St Louis - City Museum

First attraction that we visited when we were in St Louis was the City Museum. The name doesn't sound very interesting but it was a very exciting place. There were at least 4 storeys (I later saw a ferris wheel on its roof! I wonder if we had missed it or it was closed) for kids to play and explore indoors and outdoors.

There was no map or directional signs (at least I didn't really see any!) so I was kind of lost on where to go. I asked one of the staff members and she suggested that we go all the way up to the 4th level where there is a toddler play area which would be appropriate for Sonya and Clara and then work our way down.

The side railings of the staircases had these rotating tubes that you can spin while going up and down the stairs. It was really colorful. At the top of the stairs was this pair of ancient-looking columns with lion head motif at the top. Clara clearly didn't like them and exclaimed that she was scared of the lions and pulled me away :)

To the right was this gigantic metal propeller.

In the toddler area was a small ball pit and climbing structure which was a good introduction to what was ahead in the outdoor play area of the museum. The balls were larger than the usual ones that we had played with and they were bouncy. I had Clara took off her shoes, foreseeing that they would probably come off while she played and I would have a hard time searching for two little shoes among all the balls!

Sonya tried climbing through the tunnels made of metal rods bent and welded together.

There were also these whales that kids could climb in and out of but Sonya and Clara didn't. They preferred to climb onto them.

The tiger ride was supposedly free but it was not working. Hmm... maybe that's why it was free or was it because it was free and abused and thus not working?

The slide was a huge giant snake (I think).

Underneath the climbing structure was these colorful columns that the girls played hide n' seek for a little bit.

This monkey thingie was also out of order :(

Next to the toddler play area was the art and craft area. I didn't plan to let the girls do art and craft there. I thought art and craft is something that they could do at home (Hey, I used to ran the Art Elective Programme of National Junior College, remember?) and there were so many interesting things to explore in the museum. But, one of the staff members at the area invited the girls and Sonya is always keen on art :)

Next, we found an area where kids could ride on a little train. Sonya and Clara were the only passengers. They were fine when they sat in the train but the moment it started to move, Clara started crying thinking that it was taking her away from me. The operator quickly stopped the train. Sonya thought there must be something wrong and she jumped out the moment the train stopped. I was terrified when she jumped out, thinking that Clara might just do the same and fall.

Then, there was this huge room filled with what looked like an indoor skateboarding area but none of the kids had skateboards. They were just running up and down the slopes.

We found an old piano. It had keys missing but it still played fine. Sonya and Clara did their duet while I rest my feet :)

We found a room displaying relics and other collectibles.

Somehow, we went through a tunnel / corridor and when we got to the entrance, we realized that we had been in a giant vault.

Opposite the vault was a wall made of empty glass bottles.

We saw a giant fish tank with giant puffer fish. Sonya tried to scare it by jumping up and down but it didn't work :) I later realized that it was the World Aquarium on the other side of the fish tank. I will have another blog post entirely on the World Aquarium after this one.

As I had mentioned before, the whole museum was like an amazing giant indoor and outdoor playground. Staircases built like a fish and man-made caves mimic the real ones at the Meramac Caverns, which I will have an entire blog post about it too. There was this amazing slide where you climb up to the 3rd level of the museum, lower yourself into this slide that will take you back down to the ground level. It is impossible for anyone to fall of the slide as it had a canopy made of the same rotating tubings like on the stairs. Sonya went ahead of me and Clara was behind me so that she did not slide out of control down 3 storeys :) It was very cool!

I was very happy that the predicted rain never made it our way. We went to the outdoor play structure and climbed up and down.

I sometimes suspect that Clara is afraid of heights. She hates swings and walks ever so cautiously and slowly whenever she is on any bridge-like structure. Yet, she grabs on to the handle bar of a Track Ride and leaps without any hesitation or fear! It really scares me because she would let go before she reaches the other end :(

See all the structures in the background in the photos? You can actually climb your way through everything!

On the side of the climbing structures were these two stationary trolleys. I supposed they were meant for parents / caregivers to sit and relax while their kids go wild :)

Sonya waiting patiently / impatiently for her little sister.

And, later holding Clara's hand :)

We made it to the top of a high tower but couldn't really make it to the airplane in the background because there were some parts that were just not suitable for Clara.

We found the bigger ball pits. We went to the one meant for ages 6 and under.

It was really tons of fun. Even I enjoyed it :)