Meet The Minds Behind St. Louis’ Biggest Family Attractions
Date Posted: July 10, 2025
Posted In: Organizations, People,
From St. Louis Magazine: For some, it’s their baby’s first trip to the St. Louis Aquarium—watching their eyes shine as fish swim overhead. For others, it’s seeing their dad light up while reminiscing at the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum. For many, it’s the summertime tradition of polar bears, penguins, and primates at the Saint Louis Zoo.
Whether they know it or not, a majority of St. Louisans have cherished family memories that were thoughtfully shaped by PGAV Destinations, the St. Louis–based company behind many of the world’s most renowned family attractions. Known in the industry as a one-stop shop that can “create things that don’t exist,” the firm’s accomplishments include the St. Louis Aquarium, multiple Saint Louis Zoo exhibits, the Missouri History Museum’s 1904 World’s Fair exhibit, and the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as the forthcoming WildCare Park, Union Station’s amusement park, and more Missouri History Museum exhibits.
Among the team’s destinations beyond St. Louis: SeaWorld Abu Dhabi; the Smithsonian’s forthcoming National Air and Space Museum renovation; Discovery Cove, Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center, and Busch Gardens in Florida; and Europe’s PortAventura World and Ferrari Land; among others. PGAV has built three of the biggest aquariums on Earth; China’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, one of the most attended theme parks in the world; and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT.
Curating Memories
So what’s the recipe for creating a successful family attraction? PGAV principal Tom Marschner says it’s time (many of their projects are years in the making), a diverse team (designers, engineers, history or animal experts), and attention to detail.