Monarch butterflies are headed south for the winter, and the National Park Service and the city of St. Louis are celebrating the journey with the Great MonArch Migration event. Pollinator experts from the Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo, and the Missouri Department of Conservation will lead monarch-themed activities, like making milkweed seed balls and insect hotels, and will share monarch gardening tips.
Activities will take place in front of the new west entrance to the Gateway Arch as well as inside the Arch Visitors Center. Free refreshments, native plants and seed packets will be available while supplies last.
It's also the National Park Service Fee Free Day, in which the entrance fee to all NPS sites is waived. Visitors to the Gateway Arch can enjoy $3 off their adult tram ride ticket or documentary movie that day.
Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gateway Arch.
More information: gatewayarch.com
Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, meet the wonderful bird ambassadors of the World Bird Sanctuary up close and much more.
Families are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Sunday afternoon to participate in free hands-on art activities with fun themes and to explore the galleries. Each Family Sunday focuses on a different family-friendly theme.
The Saint Louis Science Center has expanded its Preschool Science Series to include new offerings for different age groups of young scientists. Storybook STEM is for ages 3 to 5.
Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the Chinese lantern festival Animals Aglow! Animals Aglow returns to illuminate the Saint Louis Zoo for the second year with dozens of new, towering lanterns and light displays.
Meet up in Forest Park for a fun storytime followed by nature adventures! These free story times are open to children of all ages and their caregivers.