The Soda Museum, St. Charles

May 2024
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One man’s passion for soft-drink paraphernalia has led to the newest museum in the greater St. Louis area. The Soda Museum and Main Street Arcade opened in the historic district of St. Charles in December, showcasing the astonishing personal collection of Tom Smith, Jr. Well, actually, it features about half of Smith’s collection, which had grown to fill three warehouses and a garage before the museum became reality.

Smith’s love affair with all things soda related began when he bought a 1937 tray advertising Coca-Cola at the age of 10. The tray, which is in the museum, showed a woman in a yellow swimsuit running on a beach, holding a Coke in each hand.

Today the thousands of items in the museum include bottles, trays, vending machines, coolers, syrup cans, crates, toys, neon signs, games, wooden tubs and much more. The brands range from the familiar—Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, 7-Up, Sprite, etc.—to the less familiar: Moxie, Devil Shake, Sunburst, Goldenmoon, Five-O, Bubble Up, Kickapoo Joy Juice, Brownie Root Beer, Squirt, Rio, White Cap and others.

“It has been my lifelong dream to share my passion and extensive collection of memorabilia in St. Charles,” says Smith, museum director and lifelong resident of St. Charles. “This museum is not just about the beverages; it’s about the stories, the innovations and the memories associated with sodas that have touched lives globally.”

The museum occupies a fully renovated building that dates to 1896. It was originally a hardware store. From 1939 to 1979, it was a J.C. Penney store, then from 1980 to 2018, it was home to Gene’s Shoes. The museum displays are on the main floor, mezzanine and top floor.

The basement houses an arcade with dozens of classic games collected by Smith’s father. There are pinball machines, bowling machines, air hockey, classic video games and more. Also in the basement, there’s a refreshment area where you can buy and taste almost 100 types of bottled soft drinks and enjoy a snack.

The museum is a fizzy walk down memory lane for soda lovers. History buffs will appreciate the effervescent tale of carbonated beverages from the 1880s onward. And arcade enthusiasts will find plenty of games to pass the time.

The Soda Museum and Main Street Arcade is located at 126 North Main Street in St. Charles. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for the museum; $15 for unlimited arcade game play; or $20 for a combo ticket. The Museum of Soda History is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and accepts deductible donations of old soda items.