51 Missouri Trivia Questions That Even Locals Get Wrong!

Missouri is steeped in a rich tapestry of history, culture, and natural beauty. From its role as a gateway to the West during the pioneering days to its pivotal part in the Civil War, Missouri has a narrative that is as diverse as its landscape. This state is not just about its iconic landmark or its storied musical heritage; it’s a place where the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers converge, and where countless tales from the heartland of America have taken root.

As we explore these 51 trivia questions, we’ll journey through the state’s famous landmarks, its historic personalities, and the events that have shaped it. Prepare to challenge your knowledge and perhaps learn something new about this fascinating corner of the United States.

Missouri Trivia Questions – Round 1

  1. What is the official state animal of Missouri?
    • a) The missouri mule
    • b) American bison
    • c) Eastern gray squirrel
    • d) Eastern cottontail rabbit
  2. Which river forms the eastern border of Missouri?
    • a) Mississippi River
    • b) Missouri River
    • c) Ohio River
    • d) Arkansas River
  3. What is the nickname of Missouri?
    • a) The Lone Star State
    • b) The Show-Me State
    • c) The Peach State
    • d) The Sunshine State
  4. Which city is known as the “Gateway to the West” in Missouri?
    • a) St. Louis
    • b) Kansas City
    • c) Springfield
    • d) Columbia
  5. Which famous arch stands in St. Louis, Missouri?
    • a) Arc de Triomphe
    • b) Lincoln Memorial
    • c) Gateway Arch
    • d) Washington Monument
  6. What is the official state tree of Missouri?
    • a) Oak
    • b) Dogwood
    • c) Maple
    • d) Pine
  7. Which U.S. President hailed from Missouri?
    • a) Abraham Lincoln
    • b) Thomas Jefferson
    • c) Harry S. Truman
    • d) Theodore Roosevelt
  8. Which famous author was born in Missouri?
    • a) F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • b) Ernest Hemingway
    • c) Mark Twain
    • d) William Faulkner
  9. Which university, known for its journalism school, is located in Columbia, Missouri?
    • a) University of Missouri
    • b) Washington University in St. Louis
    • c) Saint Louis University
    • d) Missouri State University
  10. Which famous ice cream treat was invented in Missouri in 1922?
    • a) Sundae
    • b) Milkshake
    • c) Banana split
    • d) Ice cream cone
  11. What is the largest city in Missouri by population?
    • a) St. Louis
    • b) Kansas City
    • c) Springfield
    • d) Columbia
  12. Which river runs through Kansas City, Missouri?
    • a) Missouri River
    • b) Mississippi River
    • c) Ohio River
    • d) Kansas River
  13. Which famous amusement park is located in Kansas City, Missouri?
    • a) Disneyland
    • b) Universal Studios
    • c) Six Flags St. Louis
    • d) Worlds of Fun
  14. What is the state mineral of Missouri?
    • a) Lead
    • b) Iron
    • c) Bauxite
    • d) Galena

Round 1 – Answers

  1. What is the official state animal of Missouri?
    • a) The missouri mule
  2. Which river forms the eastern border of Missouri?
    • a) Mississippi River
  3. What is the nickname of Missouri?
    • b) The Show-Me State
  4. Which city is known as the “Gateway to the West” in Missouri?
    • a) St. Louis
  5. Which famous arch stands in St. Louis, Missouri?
    • c) Gateway Arch
  6. What is the official state tree of Missouri?
    • b) Dogwood
  7. Which U.S. President hailed from Missouri?
    • c) Harry S. Truman
  8. Which famous author was born in Missouri?
    • c) Mark Twain
  9. Which university, known for its journalism school, is located in Columbia, Missouri?
    • a) University of Missouri
  10. Which famous ice cream treat was invented in Missouri in 1922?
    • d) Ice cream cone
  11. What is the largest city in Missouri by population?
    • b) Kansas City
  12. Which river runs through Kansas City, Missouri?
    • a) Missouri River
  13. Which famous amusement park is located in Kansas City, Missouri?
    • d) Worlds of Fun
  14. What is the state mineral of Missouri?
    • d) Galena

