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Looking for free things to do in St. Louis with kids? You’re in the right place.
St. Louis is packed with family-friendly attractions that don’t cost a thing — from world-class free museums and animal experiences to parks, playgrounds, and historic sites that kids actually enjoy. Whether you’re planning a weekend outing, a road trip stop, or a full family vacation, there are plenty of ways to explore the city without spending money.
Below are 15 of the best free family activities in St. Louis, plus a few bonus ideas to help you build an easy, budget-friendly itinerary.
💡When you’re ready to explore beyond the Gateway City, our ultimate family vacation guide has more family-friendly destinations to consider.
Quick Picks: Free Family Activities in St. Louis
Short on time? Start here. These are some of the best free things to do in St. Louis with kids, grouped by interest so you can quickly find what works for your family.
Best Free Museums in St. Louis
- St. Louis Zoo – One of the only major zoos in the country with free admission
- St. Louis Science Center – Hands-on exhibits, Discovery Room, and planetarium access
- St. Louis Art Museum – Free permanent collection and family-friendly programs
- Missouri History Museum – Interactive History Clubhouse designed just for kids
Best Free Outdoor Spots for Families
- Forest Park – Trails, lakes, playgrounds, sledding hills, and seasonal events
- Gateway Arch National Park Museum – Free exhibits and documentary film
- Tower Grove Park – Playgrounds, splash pad, walking paths, and family events
- Lone Elk Park – Drive-through wildlife viewing and easy family hikes
Best Free Animal Experiences
- St. Louis Zoo – Animal habitats, sea lion shows, and bird exhibits
- Grant’s Farm – Animal encounters, historic cabins, and seasonal family activities
- World Bird Sanctuary – Birds of prey, nature trails, and free flight shows
Best Free Activities for Toddlers & Younger Kids
- Forest Park playgrounds – Open space to run, climb, and explore
- Missouri History Museum – History Clubhouse – Interactive exhibits scaled for young kids
- St. Louis Science Center Discovery Room – Hands-on play for curious little learners
- Tower Grove Park splash pad – A favorite spot during warmer months
Pair your free activities with these smart travel tips for families with kids for a smoother trip.
Free Family Things to Do in St. Louis This Weekend
Many of St. Louis’s best free family attractions are open year-round, making them easy to fit into weekend plans — no tickets or reservations required. Families can spend a full day exploring places like the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Science Center, and St. Louis Art Museum, all of which offer free general admission.
Outdoor spaces like Forest Park, Tower Grove Park, and Lone Elk Park are also open daily and perfect for a relaxed weekend outing, whether you’re planning a picnic, playground stop, nature walk, or wildlife viewing. Because so many of the city’s top attractions are always free, it’s easy to mix and match activities and build a flexible, budget-friendly weekend itinerary for families with kids of all ages.
Best Free Family Activities in St. Louis
1. Forest Park
Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country and the heart of St. Louis’s free family attractions.
Spanning 1,300 acres, the park is home to forests, lakes, walking paths, playgrounds, and five major cultural institutions — including the St. Louis Zoo, Science Center, Art Museum, and Missouri History Museum. Families visit year-round for picnics, festivals, casual strolls, and outdoor play.
Art Hill, located between the St. Louis Art Museum and the Emerson Grand Basin, is one of the park’s most iconic spots and a favorite for summer picnics, winter sledding, outdoor concerts, and movie nights.
2. St. Louis Zoo
Located in Forest Park, the St. Louis Zoo is one of the only major zoos in the country with free admission.
Highlights include the historic Flight Cage, one of the largest free-flight aviaries in the world, and the popular Sea Lion Show, where kids can watch sea lions dive, swim, and perform acrobatic tricks. The zoo also features immersive animal habitats and seasonal exhibits throughout the year.
The Children’s Zoo offers hands-on experiences designed specifically for younger visitors.
Admission is free, though some attractions and rides inside the zoo may have a fee.
3. St. Louis Science Center
The Saint Louis Science Center, also located in Forest Park, offers always-free general admission and hundreds of hands-on exhibits.
