What City Museum does

City Museum is a privately-held, for-profit experiential attraction operating a single physical site in a converted historic shoe factory at 750 North 16th Street in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in October 1997 by internationally acclaimed sculptors Bob and Gail Cassilly, the museum is an ever-evolving, artist-built playground spanning four interior floors, a rooftop, and an outdoor MonstroCity playscape, featuring 30+ slides, man-made caves, climbing structures, the restored 1920s Antique Children's Carousel (Allan Herschell Company), a vintage electro-mechanical Pinball Hall (1959-1977), Artquarium, Art City maker space, Circus Harmony performance venue, City Express Train, and the World's Largest Working Pencil. Core products are General Admission tickets ($20 online / $23 at door) and tiered memberships (Summer Play Pass from $34.99, Annual Pass, Gold Pass), with the business monetizing through a diversified revenue stack of group sales, birthday party packages ($384.99-$479.99), venue rentals for 25-4,000 guests, food and beverage across six on-site outlets, retail, parking, guided tours, and ticketed 21+ City Nights events. The company serves families with children as its primary segment, alongside school/youth groups, corporate groups, social celebrations, adult nightlife audiences, and Midwest/Route 66 tourists, reaching an estimated 500,000+ annual visitors.

Name

City Museum

Legal name

Museum Holdings LLC

Website

https://citymuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

City Museum is a privately-held experiential attraction in St. Louis, Missouri, operating an artist-built playground in a converted historic shoe factory with 30+ slides, vintage attractions, and rotating exhibits, serving families, school groups, corporate events, and tourists through general admission, memberships, and venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interactive Museum and Family Entertainment

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Interactive museum exhibits
• Family entertainment venue
• Children's museum
• Artist-built playground
• Event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Single-day tickets sold at $20 online or $23 at door. Revenue from individual visitor admissions representing core revenue stream.
2. Membership Passes: Summer Play Pass starting at $34.99, Annual Pass, and Gold Pass offering unlimited visits, rooftop access, discounts on parking, food, drinks, souvenirs, apparel, and events. Payment plans available as low as $5/month.
3. Group Sales: Group tickets for 15+ guests at $14.50 per person. Additional revenue from buffet options ($26), meal vouchers ($29), snack vouchers ($23). One free ticket for every 8 purchased.
4. Birthday Party Packages: Birthday in the City packages starting at $384.99 for 12 guests ($32 each additional). Ultimate Birthday in the City packages starting at $479.99 for 12 guests. Add-ons include rooftop admission and Pinball Hall access.
5. Venue Rentals: Private event rentals for 25-4,000 people including Whale Room (seats 100), Vault Room with marble bar and vault doors, Architecture Hall, Cabin Inn Bar, and 10th Floor Corner Office Conference Room. Catering available.
6. Food and Beverage: Multiple food and beverage outlets including Boone's Cabin Inn (19th-century cabin with full bar serving wine slushies, beer and spirits), Lizard Lounge (family-friendly), Beatnik Bob's (neon-lit café, bar and pinball arcade), Baby Elephant Café, Rooftop Café, and The Overflow coffee bar.
7. Retail/Gift Shop: Gift shop at main entrance selling kneepads, apparel, memorabilia, and unique pieces by City Museum artisans. Shoelace factory with vintage machines, Artifacts section for purchasing recycled materials and staff artwork.
8. Add-on Attractions: Additional revenue from rooftop access ($8 add-on or free with membership), Pinball Hall, locker rentals ($8 small, $12 large), preferred parking, and guided tours ($10/person).
9. Special Events: Revenue from ticketed special events including City Nights 21+ events, Red White & Rooftop, Electric Sky, Fright at the Museum, and holiday celebrations. Members receive discounts on events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

City Museum operates an artist-built interactive playground and museum housed in a former shoe factory in Downtown St. Louis, spanning four indoor floors, an outdoor MonstroCity playscape, and a rooftop with vintage and custom-built attractions. The company sells general admission tickets, membership passes, group and birthday party packages, venue rentals, and field trip programming to families, schools, corporate clients, and tourists. Food and beverage, retail, and ticketed special events (such as City Nights 21+ evenings) provide additional revenue streams.

