Saint Louis Art Museum

06/17/2026

St. Louis appears in art because it sits at a powerful crossroads, geographically, historically, and culturally. The city’s identity as the Gateway to the West along the Mississippi River has made it a powerful image for artists capturing westward expansion.

Many visitors might not realize it, but SLAM houses several notable works featuring different aspects of the city. See these works on our latest 1 Fine Arts Blog post, linked below:

St. Louis appears in art because it sits at a powerful crossroads, geographically, historically, and culturally. The city’s identity as the Gateway to the West along the Mississippi River makes it a powerful image for artists capturing westward expansion. Even more, its complex history attracts ar...

06/16/2026

Take me to SLAM so I can experience fun programs and art for free. ❤ From Access for All Free Fridays to Family Sundays, there are programs for everyone to enjoy this summer in St. Louis! And honestly, why would you want to go anywhere else?

P.S. We have GREAT A/C. 😎

06/12/2026

We are saddened by the passing of artist David Hockney. Over seven decades, Hockney became well known for his drawings, prints, photographs, and even iPad drawings of friends and family.

Check out some of his works at the news article below, and view one of his artworks in SLAM's collection here: https://bit.ly/3SD5q7X

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwykpx1exyzo

The Bradford-born artist, who has died at 88, was one of the most influential artists of the modern era.

06/12/2026

Picturing Independence is now open! Marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this exhibition invites visitors to consider how artists have both reflected on and shaped ideas of American independence.

Join us for these opening weekend programs:

Public Opening
Friday, June 12 | 4–8 pm

Family Sunday—Out of This World
Sunday, June 14 | 1–4 pm

Opening Lecture
Sunday, June 14 | 2–3 pm

For a full list of events and exhibition details, head to the link in our bio.

06/10/2026

Bright lights, big city (views). 🌇

For our latest 1 Fine Arts Blog post, a few of SLAM's curators selected works in the Museum's collection focusing on city views. Included is Reginald Marsh's Show Window, which depicts a department store window, bursting at its seams with an array of colorful objects. Marsh has blurred the distinction between shoppers and mannequins by merging the interior and exterior spaces through his technique.

See which works we included in this round-up at the link below.
https://www.slam.org/blog/staff-picks-city-views/

Reginald Marsh's Show Window is on view in Gallery 333.
Reginald Marsh, American (born France), 1898–1954; Show Window, 1934; tempera on board; 42 x 34 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Bequest of Felicia Meyer Marsh ;123:1979; © The Art Students League of New York

06/05/2026

Alongside a larger-than-life statue of the emperor Trajan, the opening gallery of Ancient Splendor: Roman Art in the Time of Trajan features a series of busts depicting members of the Imperial family.

As part of a spring 2026 writing-intensive course, Washington University students produced the following descriptions of two Imperial portraits. This blog is part of a series of posts from students about the exhibition. Read more on our latest 1 Fine Arts Blog post, linked below.

https://www.slam.org/blog/washu-spotlights-on-ancient-splendor-imperial-portraiture

As part of a spring 2026 writing-intensive course, Washington University students produced descriptions of two Imperial portraits. This blog is part of a series of posts from students about the exhibition.

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

There’s no need to rush! You’ve made it to Friday and the weekend is finally here. Take some time to slow down and enjoy SLAM’s galleries.

05/31/2026

Happy Birthday to Ellsworth Kelly! 🎂
 
A SLAM visitor favorite, Spectrum II is made up of 13 individually painted canvases, culminating in a work that is almost 23 feet long! Kelly chose to disrupt the traditional red-to-violet progression of the rainbow spectrum by making his own spectrum of hues starting with a bright, lemon yellow and ending with a golden yellow.
 
Spectrum II is the second work in a series of eight Spectrum paintings Kelly produced over a more than 60-year period from 1953 until 2014. Experience the brilliance of Spectrum II, on view in Gallery 244.
Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; Spectrum II, 1966–67; oil on canvas; 80 inches x 22 feet 9 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Funds given by the Shoenberg Foundation, Inc. 4:1967a-m; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery

05/29/2026

What’s the best way to explore Italy while in St. Louis? By Rome-ing around SLAM’s exhibition, Ancient Splendor: Roman Art in the Time of Trajan! 😉🇮🇹🍕
 
Don’t believe us? Check out these rave reviews from SLAM’s visitors! See Ancient Splendor for free on Fridays, when SLAM is open late and ticketed exhibitions are free.