World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries

"This place is absolutely awesome and the best part is that it is free. The museum has a surprisingly rich collection of chess sets and boards from different parts of the world and across various time periods. Walking through the exhibits brought back many memories of my younger days when I used to play a lot more chess than I do now. Many visitors also mention the impressive giant chess piece outside and I agree that it is a great photo spot and sets the tone perfectly. Inside, the educational videos are engaging. The staff were friendly and helpful which made the experience even better. There is also a nice little gift shop with interesting items for chess lovers. Overall this is a wonderful place to visit whether you are a casual player or a chess enthusiast. Highly recommended."

"Love that this is in St. Louis! Biggest chess piece in the world! Got my dad hooked on chess recently, and he goes to listen to grand masters often. He now wins the majority of our games! Proud son, love chess"

"A hidden gem in the university district of st Louis! The staff were so friendly here. It was such a great time to play chess and learn more about it."

"It's free or donate a $5. It is worth it for a nice experience. The best part is the large chess piece outside and the cool boards. A great stop while you are in the area but not something you drive 30 minutes away for"

"This was a cute little stop for our kids as they both love playing chess. There are three floors of exhibits. Floor one features the artwork of a single artist has many pieces related to chess. The second d floor is all about chess references in literature and features some novelty boards, such as Winnie the Pooh, Beatrix Potter, Harry Potter, and Moby Dick themed boards. There is also a display of chess related books and an area for you to play a game of chess. The third floor features variants of traditional chess boards - various 3 person, 3-dimensional, 4-person boards, and even a representation of the hologram chess board from Star Wars: A New Hope. There were also a few variant boards on table along with rule sheets for the variations. There is a small gift shop in the museum. Outside is the world's largest chess piece as well as a large outdoor chessboard to play."