The main stairway leading up from the lobby into the many wonders of the City Museum. The balustrade is made of industrial rollers, each painted differently. But then there are other marvels on the ground level and even in the basement. One of the many, many slides is in the top background.
The old building that contains the City Museum was originally a big shoe factory and warehouse. (St. Louis used to be the national leader in shoe manufacturing before it all went offshore.) The back of the structure is a 10 story open space containing crazy spiral slides that moved product from floor to floor. Now two of them are full length slides for people small and flexible enough. (I wouldn't dare.) This seems like a fitting image for a year going down the chutes.
I have a bit more to show from the City Museum before moving on. This isn't as dramatic as the dark back shaft but it illustrates how much fun you can have at this place. There are lots of slides. My Michigan grandchildren, ages 5 and 2, will be here in a month and they are going to have a blast here.
City Museum is full of things to slide down, indoors and out, metal and wood, curved and straight. Ellie is careening down one on the outside, I presume made from aluminum. Some are long, steep and scary. Audrey, my five year old granddaughter in Michigan, is already a snowboarder. She could handle any of them.
