Things to Do in Arnold

SBAP is a non-profit community visual arts studio. We have a mission to teach young people and adults how to enhance their own lives and community through art. We do this through affordable and free art education programs and public art projects.

Union Avenue Opera provides professional opportunities to gifted, emerging artists and offers vibrant and affordable opera experiences that reflect the breadth and diversity of the St. Louis region. Union Avenue Opera is committed to its urban setting, educational outreach and artistic integrity.

Creativity is the main ingredient at Glazed and Confused, where artists-for-the-day adorn hundreds of blank ceramic pieces in personal designs, colors, and patterns. Surrounded by walls of blue, green, purple, and pink, projects evolve under the guidance of the shop's staff members, who offer their own wisdom to elevate each piece to its full potential.

Staffers spread the same artistic savvy when hosting birthday parties, field trips, and adult get-togethers, which can be bolstered with customer-provided beverages in accordance with the studio’s BYO policy. In addition to taking home their own works, patrons can also purchase already-made objects from an artisan boutique, which sells pieces that make for great gifts now or beautiful mosaics after slingshot target practice.

When Elliot Freeman discovered martial arts as a teenager, his interest knew no bounds. He searched for and attempted to master as many forms as he could find, including kendo, moo duk kwon, and laido. When he heard rumors that the mysterious style known as aikido could grant practitioners the ability to throw people across the room without touching them or secretly attaching their pant legs to a trebuchet, he knew he found what would be the bedrock to his entire career. He eventually studied under acclaimed aikido masters, earned top ratings in the National Karate Assocation and American Karate Association, and formed various programs and dojos. In 1993 Freeman journeyed to St. Louis to study with action-film star Sensei Steven Seagal at his aikido summer camp. Seagal became so impressed with Freeman that he asked him to open a new school in St. Louis. Freeman readily agreed, founding Three Rivers Aikido where he still acts as chief instructor.

Freeman, along with 12 other aikido instructors, welcomes students of all ages to come and train within the 3,500-square-foot dojo. In addition to the martial-arts training offered at the dojo, Alyona Komolova, a former Russian ballerina, offers yoga classes to help students increase flexibility. Justin Meehan, a martial-arts veteran of 38 years, instructs attendees in tai chi, a relaxing flow of prescribed motions that balance body and mind.

Originally built as a one-room house in 1816, the Morse Mill Hotel grew to 5,300 square feet under the watchful eye of engineer John Morse, a former Confederate officer and suspected warlock. In its present state, the hotel may house ghostly figures who once took up residence in one of its 33 rooms. Jesse James and company signed their marks in the guest register, and a famous female serial killer, Bertha Gifford, was kept in the hotel's employ; a nearby gravesite marks her resting place. A burial ground for Confederate soldiers, relics of Al Capone's old brothel, and a dungeon also add to the sinister air. An expert paranormal guide leads amateur ghost gumshoes through the 33-room, four-story Morse manse, providing advice on where to find the friendliest demons. If they dare, guests are encouraged to snap photos to document their occult encounters with phantoms, specters, or eerily expensive minibars.

The sounds of flailing feet and fists correctly striking padded opponents pervade Absolute Martial Arts’ 3,600-square-foot facility, where students learn how to lose weight, tone up, and defend themselves simultaneously. Atop a large mat that the staff disinfects daily, professional instructors lead structured muay-thai kickboxing classes that slowly introduce exercisers to the fundamentals of the 1,000-year-old sport, which is similar to kickboxing and dissimilar to napping. Many of the trainers, including Thai-native Master Toddy, boast years of extensive training and practice, pushing students beyond their perceived limits but always keeping their safety in mind. It also offers Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed-martial-arts classes to allow students a chance to explore new forms or augment their muay-thai practice.