The City Museum is unique and has some interesting items and architectural tidbits, but I can't really see doing it without kids in tow. Especially if you have to go to the effort of getting there on our less than excellent public transportation system.

The advantage you have by staying at the Parkway Hotel is that it is very close to the Metrolink stop for the hospital. And it would be safe, but kind of lonely, to walk from the convention center Metro stop to 15th street (asssuming this is a weekend day). Yes, you could transfer to the Delmar bus to head west to the museum.

There is a bus that goes east on Lindell that would let you off near St. Louis University at Spring. You could then walk north to Washington and turn right. The Pulitzer is only open on Wednesday and Saturday. The Contemporary Museum of Art is next door to the Pulitzer and has more regular museum hours.

The Saint Louis Art Museum is in Forest Park and is easier to get to via Metrolink. There are busses that leave from the Forest Park - DeBaliviere Metrolink station that go into the park. You can walk from that station to the Missouri History Museum.

Only you can decide about renting a car. I do think it's hard to get around this city with public transportation--hard, not impossible though.

Where is the wedding (The Chase?) or is your transportation to the wedding not a problem.

The walk from the Metro Link would be perfectly safe, although I'd probably pick the Convention Center station.

I loved the City Museum and I didn't have kids with me. I went with my 72-year old mother, who had always been there with kids, and she commented that our visit was the best time she ever had.

Because the place is just amazing to look at from an ingenuity, creativity perspective. When you are with kids, you don't notice how really amazing the place is. The stuff that may bore kids, like the top floor where you can see the stuff that's been collected from junk yards and old St. Louis homes, is like going to a design museum.