Missouri

Return to the Route 40 Roadside Attractions home page.

A special note: Throughout the Route40.net web site I've done my best to present information in a scholarly manner. Roadside attractions by their very nature present a lighter side of roadside culture. If my comments seem biased, opinionated, uncalled for or otherwise offensive, I apologize. To paraphrase public radio's smart guy Michael Feldman, if you don't like what you see on these pages, get your own web site.

More importantly, please stop by these attractions and be sure to tell them that Route40.net sent you. And have fun!

International Bowling Museum/Hall of Fame 111 Stadium Plaza St. Louis, Missouri 63102 (800) 966-BOWL www.bowlingmuseum.com Hey, I love bowling. Duckpins rule! That's what happens when you are raised in Baltimore. (It's rather interesting that Baltimore and Saint Louis share so many unique qualities: blue laws, Catholic foundation, only cities not part of a county, bowling...) I know bowling gets a bad rap (I once had a girlfriend who told me, "I'm not good at taking hints so if you ever want to break up with me, tell me you want to go bowling." Never had to do that since she broke up with me. But I digress...) Opened in 1984, this museum covers the sport of bowling tracing it back to its Egyptian roots. The National Bowling Stadium is also located on Route 40 in Reno, Nevada. Photo by International Bowling Museum.

Dog Museum 1721 South Mason Road West St. Louis, Missouri (314) 821-3647 www.akc.org/love/museum/index.cfm A museum dedicated to pedigree dogs. Woof!

Muffler Man Croft Automotive 49 Elam Road St. Louis, Missouri Read more about Muffler Men.

Muffler Man Skyline Motors Tractor Trailer Repair South Service Road Foristell, Missouri 63348 (636) 673-2211 Read more about Muffler Men.

Elvis is Alive Museum Wrightsville, Missouri 636-745-3154 Open everyday but Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Free admission. It's a conspiracy and it doesn't involve the Warren Commission - or maybe it does... Curator and Elvis fanatic and licensed minister Bill Beeny has setup this museum to explain why he thinks Elvis is alive. Beeny claims to have DNA evidence that the person buried in Elvis' coffin is not The King. You know some people just have too much time on their hands (like I'm one to talk). Other highlights include the tomb room where you can mourn over a wax Elvis laying in a casket.

Nostalgiaville, USA 5501 Old US Highway 40 Kingdom City, Missouri 65262-2005 (573) 642-7955 A shop full of 1950's and 1960's kitsch. Elvis, doowop and diner memorabilia abound here (almost all mass produced, few originals). Tons of Route 66 crap here, although worth a visit for Route 40 followers. On my last visit, they even had Route 40 signs for sale - there's something you don't see every day! Located on the old alignment of Route 40 at SR 54.

Ozarkland SR 54 & I-70 Kingdom City, MO 65262 (573) 642-4742 One of six retail tourist traps. In the same vein as South of the Border. If you don't have enough souvenir shot glasses, thimbles or hillbilly crap, this is the place for you.

Muffler Man Old Route 40 Boonville, Missouri Relocated. This cowboy Muffler Man stood in front of a gas station just west of Boonville on Old Route 40. He was visible on the westbound side of I-70. This guy was auctioned off and the new owner is having the cowboy refurbished. Afterwards, he will be part of the Kansas City Children's Museum. Read more about Muffler Men.

Three Dog Bakery 1627 Main Street Suite 700 Kansas City, MO 64108 (800) 487-3287 www.threedog.com Not really a tourist attraction, but worth mentioning. This is probably the most famous canine bakery in the world. Yes, canine. Be sure to bring Rover some souvenirs!

World's Largest Shuttlecocks Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 4525 Oak Street Kansas City, Missouri 64111-1873 (816) 561-4000 The Nelson-Atkins Museum has balls, er, birdies for this one. In a very daring move, they installed a number of monstrous badminton shuttlecocks on the museum grounds. Each "birdie" is eighteen feet tall and weighs two and a half tons. Critics hate them saying they are in bad taste. Bad taste, the perfect ingredient for a roadside attraction! World's Largest Stuff

© 2002 Frank X. Brusca. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Unless otherwise noted, all content by Frank Brusca.
Route40.net Legal Notice.