PGAV Destinations works on master plan for City Museum, St Louis

PGAV Destinations, a global leader in the planning and design of unique destinations including local attractions such as the St. Louis Aquarium, is honored to work with Rick Erwin and the City Museum team on a multi-tier master plan of the iconic attraction.

“The master plan sets a bold vision of the attraction moving into the future to ensure that the City Museum continues to be a favorite attraction within Saint Louis,” said PGAV Vice President, Jeff Havlik.

The City Museum is an Iconic must-see (to be believed) attraction in St Louis. This mixture of unfettered play, architectural museum, and artistic adaptive repurposing of architectural and industrial salvage was the brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly. This wild, wacky, wonderful, interactive artistic attraction opened in 1997 and has served as an inspiration for several of the new art based interactive attractions and exhibits we see today.

“There are many things that City Museum does well – build slides, lose kids, and create memories,” says Rick Erwin, Executive Director of City Museum, “But we are not as good at getting large crowds in quickly, communicating where the bathrooms are, or even how to find us. So, we had to find someone to help us and it couldn’t be better that they are just down the street. PGAV also being a St. Louis company,  already knew our history, they’ve thrown parties at the museum, and they’ve worked with Bob on other projects, so it was a good fit. Plus, we’re still very committed to changing the skyline of St. Louis and I think we need a few more things on the roof. PGAV’s work around the world may help find us a couple of cool things to go along with the Ferris Wheel or spark other ideas.”

PGAV’s master plan will create a vision for the future that will expand and diversify the guest experience while staying firmly rooted in City Museum’s original concept and style. The master plan will touch on several areas o

f the destination including:

• Enhancing operational and guest experience from parking, through approach and entry.
• Analyzing circulation, guest flow, and wayfinding throughout the destination
• Reviewing the culinary and retail venues and reimagining each to better serve the guest, tapping into the Cassilly style of design
• Reviewing all current attractions, activities, and exhibits, and using this analysis to plan future attractions and activities
• Creating more accessible experiences for all guests to experience play including those with sensory and physical limitations

Adds Havlik, “I first worked with Bob 34 years ago and am thrilled to be working with the City Museum which I consider Bob’s greatest achievement. While we are using our expertise in many types of destinations, the City Museum is unique unto itself, and we are dedicated to preserving the brand and the vision of the current creative crew at the museum by enhancing the guest experience.”

About PGAV Destinations

PGAV Destinations is a global leader in the planning and design of unique destinations. Now entering its sixth decade, the practice has evolved to become the ideal destination-consulting partner, skilled at developing growth-oriented master plans and translating those plans into successful projects. No other firm offers such an integrated approach to destination planning.

PGAV Destinations’ local clients include the St. Louis Aquarium, Saint Louis Zoo, Cardinal’s Hall of Fame, and Anheuser Busch. Other key clients include industry leaders such as Delaware North Companies, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, the Biltmore Companies, Bass Pro Shops, Ameristar Casinos, Universal Studios, The Gettysburg Foundation, and many others. Recent assignments include planning and design at many of the world’s “must see” destinations, including the Grand Canyon, Biltmore Estate, Space Shuttle Atlantis, The Alamo, National Air & Space Museum, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, the Georgia Aquarium, the Hoover Dam, and SeaWorld Adventure Parks. www.PGAVDestinations.com

About City Museum

Explore the unexpected. City Museum is a hundred-year-old warehouse in downtown St. Louis in which artists have repurposed the pieces of old cities to build miles of tunnels, slides, climbers, bridges, and castles. There are secret passages and grand galleries. Playgrounds and ball pits. A circus and a train. A rooftop school bus and a Ferris wheel.

About Premier Parks, LLC
Premier Parks operates 13 properties featuring on-site accommodations, an adventure park and marina, world-class concert facilities, a museum, and traditional theme and water park offerings across the US and Canada.  City Museum was acquired by Premier Parks in 2019. The company has a proven record of dramatically improving underperforming properties.  The company is led by a team of industry veterans, each with a unique set of skills developed over decades spent entertaining fun-seekers across the globe.