Product overview

City Museum is an artist-built playground and interactive museum housed in a former shoe factory in St. Louis. The company operates a single unified physical attraction (not a software platform) that includes four indoor floors, a rooftop, and outdoor MonstroCity playscape. Core products include General Admission tickets and Member Passes (Annual, Gold, Summer Play Pass) providing access to all attractions. Notable attractions span slides (30+ total including a 5-story spiral slide), caves, climbing structures, the restored Antique Children's Carousel, Pinball Hall, Artquarium, Art City maker space, Circus Harmony performances, City Express Train, and the World's Largest Pencil. The museum also offers venue rentals, group packages, birthday parties, field trips, and special events like City Nights (21+). Food and beverage is served through multiple outlets including Boone's Cabin Inn, Lizard Lounge, Beatnik Bob's, and various cafes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets Single-day ticket providing access to four indoor floors, MonstroCity outdoor playscape, and all permanent attractions and exhibits. Sold at $20 online and $23 at the door, with children 2 and under admitted free.
• Member Passes (Summer Play Pass, Annual Pass, Gold Pass) Subscription-based unlimited-visit passes including Summer Play Pass (starting at $34.99, summer season), Annual Pass (12 months), and Gold Pass (premium tier with rooftop admission and exclusive perks). Includes discounts on parking, food, drinks, souvenirs, apparel, and events. Payment plans available as low as $5/month.
• Group Tickets (15+ guests) Discounted group admission at $14.50 per person for parties of 15 or more, with one free ticket for every eight purchased. Includes access to all four interior floors, MonstroCity, slides, climbers, crawlers, and exhibits, with optional add-ons including buffet meals, rooftop access, and Pinball Hall.
• Birthday Party Packages All-inclusive party packages for groups of 12+ guests including 'Birthday in the City' (starting at $384.99) with general admission, reserved tables, and pizza party, and 'Ultimate Birthday in the City' (starting at $479.99) adding digital invitations, gift lists, thank you cards, and unique party favors. Add-ons include rooftop admission and Pinball Hall access.
• Venue Rentals Private event venue rental accommodating 25 to 4,000+ guests across spaces including the Whale Room (seats 100), Vault Room with marble bar and vault doors, Architecture Hall, Cabin Inn Bar, and 10th Floor Corner Office Conference Room. Museum admission included for day of event; catering available.
• Field Trips Educational field trip packages for schools, camps, youth groups, scouts, and homeschool groups at $14.50 per person. Includes interactive self-guided learning experiences, a free downloadable educational workbook, and optional pizza or grill buffet add-ons.
• City Nights Events (21+) Ticketed 21+ evening events held select Fridays from 7pm-11pm featuring themed parties such as Yacht Rock, Oktoberfest, Costume Ball, Goth Holidays, and City Nights: Underground. Includes exclusive rooftop access, live music, and cocktails. Members receive discounts.
• Labyrinth Installation Fourth-floor installation combining art, architecture, and relics of St. Louis area's industrial past, featuring 9 hidden keys and 100 twinkie pans. Included as part of the museum's permanent attractions.
• Antique Children's Carousel Restored 1920s carousel originally made by Allan Herschell Company, featuring 20 hand-carved wooden animals by master carvers Gustave Bayol, Freidrich Heyn, Henri Devos, and M.C. Illions. Height restrictions 40-54 inches, max 75 lbs. Included with admission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ annual visitors estimated based on group sizes of 15-4,000+
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key seasonal and minor.

