If you’re looking for fun and meaningful ways to explore Missouri, you’ll love diving into the state’s rich history! From small towns with big stories to homesteads, battlefields, and unique museums, Missouri is packed with places that bring the past to life. Whether you’re a history buff, a homeschool family, or just planning a road trip, this list of historic spots across the state will give you plenty of ideas to learn and explore together.
Jump to:
- Central Mo
- St. Louis Area
- Southwest MO
- KC Region & NW MO
- Northeast
- Southeast
- Around the World Activities
🌆 Central Missouri
Missouri State Capitol – Jefferson City
Tour the beautiful building, see the artwork, and learn about Missouri’s government.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Missouri State Penitentiary – Jefferson City
A historic prison with guided and ghost tours.
🔗 missouripenetentiary.com
Runge Nature Center & Historical Landing – Jefferson City
Includes Governor’s Mansion, Jefferson City Museum, and riverfront landing.
Heritage Festival – Columbia
Historic village with living history demos and reenactors during this fun fall festival.
Walk Back in Time – Mexico, MO
Reenactments from fur trade to modern times, with a homeschool day on Friday.
Audrain County Historical Society – Mexico, MO
Local museum and historical village with rotating exhibits and genealogy research.
🏙️ St. Louis Area
Dred Scott Freedom Center – St. Louis
Museum near the Old Courthouse honoring Dred and Harriet Scott’s fight for freedom.
🔗 dredscottlives.org
Old Courthouse – St. Louis
Part of Gateway Arch National Park; site of the famous Dred Scott case.
Gateway Arch & Museum of Westward Expansion – St. Louis
Tells the story of pioneers moving westward.
🔗 nps.gov/jeff
Missouri History Museum – St. Louis
Includes World’s Fair exhibit, African American history, and Pulitzer photo exhibit.
🔗 mohistory.org
Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks – St. Louis
Detailed exhibits on Missouri’s role in the Civil War.
🔗 mcwm.org
Mastodon State Historic Site – Imperial
Paleontology site with fossils and prehistoric exhibits.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Daniel Boone Home & Heritage Center – Defiance
Georgian-style home built by Boone’s son, with restored outbuildings and guided tours.
🔗 stcharlesparks.com
First Missouri State Capitol & Lewis & Clark Museum – St. Charles
Learn about Missouri’s early statehood and expedition history.
🔗 mostateparks.com
🌄 Southwest Missouri
Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead – Ash Grove
Home of Daniel Boone’s son Nathan; 1830s cabin, trails, and ranger-led tours.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield – Republic
Site of one of the first major Civil War battles west of the Mississippi.
🔗 nps.gov/wicr
Smallin Civil War Cave – Ozark
A cave with historic significance and Civil War connections.
🔗 smallincave.com
George Washington Carver National Monument – Diamond
Birthplace and museum for the African American scientist and inventor.
🔗 nps.gov/gwca
Prairie State Park – Liberal
Roaming bison and nature trails. Hosts annual Prairie Days.
Laura Ingalls Wilder Home & Museum – Mansfield
Tour her home, museum, and see manuscripts and family heirlooms.
🔗 lauraingallswilderhome.com
Carthage Civil War Museum & Battle of Carthage – Carthage
Museum plus city history, mining, and restored Civil War sites.
Meramec State Park – Near Sullivan
Features a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) museum and river cave tours.
🔗 mostateparks.com
🏙️ Kansas City Region & Northwest Missouri
National WWI Museum and Memorial – Kansas City
Premier museum on the Great War.
🔗 theworldwar.org
Union Station & Science City – Kansas City
Historical rail station turned museum and learning center.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – Kansas City
Preserving the legacy of Black baseball pioneers.
🔗 nlbm.com
Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio – Kansas City
Home of Missouri’s famous muralist.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Missouri Town 1855 – Near Lee’s Summit
Living history museum with authentic 19th-century buildings and interpreters.
Jesse James Home & Museum – St. Joseph
Outlaw’s home and burial site.
🔗 stjosephmuseum.org
Patee House Museum & Pony Express Museum – St. Joseph
Explore Missouri’s frontier mail system and historic hotel.
🔗 ponyexpress.org
Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site – Lawson
Fully preserved woolen mill with farmstead.
🔗 mostateparks.com
🌊 Northeast Missouri
Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum – Hannibal
See where America’s beloved author grew up and wrote.
🔗 marktwainmuseum.org
Arrow Rock State Historic Site – Arrow Rock
Santa Fe Trail town with museum and preserved historic buildings.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Battle of Lexington State Historic Site – Lexington
Site of a Civil War battle involving the Anderson House.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Walt Disney Hometown Museum – Marceline
Celebrates Walt Disney’s Missouri roots.
🔗 waltdisneymuseum.org
Westminster College & Winston Churchill Museum – Fulton
Churchill gave his “Iron Curtain” speech here.
🔗 nationalchurchillmuseum.org
🌅 Southeast Missouri
Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park – Ste. Genevieve
Oldest European settlement in Missouri, with French colonial architecture.
🔗 nps.gov/stge
Trail of Tears State Park – Jackson
Explore Missouri’s role in this tragic Native American journey.
🔗 mostateparks.com
Cahokia Mounds – Just across the border in Illinois
Ancient Native American city that once spanned this region.
🔗 cahokiamounds.org
Gerald Heritage Days – Gerald, MO (October)
Live demonstrations of antique farming, horse-powered tools, stone cutting, and more.
Rosebud Threshers Weekend – Rosebud, MO (Summer)
Antique tractor parade, blacksmith demos, and hands-on fun for kids.
Fort D – Cape Girardeau, MO
Only remaining one of four Civil War forts that protected the City of Cape Girardeau from Confederate attack
🔗 Fort D
🌍 “Around the World” in Missouri
For some quirky history fun, visit these towns named after other famous places:
- Mexico, MO
- California, MO
- Cuba, MO
- Versailles, MO
- Nevada, MO
- New London, MO
- Paris, MO
Ideas for Using Towns Named After Famous Places in Missouri
1. Create a “Travel Around the World” History Unit
Explore each town’s name origin and the real-world place it’s named after. For example, learn about Paris, France, alongside Paris, MO. You can study maps, famous landmarks, history, and culture of each original city or country, then compare with the Missouri town.
2. Geography Mapping Project
Have kids plot all these “famous place” towns on a Missouri map, then locate their namesake cities on a world map or globe. It’s a fun way to connect U.S. geography with global geography.
3. Historical Stories and Cultural Connections
Research why settlers named the towns after these famous places. Was it because settlers came from there, admired those places, or something else? Look for historical ties, immigration patterns, or interesting local legends.
4. Road Trip or Field Trip Series
Plan visits or mini road trips to several of these towns. Document each visit with photos, journals, or videos comparing each Missouri town to its namesake. Local museums, festivals, or historical sites might share cultural clues.
5. Creative Writing Prompts
Ask kids to imagine living in the Missouri town or the famous city. How would life be different or similar? Or write a story about a traveler who visits both the Missouri town and its famous counterpart.
6. Cultural Cooking Day
Pick a town and cook a meal inspired by the culture of its namesake place. For example, make French pastries when visiting or studying Versailles, MO, named after Versailles, France.
7. Art and Architecture Exploration
Compare architectural styles or public art in the Missouri town versus the famous city it’s named after. For example, does Versailles, MO have French-style buildings or street names?
8. History & Timeline Comparison
Chart when each Missouri town was founded and when its namesake city became famous. Did the naming coincide with a particular event or trend?
