Explore St. Louis

It was the subject of one of the biggest news stories of the 20th century and made headlines again with its discovery during the 21st. The fate of the doomed cruiseliner H.M.S. Titanic has fascinated people for generations. Experience the chilling story and view more than 300 never-before-seen in St. Louis artifacts salvaged from the infamous wreck via TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition. The 25,000-square-foot display is at the Saint Louis Science Center from November 11, 2005 through April 16, 2006.

For details on the Titanic exhibit, other events taking place in St. Louis and huge deals on hotel accommodations, click on http://www.explorestlouis.com/ or call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040.

This special exhibition contains 300 items from the only collection of Titanic artifacts recovered from the ocean floor. Personal items of passengers and crew such as a bracelet engraved with the name “Amy,” perfume vials, a Gillette razor kit, articles of clothing and serving dishes and china. An awesome 15-ton portion of the vessels hull including four portholes is a stunning presence.

Photographic images of Titanic’s passengers and crew and documentation of their ultimate fates portray the human side of the story. Exact replica recreations of the ship’s famous Grand Staircase and passenger cabins allow visitors to “walk through” the infamous ship as well as touch an “ice wall” to feel the water temperature of the North Atlantic on that fateful night of April 15, 1912 when Titanic sank. Simultaneous with the exhibit, the Saint Louis Science Center presents “Ghosts of the Abyss,” an OMNIMAX film with breathtaking underwater views of Titanic’s watery grave and a planetarium show that depicts the exact sky of April 14 -15, 1912. Before or after taking in Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, expand your St. Louis adventure by exploring some of St. Louis’ biggest attractions including:

· Gigantic Arch. It doesn’t get any bigger than this! The nation’s tallest man-made monument looms 630-feet-high above the Gateway City. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Gateway Arch, the iconic symbol of St. Louis. Special exhibits within the free Museum of Westward Expansion beneath the Arch highlight the construction of the stainless steel marvel and focus on the genius of Eero Saarinen, the monument’s architect. Be sure to take the monumental tram ride to the top for magnificent views high above the Mighty Mississippi.

· Big River. Cruise one of the world’s largest rivers via one-hour, narrated cruisetours of the Mississippi River. The Gateway Arch Riverboats’ vessels aren’t as massive as Titanic, but they are authentic. Paddlewheelers Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer ply the Port of St. Louis daily and also glide along special Lock ‘n’ Dam trips and evening dinner excursions and Blues music cruises. The run of Big River at the Fabulous Fox Theatre begins as the Titanic exhibit winds down. Set in 1840’s rural America, this musical follows the exploits of the irrepressible Huck Finn and his friend Jim, a runaway slave, as they explore life along the mighty Mississippi River. The production includes deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing actors performing each role in a synchronized ballet of speaking and signing.

· Massive Mosaics. The world’s largest collection of mosaic art is on display at the magnificent Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. More than 41 million pieces of tesserae in 8,000 colors fill the more than 83,000-square-feet of this Romanesque/Byzantine architectural jewel.

· Portentous Park. At more than 1,300 acres, St. Louis’ Forest Park is 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York. The generous greenspace is home to four of St. Louis’ biggest free
attractions: the world famous Saint Louis Zoo, the Science Center, Art Museum and Missouri
History Museum. Head to the park’s new Visitors Center for maps, a new iPod self-guided tour and to grab a beverage at the Forest Perk coffee house.

· Big Names. Stroll along Delmar Boulevard in funky and fun The Loop neighborhood to be introduced to St. Louis’ most celebrated citizens courtesy of the St. Louis Walk of Fame. More than 100 bronze stars and autobiographical plaques embedded into the sidewalks salute St. Louis’ most famous sons and daughters for their contributions to American culture and history. Honorees include explorer William Clark, Civil War heroes U.S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman, playwright Tennessee Williams, actors Betty Grable, Kevin Kline and John Goodman and musicians Tina Turner, Michael McDonald and Miles Davis. The Loop’s lively cityscape also features a virtual United Nations of restaurants, sidewalk cafes, record and book stores, a popular pub that tout’s the world’s greatest jukebox, a root beer microbrewery and a lovingly restored 1920’s-era movie theatre.

