Eugene Field House & St Louis Toy Museum

Not as many toys as I would like to have seen, or information posted about the toys themselves, but the docent was kind and informative, and the history and stories regarding the house are very interesting.

Not bad of a place, but for any St. Louisan or tourist who has extra time on their hands, check this place out. It’s a mixture of the history of Roswell Field and his son, Eugene. You’ll get a fair share of both, as well as some cool retro toys to view. I didn’t know this place existed until a few months ago. How’s that for a local person?

My son (10) and I had never heard about Eugene Fields but were intrigued by him, the toys, and also wanted to learn more about the Dred Scott case. We got a personal tour for the two of us from one of the docents. He was very knowledgeable and customized the tour to our questions. It’s a beautiful house with lots of interesting history. Hearing about the family life of Eugene and his father, the politics of their eras, the importance of each of them — we learned a ton and my son didn’t get bored (a huge achievement!). What a cute little gem — too bad more people don’t know about it! (but go quickly before people find out so you can have your custom tour!). They even have parking out back!

Jennifer B. did a great review, and even though it’s 4 years old, it still rings true.
I have nothing to add, other than take the hour and pay the $ 5 and enjoy the tour of this great house. Gift shop upstairs will have great gifts for the kid in you, or kids who are related to you and expect you to bring back gifts. :-)

The Eugene Field House and Toy Museum is a quaint little row house in St. Louis. Eugene Field was a famous St. Louis children’s poet, famous for such poems as ‘Little Boy Blue’ and ‘Wynken, Blynken and Nod’. Eugene’s father Roswell was the lawyer who represented Dred Scott in the fight against slavery, a defense that ultimately failed and at least sped up [if not led to] the Civil War.
It’s plain to see why the Field House is so important, not only to St. Louis but to the entire country. Many schools come here for field trips, and the museum has done a great job of making the trip interesting. You see, the combination of the miniature museum with the displays and information on the Fields and the Scotts really help to keep the kids interested. Inside there are toys from many eras, there are also many miniature displays, which are a delight to look at.
Still, there are more educational displays, such as interactive ones showing the lives of slave kids, or the installation Narrative Voices that tells about the Dred Scott case. Currently there is a miniature teapot collection that has come to the museum that will stay another month or so before moving on to the next city.
This is an important landmark that everyone interested in the history of St. Louis should check out. The ladies who work here are very kind, and the house itself is gorgeous. Admission is only $ 5 for adults.