Join us this July when the Museum’s front yard is transformed into the city’s biggest cinema during the Art Hill Film Series, a St. Louis tradition of films, food, and music. This year’s featured films are Back to the Future on July 12 and Meet Me in St. Louis on July 19. Music, food trucks, a cash bar, and more preshow festivities start at 6 pm. The featured film will be shown at 9 pm. No tickets are required for the event.
In the event of severe weather, the Museum will announce any delay or cancellation on Facebook, Instagram, and slam.org. If a film is canceled due to weather, it will not be rescheduled.
Back to the Future on July 12
Marty McFly goes back in time to the 1950s in a time-traveling DeLorean automobile built by his eccentric friend Emmett “Doc” Brown. After accidentally preventing his future parents from falling in love, Marty make sure they still fall in love and find a way to get back to 1985 to save Brown’s life.
The 1985 film was a success both with critics and the box office, and it was followed by two sequels. Back to the Future was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and Crispin Glover. It is rated PG.
Meet Me in St. Louis on July 19
Set at the turn of the century, Meet Me in St. Louis follows the Smith family in months leading up to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The 1944 musical debuted standards like The Trolley Song, The Boy Next Door, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
The film was nominated for four Academy Awards—Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay; Best Cinematography, Color; Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture; and Best Music, Song—and in 1994, the film was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. The American Film Institute ranked the film 10th on its AFI’s Greatest Movie Musicals list. Written by Irving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe and based on the novel of the same name by Sally Benson, the film was directed by Vincente Minnelli. It stars Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, and Marjorie Main.
About the Art Hill Film Series
What to bring
- Lawn chairs or blankets. A ‘blankets-only’ section will be available at the front of the viewing area. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Picnic items. Food and alcoholic beverages are permitted and available for purchase under the tent on Art Hill Plaza and at the Food Truck Fest presented by Sauce Magazine, in the West Lot.
- Well-behaved pets on a leash are welcome (leashes must be no longer than 6 feet in length). Please be respectful of other guests by cleaning up after your pets.
- Cash or credit/debit card. There is no ATM on-site, and not all vendors have tap-to-pay or other cashless options.
- Reusable water bottles. Free drinking water is available from the City of St. Louis water wagon at the top of Art Hill along Fine Arts Drive.
Parking & Transportation
- Free parking is available on Fine Arts Drive, the East Lot, and elsewhere in Forest Park. Paid parking is available in the Museum’s Parking Garage. Parking is paid on entry and is $15 ($5 for SLAM Members).
- The Skinker MetroLink station is a 15-minute walk from Art Hill; the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station is a 25-minute walk from Art Hill.
- Bike racks are available.
Things to note
- Smoking, including vaping, is prohibited.
- Security, first aid, and lost-and-found are located at the top of Art Hill
- Trash and recycling containers are located throughout the event.
Accessibility
- All films at the Art Hill Film Series have open captioning.
- A section of Art Hill will be designated for visitors in wheelchairs. Visit the Information Booth on Art Hill Plaza for more information.
- Accessible parking spots are located in the free parking lots on Fine Arts Drive and in the Museum’s parking garage. Accessible Museum entrances are located at the East Building and in the parking garage. Accessible parking will also be available on the West Lot.
- Individuals who may need sign language interpreters, written materials in alternative formats, or other accommodations should make a request to access@slam.org or 314.655.5268 at least seven days before the event.