Missouri Trivia Questions – Round 2

  1. In which year did Missouri join the United States?
    • a) 1803
    • b) 1821
    • c) 1848
    • d) 1861
  2. Which famous fast-food chain, known for its fried chicken, was founded in Missouri in 1930?
    • a) McDonald’s
    • b) KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
    • c) Chick-fil-A
    • d) Burger King
  3. What is the state grape of Missouri?
    • a) Cabernet Sauvignon
    • b) Chardonnay
    • c) Norton
    • d) Merlot
  4. Which famous blues musician, known as the “Father of the Blues,” was born in Mississippi but raised in Missouri?
    • a) B.B. King
    • b) Robert Johnson
    • c) Muddy Waters
    • d) W.C. Handy
  5. What is the state fish of Missouri?
    • a) Largemouth bass
    • b) Channel catfish
    • c) Bluegill
    • d) Rainbow trout
  6. Which national park, known for its caves, is located in southeastern Missouri?
    • a) Yellowstone National Park
    • b) Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    • c) Mammoth Cave National Park
    • d) Onondaga Cave State Park
  7. What is the state dinosaur of Missouri?
    • a) Tyrannosaurus rex
    • b) Triceratops
    • c) Parrosaurus missouriensis
    • d) Stegosaurus
  8. Which company, famous for its outdoor clothing and gear, was founded in Missouri in 1966?
    • a) The North Face
    • b) Patagonia
    • c) L.L.Bean
    • d) Bass Pro Shops
  9. Which river runs through the city of St. Louis, Missouri?
    • a) Missouri River
    • b) Mississippi River
    • c) Ohio River
    • d) Arkansas River
  10. What is the state insect of Missouri?
    • a) Monarch butterfly
    • b) Honeybee
    • c) Luna moth
    • d) Ladybug
  11. What is the state rock of Missouri?
    • a) Granite
    • b) Limestone
    • c) Druzy quartz
    • d) Mozarkite
  12. Which university, located in Rolla, Missouri, is known for its strong engineering programs?
    • a) University of Missouri
    • b) Washington University in St. Louis
    • c) Missouri University of Science and Technology
    • d) Missouri State University
  13. What is the state instrument of Missouri?
    • a) Piano
    • b) Violin
    • c) Guitar
    • d) Fiddle

Round 2 – Answers

  1. In which year did Missouri join the United States?
    • b) 1821
  2. Which famous fast-food chain, known for its fried chicken, was founded in Missouri in 1930?
    • b) KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
  3. What is the state grape of Missouri?
    • c) Norton
  4. Which famous blues musician, known as the “Father of the Blues,” was born in Mississippi but raised in Missouri?
    • d) W.C. Handy
  5. What is the state fish of Missouri?
    • b) Channel catfish
  6. Which national park, known for its caves, is located in southeastern Missouri?
    • d) Onondaga Cave State Park
  7. What is the state dinosaur of Missouri?
    • c) Parrosaurus missouriensis
  8. Which company, famous for its outdoor clothing and gear, was founded in Missouri?
    • d) Bass Pro Shops
  9. Which river runs through the city of St. Louis, Missouri?
    • b) Mississippi River
  10. What is the state insect of Missouri?
    • b) Honeybee
  11. What is the state rock of Missouri?
    • d) Mozarkite
  12. Which university, located in Rolla, Missouri, is known for its strong engineering programs?
    • c) Missouri University of Science and Technology
  13. What is the state instrument of Missouri?
    • d) Fiddle

Missouri Trivia Questions – Round 3

  1. What is the state dance of Missouri?
    • a) Waltz
    • b) Square dance
    • c) Ballet
    • d) Salsa
  2. Which river flows through the city of Springfield, Missouri?
    • a) Missouri River
    • b) James River
    • c) Osage River
    • d) Mississippi River
  3. Which Missouri city is known for its connection to the Pony Express?
    • a) St. Louis
    • b) Kansas City
    • c) St. Joseph
    • d) Springfield
  4. What is the state soil of Missouri?
    • a) Chert
    • b) Druzy quartz
    • c) Menfro
    • d) Loess
  5. Which famous physicist, known for his theory of relativity, visited Missouri and gave a series of lectures at Lincoln University in 1941?
    • a) Isaac Newton
    • b) Albert Einstein
    • c) Niels Bohr
    • d) Max Planck
  6. Which famous baseball team is based in St. Louis, Missouri?
    • a) Chicago Cubs
    • b) Boston Red Sox
    • c) St. Louis Cardinals
    • d) New York Yankees
  7. What is the state dessert of Missouri?
    • a) Chocolate chip cookies
    • b) Apple pie
    • c) ice cream cone
    • d) Banana split
  8. Which famous jazz musician, known for his skills on the trumpet and vocals, was born in St. Louis, Missouri?
    • a) Louis Armstrong
    • b) Miles Davis
    • c) Duke Ellington
    • d) Charlie Parker
  9. What is the state reptile of Missouri?
    • a) Eastern box turtle
    • b) Bullsnake
    • c) Timber rattlesnake
    • d) Missouri garter snake
  10. Which famous outlaw duo met their end in Missouri in 1934 after a shootout with law enforcement?
    • a) Bonnie and Clyde
    • b) Jesse James and Frank James
    • c) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
    • d) Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett
  11. What is the state beverage of Missouri?
    • a) Beer
    • b) Budweiser
    • c) Milk
    • d) Soda
  12. Which Missouri city is known as the “Queen City of the Ozarks”?
    • a) Springfield
    • b) Branson
    • c) Joplin
    • d) Cape Girardeau
  13. Which Missouri-born author wrote the novel “Gone with the Wind”?
    • a) Harper Lee
    • b) Margaret Mitchell
    • c) William Faulkner
    • d) F. Scott Fitzgerald
  14. Which Missouri city is known for its connection to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and is nicknamed the “Gateway to the American West”?
    • a) Jefferson City
    • b) St. Joseph
    • c) St. Louis, Missouri
    • d) Independence

