St. Louis punches well above its weight for a mid-size American city. The Gateway Arch is the obvious starting point — you can ride a tram to the top for views of the Mississippi and the Illinois flatlands beyond. Forest Park, larger than Central Park, holds four major museums, a world-class zoo, and miles of paths, all free to enter. The Old Courthouse downtown tells the story of Dred Scott's case for freedom, decided here in the 1850s. The City Museum is something else entirely — a vast playground of salvaged industrial parts built into tunnels, caves, and climbing structures across multiple floors.