• Circus HarmonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit circus organization using juggling, acrobatics, magic and more to motivate social change. Located in City Circus on 3rd floor. Performs free shows and offers classes for ages 3 to adult including basic circus arts, aerials, juggling, unicycling, wire-walking, and tumbling. Conducted 586 shows and 83 classes/workshops last year.
• Ready Go Dog Showkey seasonalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerforming dog show featuring talented dogs performing jaw-dropping tricks, agility feats, and crowd-pleasing stunts on the rooftop. Multiple show times daily during summer season (June 19 - July 5, 2026) with additional evening performances during special events.
• 4 Hands BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal St. Louis brewery producing City Museum Pilsner, available for purchase at Cabin Inn (1st Floor) and Beatnik Bob's (3rd Floor). Partnership supports local business while offering exclusive branded beverage.
• Cranky Yellowkey seasonalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Louis idiosyncratic curator who compiled 'SEQUIN: Inside Scoop on LGBT Outsider Art' multimedia exhibit featuring 21+ local LGBT artists working outside mainstream art traditions. Exhibit hosted at Beatnik Bob's with opening reception during City Nights: Pride.
• Arestravel.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party travel booking platform offering City Museum discount hotel and ticket packages for visitors planning trips to St. Louis.
• Samuel B. Murphy and Barbara C. MurphyminorOthersNative St. Louisans who donated the City Express Train to City Museum. Sam Murphy, a lifelong train enthusiast, had the 1/8 scale ALCO train model built by David and Will Kloppenberg in Union, Missouri over two years.
• Bill Christman and Dave Rudiskey seasonalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Louis artists who created the Robot Renaissance exhibit using everyday discarded materials. Dave Rudis transforms found items destined for landfills into artistic robot sculptures using mechanical fasteners or welding.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Urban Air Adventure Park: Franchised indoor adventure park chain with trampolines, climbing, and active play attractions targeting families and birthday parties. Overlaps City Museum on the active-play, birthday-party, and family-segment dimensions but lacks the museum/art curation.

Regional players

• Silver Dollar City: Branson, Missouri-based theme park blending crafts, artisans, and themed rides. Comparable mix of artisan-built atmosphere, themed attractions, and seasonal events; serves a similar Midwest/tourist customer base but competes more directly on theme park rides than interactive art.

Direct peers

• Please Touch Museum: Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is a children's museum emphasizing hands-on interactive exhibits, with memberships, group programs, and event rentals. Closely matches City Museum's family segment, group sales, and venue rental offerings.
• The Strong National Museum of Play: The Strong in Rochester, NY is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to play, combining interactive exhibits, vintage games (including pinball), and family attractions. Highly comparable mix of museum curation, hands-on play, and rotating exhibits.
• Museum of Ice Cream: Museum of Ice Cream runs multi-city experiential museums with interactive installations designed for photo-sharing and family play. Same experiential museum business model with ticketed general admission, memberships, and event rentals.
• Color Factory: Color Factory operates immersive art installations in multiple U.S. cities with timed-entry ticketing, rotating artist collaborations, and adult/family crossover appeal. Comparable experiential museum model with similar price points and target demographics.
• Meow Wolf: Meow Wolf operates immersive, artist-built interactive art exhibitions (House of Eternal Return, Omega Mart, Convergence Station). Directly comparable to City Museum's combination of art, exploration, and interactive installations targeting similar experiential-seeking families and adults.

Broad incumbents

• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science and perception museum with hands-on exhibits and rotating artist residencies. Comparable on the interactive-exhibit operating model and member/visitor mix, though science-focused rather than art/play-focused.
• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The world's largest children's museum, operating as a much larger institution in the same children's/family museum category. Comparable membership structure, school group business, and family target market, though at materially larger scale.
• Disney theme parks: Disney's U.S. theme parks represent the ultimate destination family entertainment experience with themed attractions, F&B, retail, and event programming. Operates at vastly larger scale in the same general category of paid family attractions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-museum
• Instagraminstagram.com/citymuseumstl
• Xx.com/citymuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/citymuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City Museum