Springfield, Missouri

1. Discovery Center of Springfield

The Discovery Center of Springfield is a hands-on, cool, fun, interactive museum that inspires learning through exploration and discovery.

The Discovery Center presents a variety of fascinating exhibits, programs, and displays that offer a fun and inspiring educational resource, allowing visitors of all ages to develop critical thinking skills. Covering subject matter from science and technology to art, history, and culture, the DCS provides visitors with opportunities to explore the inner workings of an eyeball, dig for dinosaur bones, learn about other cultures of the world, ride the HighWire bike, and take home a sample of their own DNA.

DCS also offers a range of educational outreach programs and hosts events such as Earth Day, Pi Day, Nano Day, and scout nights. The Discovery Center of Springfield is one of the top family attractions.

438 E. St. Louis Street, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-862-9910

2. Springfield Art Museum

A small group of women founded the Springfield Art Museum in 1926, and today it is the city’s oldest cultural institution and one of the best things to do in Springfield, Missouri. Established to inspire and educate the public about the preservation and appreciation of art, the Springfield Art Museum has a permanent collection of over 10,000 works of art in its permanent collection spanning numerous time periods and cultures, as well as rotating and traveling exhibitions.

Special collections include the Art of the Midwest, American water media, and printmaking, as well as pottery and ceramics from Europe. Several large-scale sculptures are on display throughout the grounds, including a well-known Springfield landmark, Sun Target II by John Henry.

1111 E Brookside Drive, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-837-5700

3. Fantastic Caverns

Explore the spectacular beauty of Fantastic Caverns, a vast underground cave carved out by an ancient river just northwest of Springfield.

Discovered by John Knox and his hunting dog in 1862, the cavern quickly became a popular destination for exploration, and today, visitors can enjoy a 55-minute guided ride-through tour in a Jeep-drawn tram. Soak up the magnitude of the splendor and tranquility of the cave on a quiet, controlled drive through the cave where the temperature hovers around 60 degrees.

If you are wondering what to see in Springfield, Missouri with kids, this is a great place to visit. Trolley-led tours are held every day, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

4872 North Farm Road 125, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-833-2010

4. Botanical Center at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park

Botanical Center at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park is a magnificent 114-acre park located just across from Horton Smith Golf Course. The 12,700-square-foot Botanical Center is also part of the park. The gardens and arboretum were built as a learning resource for the students of University of Missouri and local gardeners, and they serve as an outdoor classroom and a plant laboratory. They were also constructed for anyone who loves vast green spaces, lush trees and bushes, and nature in general.

There are 2.8 miles of trails around the banks of Lake Drummond for joggers, walkers, and bikers. Dr. Bill Roston Butterfly House delights children and students with colorful insects, allowing them to see all the stages these creatures go through. Nobody can stay untouched by the timeless beauty of the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden. If you are wondering what to see in Springfield, Missouri, this beautiful outdoor space is a great place to start. There is so much to see here that captures and showcases the beauty of the native Ozarks.

2400 S. Scenic, Springfield, MO 65807, 417-891-1515

5. Hammons Field

The Springfield Cardinals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the 11-time World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, and the team is based at Hammons Field in downtown Springfield.

Owned and operated by the St. Louis Cardinals, they are one of eight teams in the Texas League. The stadium is unique due to its two baseball- specific outbuildings outside of the right-field walls, the larger of which serves as a fully furnished indoor practice facility with astroturf, batting cages, and a small diamond for drills.

The stadium, which can accommodate nearly 8,000 fans, also features 28 luxury box suites, VIP lounges, bar areas, and a balcony area, as well as one of the largest electronic scoreboards and JumboTrons in the country. Named as one of the most striking minor league stadiums in the country, the home of the Springfield Cardinals enjoys crowds at every game.

955 E Trafficway St, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-869-4274

6. The Air and Military Museum of the Ozarks

The Air and Military Museum of the Ozarks was established in 1989 with the aim of restoring, preserving, and displaying the military history and memorabilia of the Ozarks for the public.

Dedicated to the men and women who fought and died in the Armed Forces to preserve America's freedom, the museum is home to a collection of more than 5,000 objects of military history, including vintage military equipment like a Cobra helicopter, a T-33 jet aircraft, and Army Jeeps and trucks.

Visitors can enjoy a hands-on experience at the museum by taking an imaginary flight in a Cobra helicopter, typing a message on an old Teletype machine, or having a personalized dog tag made. The museum also runs some special projects and field trips for students, and it hosts birthday parties as well.

2305 E Kearney St, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-864-7997

7. Dickerson Park Zoo

Dickerson Park Zoo was founded with the objectives of educating the public and inspiring them to take an interest in wildlife and nature and conservation.

The zoo is currently home to more than 500 animals that represent 160 different species, and it is involved in several conservation projects, including the Species Survival Plan, which involves Asian elephants, maned wolves, and cheetahs.

The zoo also features in-house and outreach community programs that focus on conservation. Check their website for things to do this weekend.

1401 W Norton Rd, Springfield, MO 65803, Phone: 417-864-1800

8. Springfield Conservation Nature Center

Located in southeast Springfield, the Springfield Conservation Nature Center is a 79-acre natural landscape consisting of woodlands, forests, glades, prairies, and Lake Springfield, and it offers visitors an array of recreational and outdoor activities to enjoy.

The Nature Center boasts over three miles of hiking trails of varying distances, which can be used for hiking, and wildlife watching. Self-guided displays and exhibits are scattered throughout the park for educational and reference purposes, and guided tours are available free of charge for groups, though they need to be booked in advance.

Special events are held in the park throughout the year, including Eagle Days during winter, Native Plant Sales and Seminars during spring, Insect-O-Rama during August, and a Halloween-based event in October.

4601 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-888-4237

9. Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is the original and largest of the Bass Pro Shops in the country. Bass Pro Shops is a premier outdoor retailer with stores across America and Canada, and the company specializes in fishing and boating equipment as well as equipment and gear for other outdoor activities such as hunting and camping.

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is a retail mecca for outdoor sportsmen with more than 500,000 square feet of space dedicated to the outdoors, and it also features aquariums, waterfalls, a firing range, TRACKER boat showroom, and the NRA Museum and Archery Hall of Fame.

Shop for all your outdoor clothing, footwear, cooking, and equipment needs, as well as nature-themed gifts and relax over a coffee afterward at the Hemingway’s Blue Water Café.

1935 S. Campbell Ave., Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-887-7334

10. Mother's Brewing Company

Mother's Brewing Company is a locally-owned brewery that produces and distributes craft beers. Located on South Grant in Downtown Springfield, Mother’s Brewing Company produces a range of craft beer from year-rounder labels such as Towhead and Three Blind Mice to seasonal beers like ‘Oktoberfest’, Winter Grind and Spring Batch, along with other popular labels.

Visitors can take a tour of Mother’s Brewery and learn about the processes of beer making, bottling, and distribution, and participate in a tasting session in the Tasting Room afterwards. Mother’s Tours are held every Saturday afternoon and are on a first come, first served basis.

215 South Grant, Springfield, Missouri, Phone: 417-862-0423