· Huge Horses. Two-thousand pounds is a lot of horseflesh. Get a good look at the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales, the substantial-sized equines that are synonymous with the world-famous brewery that’s headquartered in The Lou. Free tours of the historic Anheuser-Busch Brewery stop at the Clydesdales elegant stable for a prolonged peek at the 6-foot-tall, bay-colored critters. April through October, you can visit the Clydesdale breeding farm at Grant’s Farm, another of St. Louis outstanding free, family attractions that also is operated by Anheuser-Busch, Inc.

· Incomprehensibly Unusual. The world’s largest pair of underpants. A five-story-high indoor slide. Human-sized hamster habit trails. A whacky outdoor playground called Monstrocity. All this and more add up to big fun and City Museum in downtown St. Louis’ evolving Washington Avenue Loft District. Meander through artistic man-made caves, an architectural artifacts museum, a retro Beatnik hangout, recycled objects transformed into works of art and more are found at this most unusual and enormous warehouse of artsy fun.

· Gigantic Garden. Beauty and serenity await at Seiwa En, the largest traditional Japanese garden in North America. The scenic St. Louis haven’s 14-acres are nestled within the amazing Missouri Botanical Garden. This “garden of pure, clear harmony and peace” was designed to showcase the natural beauty of the four seasons. A 4.5-acre lake, home to hundreds of brightly colored koi fish, features four islands and is surrounded by waterfalls, strolling paths, garden sculpture and trees, plants and flowers that showcase nature’s gifts all year long.

· The Bigs. St. Louis is one of America’s biggest sports cities. Renowned for knowledgeable, friendly fans and great competitive teams, you can cheer for three major league teams: baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals, Rams football or the NHL’s Blues. Check the http://www.explorestlouis.com/ web site calendar of events to find home game schedules for these fan-tastic Gateway City big league teams. A pro sports experience awaits any day of the season at a dual sports museum under one roof at the International Bowling Hall of Fame and St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum. Visitors can get on a roll by playing on old-time bowling lanes and trace the history of bowling from ancient times. The Cardinals Hall of Fame commemorates over 100 years of Cardinals history, including World Series’ trophies and exhibits on the old American League St. Louis Browns and St. Louis Negro League teams.

· Prodigious Parade. March right up and take part in the biggest pet parade in the world. The Beggin’ Strips Mystic Krewe of Barkus Pet Parade, an annual event during St. Louis Mardi Gras, barks to a Mardi Gras beat on Sunday, February 19, 2006. Literally hundreds of hounds, decked out in festive canine costumes, take part with their owners in one of the most popular
events of St. Louis’ Mardi Gras celebration. The ten-block parade through the historically French Soulard neighborhood concludes at Soulard Market Park where the Wiener Dog Derby competition is held. See dashing daschunds race in three age-based division: Cocktail Wienies, Ballpark Franks and Hot Dogs.

· Bodacious Bridge. Take a hike or bike or rollerblade high above the Mississippi River on the world’s largest pedestrian span – St. Louis’ Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The mile-long bridge, the original Route 66 crossing from Illinois into Missouri, showcases the view of downtown St. Louis and is an excellent site for eagle watching during late winter and early spring.

· Amazing Ancient Site. Take a trip 1300 years back in time via a visit to Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. This United Nations World Heritage archeological site, once home to a thriving metropolis of more than 20,000 persons, contains the remains of the largest pre-Columbian city North of Mexico with over 60 dirt mounds, including the 100-foot Monk’s Mound. An interactive exhibit features a film, artifacts and displays highlighting the way of life of these ancient “St. Louisans.” Open free-of-charge, Cahokia Mounds is located eight miles from downtown St. Louis near Collinsville, Illinois. Archaeological investigations have revealed that Cahokia was inhabited from about A.D. 700 to 1400 and covered nearly six square miles.

· Maximum Miniatures: Bigger is not always better. Nowhere is that adage truer than at the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis. Permanent and rotating exhibits of dollhouses, dolls, and seasonal vignettes showcase the power of small, smaller and teensy-weensy collectibles.

· Big Deals. Find great big savings at St. Louis area hotels and attractions on the http://www.explorestlouis.com/ web site. Click on the button bars titled Hotel Packages and Tickets & Deals for outstanding offers on lodging, attraction tickets and special two-for-one offers that make a St. Louis trip big fun for little expense.