Collected: St. Louis History Brought to Life

Collected is the permanent exhibition at the Missouri History Museum, and since it's a permanent fixture, you can swing by whenever you've got a free afternoon. It's built from more than 150 years of objects that St. Louisans have entrusted to the Missouri Historical Society: photographs, diaries, home movies, clothing and books. The collection documents defining regional moments, from Missouri's role in the national debate over slavery to the transatlantic flight that changed aviation, alongside the everyday lives of ordinary people. It's a broad look at the city's history, told through the things people actually kept.

One of the best parts is the rotating gallery, which re-hangs every year to explore a different theme or part of the collection. The first one, The Life of Kids' Clothes, draws on an archive of more than 2,000 pieces of clothing worn by children throughout the 1900s. It's a specific, human way to look at the larger archive, and because it changes annually, there's always something new to see even if you've been before.

The museum is at 5700 Lindell Blvd in St. Louis, and admission is free. It's open daily, so you don't have to plan your whole week around it—just drop in when it works for you.