DOWN CENTRAL

The central hall of the St. Louis Art Museum. The main building was constructed as the Palace of Fine Art for our 1904 World's Fair (and we had the Olympics the same year - we used to be somebody) and then became SLAM. The architect, Cass Gilbert, was inspired by the Baths of Caracalla in Rome.                 

Dedicated To Art

These pictures are from the same foggy day walkabout as in recent posts.This is the front of the St. Louis Art Museum, finished just in time for the 1904 World's Fair held in Forest Park. The architect was the renowned Cass Gilbert.

It is an excellent museum for a city our size. However, it has the best motto for a public building I've ever seen: dedicated to art and free to all. Really. Gratis. It, the zoo and the history museum (which I expect to visit today) are supported by a small bump on the real estate tax in St. Louis City and County.