's Fair murals painted by well-known local artists Fred Gray and Fred Green Carpenter also grace the Jefferson Gallery.

Today, the Memorial continues to be a vital part of the expanded and revitalized Missouri History Museum. The museum now has a magnificent new addition, the Emerson Center, which features 24,000 square feet of additional exhibition space in four new galleries.

The Jefferson Memorial Building’s west wing houses the Jefferson Gallery and the Lopata World’s Fair Commemorative Gallery. Both galleries are home to The 1904 World’ Fair: Looking Back at Looking Forward, an exceptional exhibition marking the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

Beyond the Jefferson Gallery, visitors have the opportunity to view some of the most compelling images from the Missouri Historical Society’s Swekosky Collection in the special exhibition Sidewalks of St. Louis: Selections from the Swekosky Collection. The rarely-before-seen photographs from the Swekosky Collection present vignettes of daily life in early 20th century St. Louis.

The east wing of the Jefferson Memorial Building houses the Piper Gallery. This gallery features Many Voices: Reflecting on American Indian Objects, the first exhibition in 70 years to showcase MHS’ extensive Native American collection. Many Voices: Reflecting on American Indian Objects will close September 6, 2004.