You don't need to leave mid-Missouri for unique, fun and enriching experiences.
Rosemary Frank

Looking for one-of-a-kind summer adventures in Columbia? Mizzou offers the local community unique opportunities to discover art and design, travel through history, explore everyday science, and experience exceptional performances.

Some pig

Some pig takes the stage

See on-stage adaptations of classics from children’s literature and eighties cinema. This year’s Larry D. Clark Summer Repertory Theatre program features the heart-warming “Charlotte's Web” and the hilarious workplace comedy “9 to 5 the Musical.”

When:Charlotte’s Web” June 12-16; “9 to 5 the Musical” July 3-7, July 10-14
Where: Varies
Cost: Buy tickets from the box office

two people walking toward the museum entrance

Meet up at the museums

Find inspiration around every corner of the Museum of Art and Archaeology and Museum of Anthropology. Get close-up views of unique art and artifacts (more than 16,000 objects!) from the prehistoric to the present.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; Noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Where: Ellis Library, lower level
Cost: Free

Laws Observatory

Science in the skies

Get breathtaking views of the summer sky from Laws Observatory, the Department of Physics and Astronomy’s massive rooftop telescope.

When: 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays, except on holidays (weather permitting)
Where: 701 S. College Avenue
Cost: Free

Visitors looking at fashion exhibit

Past fashion

Discover Missouri’s past at the State Historical Society of Missouri. Current exhibitions include the Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection’s Ginger Rogers: Dressed to Impress costume collection.

When: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
Where: 605 Elm Street
Cost: Free

Mizzou Botanic Garden

Botanic beauty

Enjoy natural beauty without venturing off the grid. Mizzou’s entire campus is a designated botanic garden featuring picturesque views that change with the seasons.

When: Always open
Where: Mizzou Botanic Garden map
Cost: Free