The Grand Basin

The Grand Basin. Heart of the 1904 World's Fair. , During the World's Fair, the Grand Basin and adjoining plaza provided the central scenic panorama for the event's 20 million attendees. On either side stood a dozen temporary , yet grand themselves , palaces built of plaster and wood. The only permanent structure remaining from this area is the Cass Gilbert-designed Palace of Fine Arts, now the St. Louis Art Museum. AS part of the Forest Park Master Plan, the entire Grand Basin was restored in 2003, with eight beautifully lit fountains running year-round., Still the Heart of St. Louis , Today the Emerson Grand Basin is one of the most popular sites in St. Louis for wedding and prom photos. On snowy days, Art Hill , between the Basin and the Art Museum , is a favorite family sledding spot for generations of St. Louisans., The Emerson Grand Basin is among dozen of significant landmarks, landscapes and natural areas restored and maintained through the public-private partnership of the City of St. Louis and Forest Park Forever., Forest Park , one of the Great Public Space in America , is St. Louis' big backyard. Home to extraordinary natural areas, restored historic landmarks, world-class cultural institutions, hundreds of species of wildlife and endless opportunities for recreation and relaxation, the 1,371-acre Park attracts more than 13 million visitors each year., While Forest Park fell into disrepair during the second half of the last century, a $100 million restoration campaign led by Forest Park Forever and the City of St. Louis initiated a magnificent new era for the Park. Today, Forest Park Forever and the City continue this partnership to restore, maintain and sustain this civic treasure, with more Master Plan restoration projects recently completed, underway and planned for the coming years.