Families can explore more than 700 interactive experiences, including the Discovery Room for younger kids, the indoor-outdoor GROW agricultural pavilion, and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium.
Additional ticketed experiences, such as the OMNIMAX® Theater, are available for an extra cost.
4. The Muny (Free Seats)
The Muny is St. Louis’s outdoor musical theater, offering free seats at every performance.
The last nine rows — more than 1,400 seats — are always free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates typically open at 7:00 p.m. at Lichtenstein Plaza, and families can enjoy a free pre-show festival with live music, performances, and kids’ activities while they wait.
Bring a blanket and make it a fun summer evening in Forest Park.
5. St. Louis Art Museum
The St. Louis Art Museum is proudly “Dedicated to Art and Free to All.”
Located in Forest Park, the museum features thousands of works of art spanning 5,000 years of history. Admission to the permanent collection is always free, and families can also enjoy drop-in tours and Family Sundays, which include themed activities and hands-on art projects.
💡Fun Fact: The statue of Saint Louis, King of France that sits outside of the museum’s main entrance was originally located at the main entrance of the World’s Fair.
6. Grants Farm
Grant’s Farm is a free animal preserve and historic site just outside the city.
Home to more than 900 animals, the farm offers interactive animal experiences and opportunities to learn from caretakers throughout the day. Families can also tour the log cabin once occupied by Ulysses S. Grant, as well as explore historic stables and the Busch family’s former estate.
General access is free, but some up-close animal encounters and experiences (like visits with the Budweiser Clydesdales) are ticketed.
7. Gateway Arch National Park
The Gateway Arch National Park offers a free museum and documentary film for visitors.
Families can explore interactive exhibits about St. Louis’s role in westward expansion and watch a short film about the construction of the Arch. The surrounding park and grounds are also free to visit.
For an additional fee, visitors can ride the tram to the top of the Arch for panoramic city views on clear days.
8. Missouri History Museum
Another free museum in Forest Park, the Missouri History Museum brings local history to life for families.
Highlights include the original Louisiana Purchase Transfer Document, exhibits on Lewis and Clark, and the popular History Clubhouse — an award-winning interactive space designed especially for kids. Children can role-play, explore recreated environments, and engage with hands-on exhibits that make history fun and accessible.
9. World Chess Hall of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame is home to the World’s Largest Chess Piece, displayed outside the museum and certified by Guinness World Records.
Families can stop by for a quick photo opportunity or pair a visit with a walk through the surrounding neighborhood, which is filled with shops, cafés, and public art.
10. Lone Elk Park
Lone Elk Park is a free wildlife management area where families can spot bison, elk, deer, and wild turkey.
Visitors can drive through the park or explore hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate. A popular family-friendly option is a short loop hike near the Visitor Center that leads to a lake and scenic views.
11. Cahokia Mounds
Just across the river, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site preserves the remains of the largest prehistoric Native American city north of Mexico.
Families can explore the site’s massive earthworks, including Monks Mound, the largest in North America. Museum admission is free, and the grounds are open for self-guided exploration. (Note: the Interpretive Center may be closed for renovations.)
12. St Louis Union Station
St. Louis Union Station blends historic architecture with modern attractions.
Families can admire the restored Grand Hall, complete with stained glass and a vaulted ceiling, then stay for the daily light show set to music. While some attractions inside Union Station require tickets, walking the grounds and enjoying the atmosphere is free.
Union Station is also home to popular family attractions like the St. Louis Polar Express Train Ride and the St. Louis Aquarium, a 120,000 square-foot destination housing thousands of aquatic species.
13. The Loop Trolley
The Loop Trolley offers a free ride through the lively Delmar Loop neighborhood.
The 2.2-mile route connects Forest Park with University City and provides easy access to shops, restaurants, public art, and the St. Louis Walk of Fame. A full round trip takes about an hour, and riders can hop on or off at any stop.
