Missouri State Symbols

Chapter 10 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo) is titled “State Emblems” and is reserved for designating certain classes of things an “official state __________.” There is no legal definition of what qualifies as a state emblem, otherwise known as a state symbol. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office is the de facto keeper of state symbols and the official keeper of one in particular: the state seal.

State symbols are meant to be educational, especially for school children. Several of Missouri’s state symbols were proposed by students and teachers. Missouri’s 53* official state symbols represent plant and animal life one may encounter in Missouri, as well as the traditions, practices and tourism opportunities valued in the state.

Click on a symbol below to learn more. 

(Note: the Office of the Secretary of State makes no endorsement of any specific individual, private business, or entity. These pages are provided for informational purposes only and merely report that the state symbols exist.)

State American Folk Dance	State Amphibian
State Animal	State Apple Capital
State Aquatic Animal	State Barbecue Capital
State Bird	State Cherry Blossom Festival
State Cowbell Capital	State Child Abuse Prevention Symbol
State Dessert	State Dinosaur
State Endangered Species	State Exercise
State Fish	State Flag
State Floral Emblem (State Flower)	State Fossil
State Fruit Tree	State Game Bird
State Gold Star Memorial Monuments	State Grape
State Grass	State Historical Dog
State Hockey Team	State Horse
State Insect	State Invertebrate
State Korean War Veterans Memorial	State Live Entertainment Capital
State Military Academy	State Mineral
State Monument	State Motto
State Mushroom	State Musical Instrument
State Patriotic Mural City	State Professional Football Team
State Promotional Song	State Purple Martin Capital
State Reptile	State Rib City
State Rifle	State Rock and Lithologic Emblem
State Rock Radio Station	State Seal
State Silver City of the Rock Island Trail	State Song
State Sport	State Tartan
State Tree and Arboreal Emblem	State Tree Nut
State UFO Capitals	State Wonder Dog

 

Missouri Symbols Coloring Books and Posters are no longer available to order.

Missouri State Symbols Coloring Pages can be downloaded here:

https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Publications/2025SymbolsofMissouriColoringPages.pdf

*The state motto is technically part of the state seal statute, but could be counted separately, making the total 54 instead of 53. The several Gold Star Memorial Monuments are counted as one symbol.