In the Lou Programming hosts a variety of excursions each year for new students to explore St. Louis.
Below are the In the Lou excursions for Orientation 2026! Please use this link to sign up and the descriptions below to make your decision. As a reminder, spots are limited and we encourage students who are unable to sign up to participate in the Campus Seek & Find!
Wednesday, Aug. 19
| Missouri History Museum: Metro Tour | Become a pro at riding the metro by joining the Missouri History Museum on this tour of St. Louis! Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Missouri History Museum: Bike Tour | Enjoy riding a bike? Join the Missouri History Museum on a bike tour of Forest Park! Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. Bikes and helmets will be provided. |
| Missouri History Museum: Downtown Walking Tour | Stand where it all started and walk in the footsteps of city founders, steamboat captains, visionary architects, and more. Join the Missouri History Museum to wind your way through the streets of downtown St. Louis while falling in love with its gorgeous architecture, learning the amazing history that shaped it, and hearing fresh perspectives on this beautiful, complex city. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Missouri History Museum: Forest Park Shuttle Tour | Take a tour of Forest Park to learn more about the history of St. Louis and how instrumental Forest Park is in St. Louis’s day-to-day. See some of the best sites in St. Louis, including Art Hill and the Muny! |
| Missouri History Museum: Citygarden Sculpture Park Tour | Participate in this Missouri History Museum-guided tour of Citygarden Sculpture Park. Please make sure to wear comfortable, athletic shoes! |
| Busch Stadium/Cardinals Hall of Fame Tour | Students will visit the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum at Busch Stadium to experience seven galleries of a chronological journey through the rich history of the St. Louis baseball Cardinals, allowing them to learn about the birth of the sports franchise in St. Louis and relive special memories such as the 11 World Series titles. They will also receive a private tour of Busch Stadium. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. This excursion will utilize the metro. |
| Trip to Gateway Arch | Students will have the opportunity to visit the Gateway Arch Museum to learn about the history of the founding of St. Louis, gain multiple perspectives of westward expansion and see artifacts from the early days of St. Louis, including the history of Native Americans in our region. Students will also have the option to take a tram ride to the top of the Gateway Arch. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Tour of Delmar DivINe | In combination with programs developed with neighborhood stakeholders, Delmar DivINe has reimagined a historic hospital into a multi-use real estate campus that includes nonprofit office space, workforce priced apartments and retail. The Delmar DivINe is also helping to redefine the St. Louis West End neighborhood and beginning to replace decades of neglect with innovation, development and sustainability. Delmar DivINe was founded by Maxine Clark, who is closely connected with WashU, St. Louis and founded Build-A-Bear Workshop. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Trip to the STL Zoo | Saint Louis Zoo welcomes first-year Washington University students to the City of Saint Louis. We are excited you will join us as part of your “In the Lou” program. Students will also see the labs and operating rooms where our animal care teams work. Next, you will chat with several of our keepers, visit the zoo’s Insectarium, and talk to a member from our Carnivore Team. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. Some sections are subject to change. |
Thursday, Aug. 20
Please use this link to sign up and the descriptions below to make your decision. As a reminder, spots are limited and we encourage students who are unable to sign up to participate in the Campus Seek & Find!
| Missouri History Museum: General City Bus Tour | See sights both on and off the beaten path on this 2-hour bus ride hosted by the Missouri History Museum. This whirlwind ride through St. Louis will introduce you to its historic neighborhoods, its hidden gems, and yes – we’ll see the Arch! Stops include Forest Park, the Central West End, Downtown, and the eclectic Cherokee Street Arts District. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Missouri History Museum: Black History Tour | St. Louis’ African American history is rich and complex, full of stories of people, places and events that have shaped local and national history. Visit the courthouse Dred and Harriet Scott filed their Freedom Suit in, see Sumner High School – the first high school for Black students west of the Mississippi, and Homer G. Phillips Hospital – where, at one time, over half of the country’s Black doctors and nurses trained. Hosted by the Missouri History Museum, this tour is led by a WashU alumni and leader in the local movement to save St. Louis’ Black History. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Missouri History Museum: Central West End Tour | Join the Missouri History Museum for this private tour of Central West End! The CWE is one of the prominent neighborhoods in St. Louis and features plenty of places to shop, hang out, and eat! |
| Volunteering at Emerson YMCA | Visit the Emerson Y for an opportunity to connect with and volunteer in the St. Louis community through Campus Y’s Diabetes Prevention Initiative. You’ll work in Emerson Y’s community garden, prep and cook food in the community kitchen, and learn how strong partnerships can support community health. |
| Tour of Kranzberg Arts Foundation | Central to this vibrant community is the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, a prominent arts organization based in the district. Through their dedication to developing artistic venues, studios, and workspaces, offering short and long-term residencies, and hosting community-based programming, the foundation provides the essential infrastructure for the arts to flourish in the St. Louis region. On this tour, students will get a sneak peek into the world of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation and witness firsthand how their work supports and elevates artists across various disciplines. Tour some of their spaces, exhibits, and The Walls of Washington murals, learn more about the performing arts and our Music at the Intersection Festival, and learn how the foundation’s efforts contribute to making art accessible and enriching the lives of the Saint Louis community. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Trip to Griot Museum | Situated in the Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL) neighborhood, students will tour the premiere resource for Black history and culture in the Midwest at the Griot Museum of Black History and Culture. The core galleries of The Griot include life-size wax figures, other art, artifacts, and memorabilia to help interpret the stories of Black people who have contributed to our country’s development. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle and wear comfortable athletic shoes. |
| Exploring South Grand | Explore one of the neighbors in St. Louis, South Grand! Complete with shopping, food, and more, students will get to explore and learn more about the history of St. Louis. |
| Neighborhood Food Tour | This year’s tour will focus on businesses in the Cherokee Street neighborhood. We will update the description with more specifics soon! |
| Black Power Blueprint | Black Power Blueprint is a joint program of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) and Black Star Industries (BSI), transforming North St. Louis through renovation, economic development and political power by and for the black community. Participants will get to see the Uhuru Bakery & Cafe, along with the Community Garden! |