14. Purina Farms Visitor Center
Open seasonally, the Purina Farms Visitor Center offers a free, hands-on experience for animal-loving families.
Kids can watch dogs perform in the Incredible Dog Arena, visit farm animals in the Barn and Play area, and explore interactive exhibits featuring Purina’s resident dogs and cats.
15. Tower Grove Park
Tower Grove Park is a beautiful city park and arboretum near the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Families can enjoy walking paths, playgrounds, athletic fields, Victorian pavilions, and a splash pad during warmer months. The park also hosts seasonal events, concerts, farmers’ markets, and family-friendly programming throughout the year.
Free Attractions for Kids in St. Louis
The following St. Louis attractions offer free admission for kids, while adults pay an admission fee.
16. Missouri Botanical Garden
The Missouri Botanical Garden offers free admission for kids ages 12 and under.
The garden spans 79 acres and includes the historic home of founder Henry Shaw. Families can explore a wide variety of themed gardens, including the Japanese Garden, Chinese Garden, German Garden, and a dedicated Children’s Garden.
Don’t miss the Climatron, a half-acre tropical conservatory with a striking geodesic design and more than 1,400 plant species — including the double coconut palm, which produces the largest seeds in the plant kingdom. Parking is also free.
17. Butterfly House
The Butterfly House is free for kids ages 12 and under.
This 8,000-square-foot glass conservatory is home to more than 60 species of butterflies, allowing visitors to walk among them in a lush, tropical setting. While it’s part of the Missouri Botanical Garden system, the Butterfly House is located at a separate site.
18. World Bird Sanctuary
At the World Bird Sanctuary, kids under 5 receive free admission.
Set on 305 acres of hardwood forest and aviaries, the sanctuary is home to eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, vultures, reptiles, and more. Families can explore hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate, with clearly marked routes suitable for all ages.
Free flight shows offer the chance to see birds of prey soaring overhead.
Where To Stay
More Family Activities in St. Louis (Paid Attractions)
The following St. Louis family attractions aren’t free, but many families find them worth adding to their itinerary.
Magic House
The Magic House is St. Louis’s children’s museum, featuring hundreds of hands-on exhibits designed to spark curiosity and creativity.
Popular areas include the Wonder Why? Early Childhood Learning Lab, the Children’s Village, a waterfall patio, STEAM Studio, and a Make-It Workshop, making it a strong choice for younger kids.
City Museum
City Museum is part playground, part funhouse, and part architectural adventure.
Housed in a former shoe factory, this one-of-a-kind attraction features an indoor treehouse, rooftop Ferris wheel, the world’s largest pencil, MonstroCity climbing structures, tunnels, caves, and repurposed industrial art throughout the building.
Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags St. Louis is Missouri’s largest theme park, offering more than 45 rides and attractions.
Families will find thrill rides, milder rides for younger kids, water attractions, live shows, and seasonal events throughout the year.
Busch Stadium
Families can catch a St. Louis Cardinals game at Busch Stadium or take a guided stadium tour.
Tours include access to areas not typically open on game days and admission to the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum at Cardinals Nation.
Related Family Travel Guides
If you’re planning more family adventures, these guides highlight other kid-friendly destinations and easy trips from the Midwest.
- Best Things To Do in Chicago With Kids
- Best Family Vacation Destinations from Milwaukee
- Fun Things to do With Kids in Chicagoland
- Best Day Trips from Milwaukee
In 2013, Calie Herbst, a former teacher with three little ones, saw a need for a “One Stop Shop” for family fun in Milwaukee. So she founded Milwaukee With Kids. Her goal was to find the best this city has to offer families and share it with other parents. In one place.
In 2019, she published “Exploring Milwaukee WIth Kids”, a comprehensive Milwaukee travel guide for families and kids.
She appears regularly on WISN News, Fox 6’s ‘Real Milwaukee’, B93.3, and Wisconsin Morning News. She has been featured in Medium, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, and on CBS 58 News.
Calie is available for hosting, moderating and media appearances.
