Discover the pieces of St. Louis’s past in a
history-based guided tour

The Missouri History Museum’s Discovery Tours are local excursions designed to entertain and educate. Inspired by the museum exhibitions and programming, these tours explore historic themes at various sites throughout the city and the region. All tours will be led by trained guides with expertise in the tour topic’s field.

The Discovery Tours will begin and end at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. Most tours (specific information found at each tour description) will begin at 9:00 am. Participants will meet at the Visitors Services desk in the Emerson section of the Museum at 8:45am.

The guided tours will include deluxe motor coach transportation, all admission and donation charges, bottled water and a snack; many will feature lunch. Frequent but generally easy walking is part of every tour. To ensure a great day, wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket. Cameras are most welcome on these fabulous adventures.

To reserve your tour or for more information please call 314 361-9017 or email reserv@mohistory.org. Download the 2008 Discovery Tour Guide (PDF)

2008 Calendar

** Missouri Historical Society reserves the right to change or substitute attractions or sites if necessary.

Special Interest Tours are based on specific exhibitions at the Museum. All programs will begin with a private docent led tour or lecture in one of our galleries or special exhibitions at the Museum, which will be the framework of the tour. Your tour guide will lead you through sites in St. Louis to further explore the topic of special interest.

The French/Spanish Connection
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, March 1
9am - 3pm

St. Louis has been ruled by no fewer than three European empires. See how these cultures collided, and what that meant for the settlers and native people living in the area, in the exhibition Jamestown, Quebec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings, at the Missouri History Museum. Discover how each culture continues to influence the city we know today, from architectural styles to religious practices, as you visit several sites, including a French-style chateau, The Academy of the Sacred Heart, and take a guided tour of historic St. Charles. Well known tour leader Linda Koenig will be your guide, and a stop for lunch is included.

Savor the City
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Members
Saturday, March 29
9am - 3pm

Get a “taste” of the city’s history by exploring St. Louis’s finest epicurean delights! Begin in our Seeking St. Louis galleries and hear how local entrepreneurs got their start. The fun continues with delicious stops at various businesses, including St. Louis Bread Company, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasters, Fitz’s Root Beer and Ted Drewes' Frozen Custard, for a tour of their production facilities and of course, samples of their wares. Linda Koenig, an experienced local guide, will lead this tasty tour!

Beyond the Shelves: Libraries of St. Louis
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, April 12
9am - 3pm

St. Louis has always been home to intellectuals and students of many disciplines, therefore, it is also home to several libraries containing more than just your average book. Your first stop will be at the Missouri Historical Society’s Library and Research Center where one of our librarians will discuss this incredible building and its collections. Venture on to uncover special collections and hidden treasures, as well as beautiful architecture, at various literary locations across the St. Louis area, including the Mercantile Library, the St. Louis Public Schools archives, and the St. Louis Public Library. Lunch is included on this tour led by well-known local guide Linda Koenig.

Celebrating Harriett Hosmer
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Sunday, May 4
9am - 3pm

Harriet Hosmer was a revolutionary artist who paved the way for women who came after her. This tour will explore Hosmer’s connections with St. Louis and the art she created for the city. Begin at the Missouri History Museum for a lecture about one of her most famous subjects, Thomas Hart Benton. Move on to view her bronze statue of the politician in Lafayette Park, as well as other sites exhibiting her work, and learn how her irreverent personal style and artistic skill changed the world of sculpture. Well known tour leader Linda Koenig will be your guide, and a stop for lunch is included.

Lee and Grant in St. Louis
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, July 12
9am - 3pm

Discover the indelible mark these two men left on American history by visiting the exhibit Lee and Grant at the Missouri History Museum. Civil War expert William Winter, author of The Civil War in St. Louis, A Guided Tour will be your leader on this expedition, and tell you about the times when these Civil War generals were in St Louis. Visit many significant historic sites in the area, including Whitehaven, Hardscrabble, and the Old Courthouse. A stop for lunch is included in the tour.

