Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Washington University's Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum stands on campus in St. Louis, MO, about 4 miles off the old road. Founded in 1881, it holds the title of oldest art museum anywhere west of the Mississippi. Its collection spans European and American art from the 1800s to now, plus ancient pieces. For a Route 66 traveller who likes art, it pairs well with the other big museums nearby.
What is Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum?
The museum belongs to Washington University in St. Louis and is housed in the Sam Fox School, the university's design and visual arts school. Its galleries show paintings, sculpture, prints, photographs and installations by European and American artists across three centuries, from the 1800s into the present one.
The collection also reaches much further back, with antiquities from ancient Egypt and Greece and prints by Old Masters. The building itself is worth a look: a design by Fumihiko Maki, winner of the Pritzker Prize, now fronted by a polished stainless-steel facade 34 feet tall and a sculpture garden.
History of Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
The museum began in 1881 as a combined art school and museum, based in downtown St. Louis. Today it belongs to the university and carries the name of Mildred Lane Kemper. In 2006 it moved into the Maki building on campus.
In 2018 it shut its doors for a renovation that was part of a wider rebuilding of the campus. It reopened a year later with the new steel facade, the sculpture garden and close to half again as much space for displaying art.
Visiting Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum: tips
Plan on an hour or so. Restrooms are on site, the building is wheelchair accessible, there is parking, and it is fine for children. Two more museums are close: the Saint Louis Art Museum about 0.7 miles away and the Missouri History Museum about 0.9 miles away, both in the same part of the city.
Practical info
- Address
- 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130
- Phone
- +1 314-935-4523
- Website
- kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu
- Hours
- Mon, Wed–Sun 11–5
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapMildred Lane Kemper Art Museum with the 6 closest stops and places to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
Tap a dot to see that stop here.
Stops near Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
All of Missouri
0.7 mi from Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
0.9 mi from Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
1.0 mi from Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
1.0 mi from Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
2.3 mi from Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
3.3 mi from Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Questions about Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
How old is the Kemper Art Museum?
It was founded in 1881, making it the oldest art museum anywhere west of the Mississippi.
Where is it?
On the Washington University campus in St. Louis, about 4 miles off Route 66.
Own or run Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum? Send us a photo or a correction.