1315 Chestnut Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-818-6780
Admission is free. Metered street parking.
https://mohistory.org/memorial/
Memorial opened in 1938; Court of Honor created in 1948; Memorial reopened as a new museum on November 3, 2018.
Soldiers Memorial opened in 1938 to memorialize the 1,075 local service members who died in World War I. The building is in classical style with art deco flourishes.
President Roosevelt dedicated the site in 1936.
In 2015 the Missouri Historical Society assumed operational leadership of the Soldiers Memorial and completed a $30 million revitalization. There are two sections - the military museum building and the outside Court of Honor.
The Court of Honor was created in 1948 as a World War II memorial. These granite panels include the names of the 2,753 local service members lost in this war.
Additional World War II memorials.
This reflecting pool and the fountains on the left were added as part of the recent revitalization.
At the east end of the pool is this 40-foot limestone obelisk created in 1948. Sculptor Hills Arnold created this piece in the shape of a broken blade.
These high-flying flags on the south side of the area represent the five service branches that are also honored with the five new fountains: army, marine corps, navy, air force, and coast guard.
Memorials of St. Louisans who lost their lives in the Korean (161) and Vietnam (214) Wars were added to the Court of Honor in the 1970's.
On the east end of the Court of Honor is a memorial to the Merchant Marine and Navy service men and women. It includes a nine-ton anchor from the USS Langley.
Along the top of the museum building are 30+ reliefs representing the different positions in the service during World War I.
Greeting you at both entrances are a total of four beautiful marble sculptures.
Below is a photo of Hancock working on the Vision sculpture.
The building is designed with two sides and a central loggia.
The museum has three gallery sections with the Special Exhibit in the lower level gallery.
The first section in the East gallery covers 1750-1900 and the many conflicts associated in some way with Missouri.
Each exhibit is full of interesting facts. Who knew there was a Revolutionary War battle in downtown St. Louis?
The star in the circle is used throughout the museum to highlight specific facts.
And of course there are drawings and photographs in the displays.
North of St. Louis was the headquarters for US military operations in this region during the war of 1812.
Jefferson Barracks, built in 1826, served as an active military post through many military campaigns.
A number of explorations led by the army began in St. Louis.
This museum has a large number of artifacts.
And then began the Civil War.
During the Civil War James Eads built ironclads in St. Louis. Here is a model that you can touch!
The museum has a number of interactive digital displays. This one allowed us to design our own ironclad taking several factors into consideration.
We made some poor choices and our ship sunk to the bottom.
This interactive display allows you to consider the facts and guess what the government determined where actual people during the Civil War had their loyalties.
We were wrong about Robert Barnes! Since he was disloyal we got to pick what we thought was his punishment. We got that wrong also.
St. Louisans also fought in the Philippine-American War.
Medals from that war are on display.
As is a uniform including this hat!
There is a special display about the 7 military ships that have been named after St. Louis.
And a bell from the one built in 1905.
There are also a number of rifles on display. This floor to ceiling display talks about the changing technology.
The other half of the East Gallery covers the years 1914-1918.
Many St. Louisans volunteered to serve in a branch of the service when we entered the Great War.
The soldiers were largely supported by people at home in St. Louis.
A lot of the displays cover what the people in St. Louis did to support the war effort.
This display is about the American Legion which was born in St. Louis.
A helmet worn in 1918.
On the other side of the museum, the south side of the West Gallery covers the years 1939-1945. 
This is a large area dedicated to World War II. Local veterans recorded about their experiences in this war and can be watched on a screen.
Another interactive station.
An interesting artifact with a St. Louis connection, of course.
A fascinating artifact brought home by a local serviceman.
Another one of those interesting facts on display.
Did you know that St. Louis had the world's largest manufacturer of small-arms ammunition during this war?
Huge artifact!
This interactive digital display not only allows you to see what and whose medals are in the museum collection but it also allows you to email to yourself any of this information. I did it. It works!
More medals on display.
These pictures you see of St. Louisans who served in the military are constantly changing to allow you to see new faces.
In the center of the West Gallery is a circular display of different military uniforms including this one.
The north half of the West Gallery covers the years 1947-today.
There is a display case covering the Korean War.
There are items from the Vietnam War.
There is a display on the Persian Gulf War.
There is a display about Rocky Sickmann, a local soldier who was held hostage in Iran for 444 days in 1979-1981 before being released.
Many St. Louis connections to the military.
The multi-story window shades in the East and West Galleries include photos of local servicemen and women.
The Lower Level currently has an exhibit titled WWI: St. Louis and the Great War.
When you first enter there is a small room with a video (about ten minutes) that I recommend watching. It is an overview of St. Louis during World War I.
St. Louis hosted the 1919 National Suffrage Convention.
A entire wall devoted to the Gold Star movement and to veteran's organizations.
A display devoted to the American Legion.
St. Louis is known as the birthplace of the American Legion. Who knew that?
Women formed this group when among other things, they were denied veterans' benefits upon returning from the war just because they were not male.
Interesting facts about Scott Field which was established in 1917.
This display goes from ceiling to floor.
As does this one, also.
Who knew we had connections to the pursuit of Pancho Villa?
There are a number of displays about specific servicemen. On display is this soldier's actual "hate belt" that included the enemy combatants insignia that he collected.
Interesting facts in this poster about the support from St. Louis residents!
Another artifact and a musical one at that!
Advertising in 1919 dropped from a plane!
A competition during the war!
A major riot during the war and in our backyard.
More items from the war period including a service banner made by Markham Presbyterian Church.
Another interesting fact about our city during the war!
This well-known local musician volunteered to go overseas to support the troops with entertainment.
And with him went this portable Etsey pump organ that is now on display at the museum.
Another artifact!
And more gas masks on display.
Another interactive digital screen.
A prayer book carried overseas in 1918.
Many artifacts in this display - helmets, weapons, uniforms, etc.
This is one of several stations that allows you to listen with a headphone to a reading, often by a soldier.
Another display of servicemen from our area, or in the case of Harry Truman, from our state.
We took a lunch break across the street in the first floor of the St. Louis University Law School eating at Chris' @ the Docket.
They serve breakfast for both breakfast and lunch so for lunch we enjoyed their Cali Benedict - two cage free poached eggs, avocado, tomato, English muffin, hollandaise sauce, and cilantro! With hash-browns!
Comments: We enjoyed this museum and would recommend it particularly to residents of the St. Louis area. There are many interesting facts posted - I learned many things about St. Louis that I did not know prior to my visit here. We do have an impressive history! I really enjoyed reading the tidbits of historical information.
In 2015 the Missouri Historical Society assumed operational leadership of the memorial from the city of St. Louis. In addition to the revitalization that the society did, there are many artifacts from the Missouri Historical Society Collection on display in all of the galleries. It was obviously a positive decision to have the society take over the memorial.
The museum includes a number of fun interactive digital displays that we enjoyed using. And all of them are in good working order!
We went on a weekday morning arriving about 15 minutes before the museum opened. There was plenty of street parking available around the museum. We took advantage of the extra minutes to walk through the Court of Honor and are very glad that we were there on a nice weather day to enjoy this moving space. We spent more than two hours in the museum. We found the two Main Level galleries easier to follow than the Lower Level Gallery.
We enjoyed Chris' @ the Docket for lunch. It is just a block from the memorial and has indoor and outside dining. They have a thorough lunch menu in addition to breakfast items. Our fancy benedicts were good and the service was very quick.
