Updated: 6/21/2015 
Inside the Economy Museum
St. Louis, Missouri
Description

The economy. We hear about it every day, but how much do we actually know about it? The Inside the Economy™ Museum inside the historic Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis will immerse you in a one-of-a-kind experience that explains the economy, and your role in it, in a fun and interactive way.

Engage in a hands-on journey through nearly 100 exhibits that are brought to life through interactive displays, games, sculptures and videos.

The Inside the Economy™ Museum is located only a few blocks from several of downtown St. Louis' landmark attractions, including the Gateway Arch, the Old Courthouse and Laclede's Landing. Walk-in visitors, school field trips and other groups are welcome. The museum is free to all visitors.

Artifact Collections
Zone 1: The Eighth District Comes Alive

Your museum journey begins with a welcome video narrated by St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, who describes the unique economic and cultural characteristics of the seven-state region covered by the Eighth Federal Reserve District. You then enter the Bank's teller lobby. Watch the space instantly transform from historic to modern as a brief video sets the stage for the dynamic experience that awaits you.

Zone 2: How People Make Decisions

Whether you are spending, saving or investing, the decisions you make with your money impact the economy. Here, you will learn about concepts such as scarcity, the different types of capital, how education affects your future earnings, and the path to good credit. You will also gain knowledge about the trade-offs that we face when we make our decisions and how incentives help lead us to those decisions.

Zone 3: How People Interact

Markets make the world go 'round, and you can find them everywhere—from international stock exchanges to agricultural markets to the flea market down the road from you. In this section of the museum, you will learn why people participate in markets and how trade benefits the parties involved. You will also learn about money.

Zone 4: The Connections Theater

Have a seat and enjoy short videos about how trade connects people, the history of the Federal Reserve, and other short programs on a variety of economic topics.

Zone 5: You and the Economy

Across the planet, the actions taken by governments, central banks and commercial financial institutions ultimately affect all of us. And although technology and trade have connected the world’s economies more closely than ever before, standards of living continue to vary from one nation to the next. Discover how major decisions about the economy ultimately affect you, and how your life would differ if you lived in another place or during an earlier time.

Programs

The Inside the Economy™ Museum is an ideal class field-trip location for students in middle school through college. Through engaging and interactive exhibits, students will learn what makes the economy work, how they play a role in it, and how the decisions they make today could affect their financial futures.

For a more in-depth learning experience, the St. Louis Fed has a variety of ready-to-go lesson plans that you can use to enhance your students' learning experience. The lessons align with national education standards in economics and personal finance.

Services
Group Tours

The St. Louis Fed welcomes groups to the Inside the Economy™ Museum. The museum will appeal to a variety of groups, whether it's students and teachers on a field trip, conventioneers visiting St. Louis or seniors enjoying a day trip. Visitors should allow about one hour to tour the museum. See the Plan Your Visit page for the museum's visitor policies and other information. Reservations are required for groups of 11 to 70. Groups larger than 70 should contact us directly at economymuseum@stls.frb.org.

Group Tours
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

Check our website for more details in early 2025

The OMA newsletter is emailed every month with updates on OMA events, museum news, other events, trainings, jobs, grants and more for the museum community in Oregon.

For more information, please email connect@oregonmuseums.org.

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Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

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Los Angeles Convention Center

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Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

Participate in dedicated networking events and create connections that will inspire new ideas

Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

Network with AAM attendees and exhibitor

September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

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We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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