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Missouri News
Discover Mid-America - January 2004
What’s new in St. Louis
St. Louis has some of the most innovative visitor attractions in the U.S. Here are some of the attractions that are new for 2004:
Forest Park
Just in time for the centennial of the 1904 World’s Fair, St. Louis’ 1,370-acre Forest Park has been restored to its former glory. The park, which opened in 1876, hosted the fabled fair from April through December 1904. (Trivia buffs will be interested to know that Forest Park is more than 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York City.)
The park’s Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center is now open in the historic Lindell Pavilion. Visitors can pick up free birding information, tree guides and binoculars. Refreshments are available, and a variety of games can be checked out for use at the Visitor Center.
The new Forest Park Boathouse is now open. Visitors can rent a rowboat or paddleboat and explore picturesque waterways, with islands for picnics and wildlife conservation.
The park’s 1936 Art Deco greenhouse, the Jewel Box, has reopened after a $4.2 million renovation. The nearby Norman K. Probstein Golf Course features three nine-hole layouts designed by Hale Irwin.
A “Heels and Wheels” Path is being completed around the perimeter of the park. The Steinberg Ice Rink is newly reconditioned. Bike enthusiasts can rent bicycles at the rink.
The Saint Louis Zoo is re-doing its famous Bird Cage for 2004. The giant walk-through aviary was originnaly the Smithsonian Institution’s 1904 World’s Fair exhibit. A state-of-the-art Cypress Swamp recreates a habitat for birds native tot he lower Mississippi River. Other zoo attractions include The River’s Edge animal habit with an amazing underwater hippo viewing area, the Monsanto Insectarium and its Butterfly Dome, and the delightful Children’s Zoo, with hands-on activities for kids.
Near the Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum sports a newly completed landscaping project. Inside, a new gallery has opened for the museum’s arms and armour collection. The museum will host the “Art of the Osage” exhibit this year as part of the region’s 2004 celebrations. A new permanent exhibition on the 1904 World’s Fair will debut on May 2 at the park’s Missouri History Museum.
Lewis & Clark
The Missouri History Museum hosts Lewis & Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition through Sept. 6. The exhibition, Lewis & Clark: Imagining the Expedition from St. Louis, is open all year at the Gateway Arch. At The Museum of Westward Expansion at the Arch, an animatronic figure of William Clark talks about his life. The Gateway Arch and the Science Center share the National Geographic large-format film, “Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West” during 2004. William Clark’s gravesite, located in St. Louis’ Bellefontaine Cemetery, has been restored for the anniversary year.
The Lewis & Clark State Historic Site is now open in nearby Hartford, Illinois at the site of the expedition’s winter camp of 1803-1804, the starting point of the journey west. A replica of the explorers’ keel boat is inside. At the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in Alton, the newly opened National Great Rivers Museum shows visitors how the rivers have changed are used today. In St. Charles, visitors can explore the new Lewis & Clark Boat House and Nature Center, displaying authentic replicas of the expedition’s boats. St. Louis’ Black World History Museum will explore the life of York, the only black member of the expedition. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the new Plant Trail of Lewis & Clark at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Three of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission’s National Signature Events will be held in the region this year. The Louisiana Purchase Three Flags Festival, March 10-14; the Expedition’s Departure Ceremony, May 13-16; and the Expedition Faces West, May 14-23.
New Special Events
The new year is welcomed in with ‘04 Eve, a celebration in Forest Park. A giant Ferris Wheel, similar to the one that wowed crowds in 1904, will be the centerpiece of the evening.
In June, the Olympic Torch will return to St. Louis on its trip around the globe prior to the Athens games. On June 17, the torch will be carried through the region during a relay that will end in Forest Park with a celebration of St. Louis’ Olympic history. The giant Celebrate 2004 Ferris Wheel returns to Forest Park from May 29 to Aug. 26 for a summer of sky-rides.
For six weeks in July and August, two events take over the St. Louis Riverfront – River Splash and Eats Bridge. From July 15 through Aug. 21, top-name entertainers will be in concert on the Riverfront Overlook stage. Friday and Saturday dinners and Sunday brunches will be served high over the Mississippi from the deck of the historic Eads Bridge – nicknamed “Eats Bridge” for the events – during the same weekends.
For a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitors Guide, call 1-800-916-0040 or visit www.explorestlouis.com.
©2000-08 Discovery Publications, Inc.