Our History

On October 16, 1979,
The Magic House opened as one of the nation’s first children’s museums
in a whimsical Victorian house filled with innovative hands-on exhibits
designed to pique curiosity, spark imagination and make learning fun –
including our iconic Electrostatic Generator, Shadow Walls and three-story Super Slide
that still delight visitors today.

Over the past 45 years,
The Magic House has grown from a local museum to an award-winning national landmark welcoming over 500,000 visitors each year. Through a series of expansions, the St. Louis community has seen the Museum grow from 5,500 to 55,000 square feet – 10 times the original size.

Like the children and families we serve,
The Magic House has continued to evolve to meet the growing needs of our community, but what has remained the same for 45 years is our mission to engage all children in hands-on learning in a place of beauty, wonder, joy and magic.

Thank you for being part of our past, present and future!