City Museum St Louis 10 Story Slide
There’s a former shoe warehouse in St. Louis that turned into a giant playground. It’s called the City Museum. And it hides a ten-story slide that twists down through the buil...
There’s a former shoe warehouse in St. Louis that turned into a giant playground. It’s called the City Museum. And it hides a ten-story slide that twists down through the building like a concrete snake.
This isn’t the shiny slide at your local park. It’s raw, dusty, and a little mysterious. You don’t just ride it; you survive it, laugh about it, and want to go again.
What Exactly Is This Slide?
It’s a spiral slide made of concrete and rebar. It coils down about ten stories inside the museum. That’s roughly the height of a small office building.
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You climb a winding staircase to the top. Then you sit on a burlap sack or a piece of cardboard. Then you push off.
The slide is dark in places and fast everywhere. You might spin, scream, or forget which way is up. It’s a little bit terrifying, and that’s the point.
How It Started
The City Museum was the brainchild of artist Bob Cassilly. He opened it in 1997 inside the old International Shoe Company warehouse. He filled it with salvaged junk, old chimneys, and wild ideas.
The ten-story slide was part sculpture, part ride, and part dare. Cassilly didn’t want a safe, boring museum. He wanted a place where kids and adults could get lost.
And yes, the slide is technically a work of art. A very fast, very dizzying work of art.
The Ride Itself
You enter a small opening and might have to duck. You might have to wait in line. The line is usually worth it.
You place your burlap sack down and sit. You lift your feet. Then gravity takes over.
The world becomes a gray blur as the concrete walls rush past. Your stomach drops and your hair flies. You hear your own echo.
At the bottom, you shoot out like a cannonball. You might land on a soft mat or tumble. You might just lie there and grin.
10 Story Slide 132/365 | Visited the City Museum in St. Loui… | Flickr
Your legs feel like jelly and your heart is pounding. You look back up and think, I did that. Then you want to do it again.
Quirky Details
There are no safety harnesses or seatbelts. No fancy Disney engineering. It’s just you and gravity and a whole lot of trust.
The slide is a little dusty. You might get static hair or a bruise. You might find a random piece of confetti in your sock later.
It’s not for claustrophobics or people who hate spinning. But for everyone else, it’s a rite of passage.
Why It’s So Fun to Talk About
Everyone has a slide story. Some people race their friends. Some people chicken out at the top.
You can compare screams, bruises, and how many times you went down. It’s a shared adventure. And it’s weird in the best way.
It’s the kind of thing you can’t fully explain. You just have to point and say, You have to try it.
The Museum Around It
The slide is just one piece of the madness. The City Museum has tunnels, caves, and a school bus hanging off the roof. There’s an airplane fuselage you can climb through.
You can crawl through a wire maze and slide down smaller slides. You can get lost for hours. But the ten-story slide is still the star.
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It’s the thing people remember and post about. It’s the thing that makes them say, St. Louis has a ten-story slide?
Tips If You Go
Wear socks and leave loose jewelry at home. Empty your pockets. You don’t want your phone flying out halfway down.
Grab a burlap sack if they offer one. Keep your arms inside. Don’t try to stop yourself.
It’s okay to yell or laugh. Just don’t go down headfirst. That’s a bad idea.
The Legacy
Bob Cassilly died in 2011, but his wild spirit lives on. The museum keeps changing. New tunnels appear and new slides get added.
The ten-story slide remains a legend. It’s a bucket list item and a weird badge of honor. You can’t find another one like it.
That’s the magic. It’s not polished or predictable. It’s a giant, beautiful, slightly dangerous playground for all ages.
So, Would You Do It?
If you’re in St. Louis, go climb the stairs. Grab a sack and take the plunge. You’ll never look at a playground slide the same way again.
You’ll be talking about it for years. You’ll tell the story with your hands.
And that’s the fun of it. It’s the City Museum’s ten-story slide.
