This summer, families will be able to put their chess skills to the test while donning only the finest royal garbs St. Louis can offer.
Beginning Monday, June 11, the Magic House will host a summer satellite location at Gary Gore Elementary in north St. Louis County. The Kings, Queens & Castles exhibit, a partnership with the Jennings School District, the Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum, and the World Chess Hall of Fame, brings the game of chess to life while providing an engaging introduction to individual chess pieces and game strategy, according to a news release.
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Carrie Hutchcraft, director of marketing and development for the Magic House, says the location was chosen to widen the Magic House’s presence in the community.
“Some individuals felt that it was especially hard for families to travel to Kirkwood from areas like north St. Louis City and County,” she says. “To ensure that we can achieve our mission of sharing our experience with all children in our area, we began exploring how we could open pop-up satellite locations in the North County area.”
Last year, the Magic House worked with the Ritenour School District to identify a possible satellite location. This summer, Art McCoy, Jennings School District superintendent and board member at the the Magic House, helped identify Gary Gore Elementary as the ideal location.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Jennings School District and the World Chess Hall of Fame to make this possible,” Hutchcraft says.
Visitors to the exhibit will get the full medieval experience as they step across a drawbridge into a castle fully equipped with turret slides. Once inside, families will learn how to prepare for a chess game by arranging a colossal chess board with equally large pieces as they sit on a majestic throne and try out their own royal cape, crown, and shield.
Hutchcraft says the chess exhibit was co-created by the Magic House and the World Chess Hall of Fame. In addition to the exhibit, she says, the St. Louis Chess Club will host a chess summer camp experience at the location.
The exhibit is free to the public and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Kings, Queens & Castles will be at Gary Gore Elementary, located at 2545 Dorwood, June 11 through July 27. Visitors should use the auditorium entrance.