Round 3 – Answers

  1. What is the state dance of Missouri?
    • b) Square dance
  2. Which river flows through the city of Springfield, Missouri?
    • b) James River
  3. Which Missouri city is known for its connection to the Pony Express?
    • c) St. Joseph
  4. What is the state soil of Missouri?
    • c) Menfro
  5. Which famous physicist, known for his theory of relativity, visited Missouri and gave a series of lectures at Lincoln University in 1941?
    • b) Albert Einstein
  6. Which famous baseball team is based in St. Louis, Missouri?
    • c) St. Louis Cardinals
  7. What is the state dessert of Missouri?
    • c) ice cream cone
  8. Which famous jazz musician, known for his skills on the trumpet and vocals, was born in St. Louis, Missouri?
    • a) Louis Armstrong
  9. What is the state reptile of Missouri?
    • a) Eastern box turtle
  10. Which famous outlaw duo met their end in Missouri in 1934 after a shootout with law enforcement?
    • a) Bonnie and Clyde
  11. What is the state beverage of Missouri?
    • b) Budweiser
  12. Which Missouri city is known as the “Queen City of the Ozarks”?
    • a) Springfield
  13. Which Missouri-born author wrote the novel “Gone with the Wind”?
    • b) Margaret Mitchell
  14. Which Missouri city is known for its connection to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and is nicknamed the “Gateway to the American West”?
    • c) St. Louis, Missouri

Missouri Trivia Questions – Round 4

  1. What is the state amphibian of Missouri?
    • a) Eastern tiger salamander
    • b) American bullfrog
    • c) Hellbender
    • d) Spotted salamander
  2. Which famous athlete, known as “The Greatest,” was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but spent a significant part of his early life in Louisville, Missouri?
    • a) Michael Jordan
    • b) Muhammad Ali
    • c) Babe Ruth
    • d) Serena Williams
  3. What is the state flower of Missouri? 
    • a) Daisy 
    • b) Hawthorns
    • c) Sunflower 
    • d) Violet  
  4. Which famous film director and producer, known for movies like “Titanic” and “Avatar,” was born in Canada but grew up in California, Missouri?
    • a) Christopher Nolan
    • b) Steven Spielberg
    • c) James Cameron
    • d) Quentin Tarantino
  5. Which Missouri city is known as the “Birthplace of Route 66”?
    • a) Joplin
    • b) Springfield
    • c) St. Louis
    • d) Branson
  6. Which Missouri city is famous for its barbecue cuisine and hosts an annual American Royal barbecue competition?
    • a) St. Louis
    • b) Kansas City
    • c) Columbia
    • d) Jefferson City
  7. What is the state tree fruit of Missouri?
    • a) Apple
    • b) Pawpaw
    • c) Cherry
    • d) Pear
  8. Which Missouri lake is known as the “Lake of the Ozarks” and is a popular tourist destination?
    • a) Table Rock Lake
    • b) Bull Shoals Lake
    • c) Truman Lake
    • d) Lake Taneycomo
  9. What is the state bird of Missouri?
    • a) Blue jay
    • b) Eastern bluebird
    • c) Mockingbird
    • d) Robin
  10. What is the state tree nut of Missouri?
    • a) Walnut
    • b) Hickory
    • c) Eastern black walnut
    • d) Almond

Can’t get enough? Test your smarts with the Missouri Clue Search Puzzle.

Round 4 – Answers

  1. What is the state amphibian of Missouri?
    • b) The American bullfrog
  2. Which famous athlete, known as “The Greatest,” was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but spent a significant part of his early life in Louisville, Missouri?
    • b) Muhammad Ali
  3. What is the state flower of Missouri? 
    • b) Hawthorns
  4. Which famous film director and producer, known for movies like “Titanic” and “Avatar,” was born in Canada but grew up in California, Missouri?
    • c) James Cameron
  5. Which Missouri city is known as the “Birthplace of Route 66”?
    • b) Springfield
  6. Which Missouri city is famous for its barbecue cuisine and hosts an annual American Royal barbecue competition?
    • b) Kansas City
  7. What is the state tree fruit of Missouri?
    • b) Pawpaw
  8. Which Missouri lake is known as the “Lake of the Ozarks” and is a popular tourist destination?
    • a) Table Rock Lake
  9. What is the state bird of Missouri?
    • b) Eastern bluebird
  10. What is the state tree nut of Missouri?
    • c) Eastern black walnut