Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis (must see)

The Missouri Botanical Garden, also known as Shaw's Garden, was founded in 1859 by businessman Henry Shaw. It is one of the oldest botanical institutions in the United States and a National Historic Landmark. The garden is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Missouri Botanical Garden's herbarium is the second-largest in North America, with more than 6.6 million specimens. The herbarium is assigned the Index Herbariorum code MO, which is used when citing housed specimens.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is a renowned center for botanical research and science education. It covers an area of 79 acres and includes a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden named Seiwa-en, the Climatron geodesic dome conservatory, a children's garden with a pioneer village, a playground, a fountain area and a water locking system, an Osage camp, and Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home. The garden is adjacent to Tower Grove Park, another legacy of Henry Shaw.

The garden is home to many annual cultural festivals, such as the Japanese Festival and the Chinese Culture Days. During these events, visitors can enjoy showcases of botanics from the cultures, as well as cultural arts, crafts, music, and food. The Japanese Festival includes sumo wrestling, taiko drumming, koma-mawashi top spinning, and kimono fashion shows. The garden is also known for its bonsai growing, which can be seen all year round and is highlighted during the multiple Asian festivals.

In 2006, the Missouri Botanical Garden hosted "Glass in the Garden," featuring glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly placed throughout the garden. Four pieces were purchased to remain at the gardens. In 2008, sculptures of the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle were placed throughout the garden. In 2009, the garden celebrated its 150th anniversary, including a floral clock display.

Why You Should Visit:
Not only does it have an amazing display of a variety of local plant life, but it also is home to a variety of gardens that allow visitors to travel all over the world.
The Japanese and Chinese gardens are some of the best you can see outside of Japan and China.

Tip:
Look for special events at the garden as the various festivals are even better than a regular visit and more than worth the price of admission.