Discover the former YMCA building that has been restored into an award-winning boutique hotel in downtown St. Louis with exhibitions showcasing site-specific installations and rotating exhibitions.  Uncover contemporary art in every corner of the 14,000 square foot hotel that has been seamlessly integrated into event spaces, exhibitions, lobbies, and all parts of the property.

Observe how architects Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaf + Goettel and interior designers from Hufft Projects and Bill Rooney Studio refreshed the 95-year-old building into a contemporary space while retaining much of its historical roots.

Learn about the history of the 21c Museum Hotel penguins that have remained part of the 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis’s permanent exhibition since 2006. The penguins first debuted at 21c Museum Hotel Louisville. 21c founders Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson had purchased the sculptures after seeing them evoke joy from onlookers at the 2005 Venice Biennale public art project. Now perched around 21c Museum Hotels, the playful penguins contribute to the hotel’s mission of making contemporary art more accessible to the public. Over a decade and many hotels later, each 21c has its own flock of penguins and each are in the color that embody the singular identity of the city. (Visit the collection of penguins here: 21c Louisville, Red Penguin; 21c Cincinnati, Yellow Penguin; 21c Bentonville, Green Penguin; 21c Lexington, Blue Penguin; 21c Durham, Fuschia Penguin; 21c Oklahoma City, Purple Penguin, 21c Nashville, Teal Penguin, 21c Kansas City, Sky Blue Penguin).