The Jefferson Memorial Building, built in 1913 with profits from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, is the home of the museum.

[1] In 2000, the Emerson Center, a significant building addition was completed, boosting attendance and exhibition capacity.

The Emerson Center, featuring a ground-to-roof southern glass facade, was designed by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, and included substantially more exhibition space, as well as an auditorium, classrooms, a restaurant and gift shop.

[5] A large number of artifacts from the 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition are also housed in the permanent collection, as St. Louis was the starting point for that venture.

[6] Recent travelling exhibits and events have included items related to the Fox Theatre's restoration and renovation,[7] the Road to Freedom tour (celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act),[8] and, prominently, the Lewis and Clark National Bicentennial Exhibition.