Indoors or out, there’s something about being surrounded by beauty that is truly inspiring. Here’s a sampling of what’s on view at area museums this fall:

The dapper and ever-charming Robert Morrissey is celebrating his 30th anniversary at Clark Graves Antiques, which bears the distinction of being the oldest antiques gallery in St. Louis. The shop was originally owned by Clark Graves, an interior designer who was born in 1917 and highly regarded within St. Louis design circles for his refined eye and exquisite taste. Graves moved the shop to its present location on Meramec Avenue in Clayton in 1948 and hired Morrissey, who had a background in art history from Saint Louis University, as a clerk in 1982. A year after Graves passed away, Morrissey took over the shop and has been at the helm ever since. Through the years, Morrissey has successfully maneuvered the many twists and turns in the world of European antiques and importing and has emerged as a respected authority and appraiser in the field. Now in its 64th year, Clark Graves Antiques continues to specialize in fine 18th and early 19th-century English and Continental furniture and accessories, including Georgian, Regency, Empire, Biedermeier and Provincial styles.

To collectors of vintage automobiles, a classic car is more than just a convenient means of getting from one point to another. It can be a work of art, an awesome feat of engineering, a link to the past—and a way to make people smile.