The impact of eight cultural institutions on the economy of the St. Louis (Missouri) area was determined by measuring their 1978 direct and indirect financial effects. The institutions are the St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Conservatory and School for the Arts, Missouri Botannical Garden, St. Louis Symphony, McDonnell Planetarium, Loretto-Hilton Repertory Theatre, Museum of Science and Natural History, and the Dance Concert Society. Data gathered from the eight institutions included operating and financial characteristics and total expenditures with local firms. Staff and audience surveys, tax rates and bases for all local jurisdications, local government expenditures, and the number of local housing units were also obtained. Direct local expenditures amounted to $20,910,625. Twenty-five percent went toward local expenditures for goods and services, 37 percent for salaries and wages, 32 percent was filtered into the economy through local audience spending, and 6 percent through non-local audience spending. Guest artists spent over $119,500 locally. Secondary business volume generated by institution-related effects came to $1,117,000 while costs to local government amounted to $3,987,400. (KC)