Scott Joplin House State Historic Site - St. Louis, Missouri

Jennifer C.

I was so lucky to have a private tour on Nov 2 when the museum was actually closed because I called ahead. I learned so much about Scott Joplin and his times from the tour guide. It was great to learn that the royalties he earned from the sales of the Maple Leaf Rag enabled him to compose and teach during the day rather than have to play at the bars. It was interesting to learn that he taught piano and composed in the communal room on the second floor. He didn't have a private practice room. I enjoyed learning to play ragtime music as a teen so it was very exciting to learn about this period of his life when he lived in the house. It was great to get an overview of his whole life as well. From his bedroom you can now see the Gateway Arch. So having been there first, it was a fun perspective to see it from Scott Joplin's his window.

wineguy2351

I've been meaning to see the Scott Joplin House for years; thanks to my friend Emma Prince (Backlog Archivists) for getting me on the tour today! Definitely worth visiting. The young man who started us out and played some of Joplin's music on the piano for us was excellent!

Mark Z.

The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site was home to Joplin, the King of Ragtime, from 1901 to 1903 while he wrote several notable ragtime classics like “The Entertainer” and “Easy Winners.” The home is furnished with period fixtures to recreate for visitors what it was like while Joplin lived here -- cast iron stove in the kitchen, cupboard, sitting room couches, manual sewing machine, gas lights, and bedroom items including bed, shaving wash basin, bureau, bed and thundermug. One of the centerpieces is the functioning player piano with several other pianos in the house.

Rose C.

What a cool little museum! We got a tour from Nina who really knew a lot about Scott Joplin, the era & the area. We were extra lucky that their resident musician Royce was in town and played Mapleleaf Rag for us! It’s so cool that this amazing piece of St Louis history has been preserved for everyone to experience.

Tacoma ?. S.

well done. tour guide has a great passion for tour and history of Joplin and this historic site. parking was easy on the street. books and items available also to purchase with even more valuable info.

Joshua V.

Yes, the connection to Scott Joplin is small (he only lived here 2 years, as it turns out, subletting a tiny room). Yes, there isn't much/any physical items connected to him. Yes, it's a bit off the beaten path. But the docents and staff are SO knowledgeable about Joplin's life and legacy as well as St. Louis history, and so friendly, and unless you're a Joplin scholar, you'll learn something. They are also very accommodating - I had the pleasure of getting a private tour since I was the only person there at that hour. Do note that tours start on the hour, have a small fee, and last 45 minutes, so budget for that. You can't see any of the house unless you do the guided tour. The tours end with getting to hear a player piano play one of Joplin's rags with a piano roll, or, if you're lucky, the resident pianist and Joplin scholar, Royce Martin, will be there and will play you his fantastic interpretations of Joplin's work and give a deep dive into the musicological and cultural significance of ragtime as a genre. Whether you get a chance to see him or not, look up his album, "Memories on Morgan Street: Scott Joplin Reimagined" - it is one of the superlative recordings of Joplin's rags - I imagine close to how the master played them himself in his youth.

Katie O.

I was pleasantly surprised on our tour of the Scott Joplin house. interesting my first piano recital I played one of his well-known tunes, The Entertainer.

Alex D.

We really enjoyed our little tour here. We got to learn a lot about Scott Joplin and what St. Louis at that time was like, as well as what life as an itinerant musician was like.

The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, and I loved getting to listen to an old player piano and finally find out how they work.

They do tours on the hour every hour, so if the website that lets you make reservations only shows tours in the afternoon, call and they’ll add you to a morning tour if you want.