If you grew up in St. Louis, you probably remember the first time you walked into The Magic House — the static hair, the giant beanstalk, the feeling that this place was made just for kids like you. Nearly 50 years later, that same spark is still alive, and this year, it’s getting even brighter.
The Magic House is launching a bold new effort called Play Together — a community-wide initiative designed to bring families back to the heart of what childhood is meant to be: imaginative, hands-on, shared.
A Community Call to Bring Play Back
Walk into any home, school, or playground and you’ll feel it — kids are more scheduled, more structured, and more screen-tethered than ever. The Magic House team has been watching this shift closely.
“Children today have fewer opportunities for unstructured, shared play, and we’re seeing the impact of that in how they learn and connect,” says Beth Fitzgerald, President of The Magic House. “Through Play Together, we’re working to reintroduce play as a daily priority at home, in schools, and across our community.”
The initiative is part of a three-year strategic plan shaped by local families, educators, and child development experts. At its core is a belief that feels especially true in Kirkwood: families thrive when they play together.
Trike Town Route 66: A Highway to Pure Joy
Opening this fall, Trike Town Route 66 is the kind of exhibit that makes adults grin just as wide as the kids.
Created in honor of Route 66’s 100th anniversary, the exhibit invites young “drivers” to hop on trikes and cruise through a miniature town inspired by the Mother Road. Kids will pedal past pint-sized versions of beloved St. Louis stops — Donut Drive-In, Ted Drewes, Crestwood Bowl, Spencer’s Grill — all reimagined at child scale.
And here’s a detail that makes this exhibit feel even more like a Kirkwood love story:
the new play structures are being built less than a mile away, crafted locally with the same care and creativity that families have come to expect from The Magic House. It’s a hometown project through and through — imagined here, built here, and soon to be played in by families here.
The exhibit is also sponsored by Sunset Ford, a local dealership founded in 1912 on the very road Route 66 once traveled. Nostalgic, local, and full of joy — it’s everything families love about The Magic House.
Step Into the World of Peanuts
Also debuting this fall is Take Care with Peanuts — an exhibit that brings Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole gang to life.
Kids can climb into Snoopy’s doghouse, “feed” the Kite-Eating Tree, and explore themes of empathy, friendship, and caring for themselves and others. It’s whimsical, heartfelt, and sprinkled with nostalgia for parents who grew up reading the comics in the Sunday paper.
“The kids are going to have so much fun with these exhibits, and I love that they also bring a little nostalgia for adults,” says Marissa Lorance, Director of Marketing. “It ends up being something the whole family can really enjoy together.”
Building a Community Where Play Is for Everyone
The Play Together initiative reaches far beyond the museum walls. Over the next three years, The Magic House will:
- Expand access so more families can experience the power of play
- Create hands-on programs that bring children of all backgrounds together
- Support educators with play-based tools and resources
- Increase awareness of why play matters
- Build partnerships across the region
- Bring free play opportunities to families with the greatest needs
“When children engage in play, they are making decisions, solving problems, and exploring different ways to approach a challenge,” says Steve Coxon of the Education Advisory Committee. “That active participation helps learning stick in a way that worksheets, lectures, and memorization often cannot.”
A Museum Leading the Way
With more than 550,000 visitors each year and a long-standing commitment to accessibility through its Access for All initiative, The Magic House is uniquely positioned to lead this cultural shift.
“This is more than a strategic plan — it’s a call to action,” Fitzgerald says. “We are inviting families, educators, and our entire community to join us in creating a culture where play is prioritized, protected, and celebrated.”
And with new exhibits that blend nostalgia, imagination, and pure childhood joy — many of them built right here in Kirkwood. The Magic House is giving families the perfect place to start.
For more information, visit magichouse.org