The Missouri Historical Society launched the $36 million “We Are St. Louis” campaign on Friday. It plans to fund several new exhibits and updates at the Missouri History Museum through 2027.

“In the years and decades ahead, we will introduce you to a St.
Louis you've never met,” said Jody Sowell, president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society. “People outside of St. Louis… They know that we have the Arch, they know that we’re home to the Cardinals and they often know about some headlines that we wish they didn’t. But there is so much more to the St. Louis story.”

What You Need To Know

  • Musuem officials look to present tourists, new residents with a more positive and complete image of St. Louis through the $36 million donor-funded campaign.  

  • A rotating collection of local history, including thousands of photos, films are are available on a new website.

  • The musuem will open new exhibits beginning in March, redesign the second floor for a decade-by-decade St. Louis tour by 2027.

“Collected,” a 6,000-square-foot long-term display, will open this March and change yearly. Virtual visitors can see artifacts online through the new Curated Collections website. The interactive site’s theme will rotate monthly, highlighting Missouri’s past, present and future – from the St. Louis Olympics history to the Missouri-born celebrities of today. 

“This campaign is about more than just preserving history; it’s about connecting St. Louisans to their roots and inspiring them to shape our city’s future,” Sowell said. “Understanding what St. Louis has been is a key part of helping us shape what it could be.”

The centerpiece of the campiagn, “Gallery STL”, is slated to open 2027. It will turn the museum’s second floor into decade-by-decade walk through St. Louis history. Displays aim to use information from the past to contextualize the present, encouraging conversation about the city’s future. 

“This will be the place where tourists come to learn what makes St. Louis so special,” Sowell said. “And the place we all return to, to rebuild our sense of civic pride.”

Donors and local organizations have contributed more than 80% of funds needed to reach $36 million, according to museum officials. For more information about upcoming programming, visit the Missouri History Museum’s website.