When I was little, a lot of my friends talked about how they couldn’t wait to be grown up. Just like them, I was excited to be an adult one day, but I knew being an adult was “different.” I saw how my mom had to stay inside to do paperwork instead of coming to play with me and my sister outside, and how my dad had to work until 6pm instead of getting to be done halfway through the afternoon like me. Even though I did my best to enjoy the time when my imagination was limitless, a day came when I noticed the magic which once filled my make-believe world was gone.
Just like I knew as a child, the adult world is “different” - with the responsibilities of work, school, or bills, which over time, can drain the color from life. A lot of times, I feel that I’m not living life to the fullest when I sit at my computer working on homework day in and day out. I’d rather be out exploring, tangibly learning about the world or making an impact I can see on others. When that feeling begins to weigh on me, I know I need a way to escape back to the color-filled days of my childhood. Thankfully, there are plenty of places that help me do that around the ‘Lou - here are three of my favorites!
The City Museum
Located downtown, the City Museum used to be a warehouse which was transformed into a city playground in the 90s. It is full of uniquely odd exhibits that cannot be found anywhere else - such as the world’s largest pencil that you can walk on (with a working lead tip and rubber eraser) and a school bus that you can go inside which hangs off the roof. However, the museum is known for its miles of caves and tunnels. Inside these dark caves, explorers can find various aquatic themed statues such as a large turtle and whale. There are several secret passages in these caves, but be careful, since not everyone can fit through the crawl spaces. As a 10 year old, I got stuck in one of them and had to wiggle my way out. If it’s nice outside, check out the MonstroCity - an interconnected network of pathways and slides up to five stories in the air. If it’s cold or rainy out, don’t worry - there’s still several slides inside, including a slide spanning ten stories.
The Science Center
Just as its name states, The St. Louis Science Center includes a variety of scientific subjects in a hands-on environment meant for exploring and learning! The majority of exhibits are constantly changing, but several permanent attractions include the life-sized, animatronic dinosaur on the first floor, or the outer space and planetarium exhibits across the skyway. Take your time crossing the skyway - since it is a bridge over Interstate 64, speedometers are included along the path so you can have some fun seeing if anybody is speeding below you. The Science Center is home to an OMNIMAX theatre, which projects the movie onto a five story dome ceiling of what was previously a planetarium. This way, the movie wraps around you, making it feel as if you are immersed in the film. Be sure to check and see if any movies you love are showing.
The Magic House
I grew up going to The Magic House with my sister or friends several times a year, so this spot is very sentimental to me. Even though it is made for kids, as an adult, you can find fun here as well if you tap into your imagination. If you need some help doing that, bring along a younger brother, sister, niece, nephew, cousin, neighbor - you get the idea. With three stories connected by a climbable beanstalk (and staircase) in addition to hundreds of interactive exhibits, you can plan on spending an entire day here. Other favorite exhibits include a Kids Construction Zone, Star-Spangled Center, and Children's Village (with a pretend grocery store, nursery, bank, pizzeria, fish pond, library, ice cream stand, treehouse, and more.) Don’t miss the giant kaleidoscope wheel, human sized bubble maker, unique oversized instruments, or the electrically charged ball that will make your hair stand up! Signs elaborating on displays are scattered throughout the Magic House to provide interesting learning opportunities for kids and adults alike.
I really hope that at least one of these places is able to bring back a bit of your childlike spirit for a momentary escape from the craziness of the adult world. Don’t forget to check back here next week for another list of local places to discover, but until then, keep exploring!
~Mary
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