Civil War in Bronze and Marble
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, August 2
9am - 3pm

St. Louis has a wealth of Civil War history, although no battles were fought here. Begin with a tour of the exhibit Lee and Grant at the Missouri History Museum. For the remainder of the day, Civil War expert William Winter, author of The Civil War in St. Louis, A Guided Tour, will share his vast knowledge as he leads you to monuments and statuary throughout the city, dedicated to the historical figures of this turbulent period in American history. Lunch will be included in the tour.

Civil Rights in St. Louis
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, September 20
9am - 3pm

From riots, to sit-ins, to lunch counter protests, the story of the civil rights movement in St. Louis is not always a pretty one. Begin at the Missouri History Museum, where students in the Teens Make History program will perform “Shaking up the Status Quo”, a short play about civil-rights activists organizing a lunch counter sit-in. The tour will continue on, covering this topic in detail, from its most painful to its most triumphant moments, and the locations where they occurred. A stop for lunch will be included in the tour.

Stories Behind the Walls: St. Louis Homes
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, October 4
9am - 3pm

If your walls could talk, what would they say? This tour begins with a visit to Missouri Historical Society’s Library and Research Center for a discussion about researching the history of homes and businesses. Then, see how St. Louisans have lived over the years by visiting some of its most interesting historic homes, including opulent mansions, quaint farmsteads and even quirky pre-fab homes ordered from catalogs. Lunch is included on this tour led by well-known local guide Linda Koenig.

Hallowed Ground: Religious Customs in St. Louis Cemeteries
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, October 18
9am - 3pm

Cultural customs follow us through every cycle of life. Some are enduring, and some change with the times. After a lecture at the Missouri History Museum, this tour will visit local cemeteries and one mortuary to observe how people of different cultures and religions, as well as members of the military, mourn and remember their loved ones. Well known tour leader Linda Koenig will be your guide, and a box for lunch is included.

What Does Green Mean?
Cost: $65 MHS Member; $75 Non Member
Saturday, November 1
9am - 3pm

Begin the tour at the Missouri History Museum with a lecture discussing the factors that increase a building’s efficiency and sustainable use of resources in design, maintenance, and function. Then, see how St. Louisans are making history by pioneering these practices in “green” homes and businesses. Learn how to leave a lighter footprint on the earth, and how to implement to these practices into our daily lives to preserve the planet for future generations. Lunch is included on this tour led by well-known local guide Linda Koenig.

Neighborhood Tours will feature an exploration of the people, structures and culture that make up the places we call neighborhoods. Each guided tour of a designated area will provide a vivid and detailed chronicle of the history, the architecture, the populace and a taste of that community. It will include tours of private homes, churches, businesses and reuse developments.

Kirkwood
Cost: $45 MHS Member; $50 Non Member
Saturday, May 31
9am - 1pm

Kirkwood, the first residential commuter suburb west of the Mississippi, featured wide-open spaces and a healthy climate, offering its wealthy, middle-class residents an appealing alternative to crowded city life.  A well-planned city from its very beginnings, the streets were plotted on a rectangular grid, and businesses such as slaughter houses and soap factories were not allowed. Kirkwood’s growth continues today with the annexation of Meacham Park, plotted in 1892, originally an African American neighborhood settled by Kirkwood service workers. Explore the stately homes, lovely churches, and city parks, all meticulously placed in this beautiful community which continues to maintain its charm and diversity through a commitment to historic preservation.  

The Hill
Cost: $45 MHS Member; $50 Non Member
Saturday, September 6
9am - 1pm

Discover this area’s architecture, hospitality and old-world flavor. Originally considered far removed from the city with few public amenities and no public transportation, the neighborhood known as the Hill had to provide for itself, catering to the needs and customs of its Italian immigrant population. Now a charming enclave of Italian restaurants, bakeries and specialty shops, The Hill retains a close-knit, family neighborhood atmosphere. The St. Ambrose Catholic Church and Italian social clubs such as the Bocce Club still serve a central role in the daily life of the community.