The Fourth of July is usually a time of reflection and celebration—though this year, Celebrate Saint Louis is also looking ahead.
For the first time, the annual downtown celebration will host the Innovation Village, a free, two-day interactive exhibit designed to showcase the science, technology, medicine, conservation, and manufacturing breakthroughs happening in St. Louis.
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The immersive experience will bring together such organizations as Boeing, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, WashU, the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Mizzou, Bayer, Schnucks, Ameren, and World Wide Technology.
“We know it’s important to look backward and understand history,” says Jessica Fox, chair of Celebrate Saint Louis. “But it’s also important to continue to look forward.”
The exhibit arrives as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations and is intended to spotlight the people, institutions, and ideas helping shape the next 250 years.
Five ways to explore the future
Located at Live! by Loews in Ballpark Village, Innovation Village will take visitors through five themed “frontiers” that explore how St. Louis is tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges:
- Seeing the World: Learn about aerospace and geospatial technology
- Feeding the World: Discover advances in agriculture and food production
- Healing the World: Explore medical breakthroughs
- Sustaining the Planet: Dive into conservation efforts through partnerships such as the Living Earth Collaborative
- Powering the World: Find out about innovations in manufacturing, logistics, energy, and retail.
What makes the experience especially appealing for kids is that it isn’t designed as a museum-style exhibit. “It’s a touch-everything kind of place,” Fox says.
Interactive experiences will include Boeing flight simulators, virtual reality demonstrations, robotics displays, and opportunities to explore technologies being used by local companies and institutions. Families can also pick up free commemorative bracelets inspired by the different frontiers.
Why parents should make time for it
Many children recognize such names as Boeing, the Saint Louis Zoo, WashU, and Schnucks. What they may not realize is the global impact those organizations have—or the careers connected to them. Fox hopes that Innovation Village helps bridge that gap.
Take Boeing’s flight simulators, for example. While kids may see them as a chance to test their piloting skills, Fox hopes such experiences can help young visitors connect classroom lessons to real-world careers and technologies.
“I hope it piques the interest of some of the kids and teens that come through,” Fox says. “Maybe it takes their interest into a career in science, technology, engineering, and math—something they didn’t think they would be interested in.”
She also believes that visitors may be impressed by the sheer scale of innovation happening locally. “I think one of the biggest surprises will be the depth and breadth of what’s happening,” she says. “There’s just so much happening on so many different fronts.”
Planning your visit
Innovation Village will be open from noon–6 p.m. July 3 and from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. July 4. Admission is free.
Families visiting on July 4 can pair the exhibit with the All-American Car Show at Ballpark Village, America’s Birthday Parade, live music, drone shows, and fireworks. Additional family activities and nonprofit exhibits will also be spread throughout the Gateway Arch grounds.
Fox recommends planning ahead, checking the Celebrate Saint Louis website for schedules and road closures, and considering MetroLink to avoid downtown parking challenges.
If this year’s exhibit proves successful, it may not be a one-time experience, Fox says. Celebrate Saint Louis organizers hope that Innovation Village is just the beginning, with plans to continue year-round programming and potentially bring the traveling exhibit to other locations in the future.
For now, though, families can get a glimpse of what the future looks like—without ever leaving St. Louis. “It’s really about opportunity,” Fox says. “Finding and understanding the technologies or career paths that maybe they weren’t aware of or didn’t know even existed here in St. Louis.”
