St. Louis

Take one look at the website and Facebook page of the Gateway Steampunk Society, and you'll see that St. Louis is an area with an active steampunk community.

The city itself is well known for the Gateway Arch, but it has many other notable attractions such as the Old St. Louis County Courthouse, the City Museum, the Museum of Transportation and the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum. On the offbeat side, you'll find the DeMoulin Museum, which pays tribute to a company that manufactured prank devices in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A couple hours north is Hannibal, Mo., the boyhood home of Mark Twain and site of the annual Big River Steampunk Festival.

The listings below include locations in the St. Louis area, including its suburbs in Illinois. Check out the "Steamiest Places" section for attractions likely to be of greatest interest to steampunks.

Stories

Photos: Big River Steampunk Fest 2023

This year’s gathering broke attendance records, according to the local visitor’s bureau

Photos by Curt Knapp | Sep 10, 2023

The Big River Steampunk Festival took place over Labor Day weekend in Hannibal, Missouri, and our correspondent described it as one of the best yet. It was likely the biggest ever, as the local visitor's bureau pegged total attendance at 21,500.

Big River Fest Returns with the ScallyWags, Steampunk Pope, and More

Staff Report | Aug 31, 2023

Steampunk fans from across the Midwest and points beyond will make their way to Hannibal, Missouri as the Big River Steampunk Festival returns over Labor Day weekend. It’s one of the largest steampunk gatherings in the U.S.

Photos: Big River Time Travelers Fest

Cosplay, tea dueling, dancing, and more at the steampunk festival in Quincy, Illinois

Photos by Curt Knapp | May 23, 2023

The second annual Big River Time Travelers Convention took place May 19-21 in Quincy, Illinois, and once again our Midwest correspondent was there to take photos and file a report.

Time Travelers Steampunk Convention Returns to Quincy, Illinois

Staff Report | May 16, 2023

The event, produced by the Big River Steampunk Festival, will make its second run this weekend on the riverfront of Quincy, Illinois, with a program including music, comedy, costume contests, vendors, and more.

Gallery: Big River Steampunk Fest 2022

Scenes from the huge steampunk gathering, held over Labor Day Weekend in Hannibal, Missouri

Photos by Curt Knapp | Sep 7, 2022

“If you missed it, you missed the largest outdoor steampunk event—and in my opinion, the best steampunk event—in the Midwest and possibly the entire United States,” our correspondent wrote.

Big River Fest Is Back with Doc Phineas, Frenchy and the Punk, and More

Staff Report | Aug 17, 2022

One of the largest steampunk gatherings in the U.S., it will feature live music, costume contests, teapot racing, tea dueling, nerf dueling, a “tinkers show and tell,” make-and-take workshops, and lots more.

Gallery: Time Travelers in Quincy

Rain didn’t dampen the spirits at this new event from the Big River Steampunk Festival

Photos by Curt Knapp | May 29, 2022

The Time Traveler’s Convention Spring Faire took place May 20-22 in Quincy, Illinois, and though a rainstorm reduced attendance, our correspondent reported that it was a promising start to what he hopes will be a recurring annual event.

This Weekend: Time Traveler’s Faire, MegaCon, Raising Steam, and More

Staff Report | May 17, 2022

May has been a busy month for steampunk fans on both sides of the Atlantic and it’s about to get busier still with multiple events this weekend, including the inaugural Time Traveler’s Convention Spring Faire in Quincy, Illinois.