Why Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch National Park is an urban national park situated along the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri, near the historical starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Maintained by the National Park Service, it covers 192.83 acres, making it the smallest national park in the United States. The grounds contain the iconic Gateway Arch, riverfront parkland, the historic Old Courthouse, and a large subterranean visitor facility.
The centerpiece of the park is the Gateway Arch, which stands as the tallest monument in the country. Designed by architect Eero Saarinen alongside structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel, the stainless steel structure measures 630 feet in height and 630 feet in width at its base. Its legs measure 54 feet wide at ground level and taper to 17 feet near the top. A customized tram system operates inside the monument, carrying passengers up to an observation room at the apex.
Located just west of Interstate 44 is the Old Courthouse, standing on land originally provided by St. Louis founder Auguste Chouteau. The courthouse served as the venue for the local trials of the Dred Scott case. Its prominent dome was constructed during the American Civil War and shares a design resemblance to the dome of the United States Capitol.
Directly underneath the arch is a visitor center with a circular entryway pointing toward the Old Courthouse. This space contains the 140,000-square-foot Museum at the Gateway Arch, which presents exhibits detailing westward expansion and the creation of the arch through the perspective of St. Louis history. The facility also features the 285-seat Tucker Theater, where visitors can watch the documentary Monument to the Dream about the construction of the arch, as well as an onsite cafe and gift shop.
The location was initially established by secretarial order in December 1935 as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase, early civil government west of the Mississippi, and the slavery debates tied to the Dred Scott case. Arch construction was completed in October 1965, and the surrounding grounds were formally renamed Gateway Arch National Park in 2018.
01 Weather
85°
81°
94°
72°
☔ 33% 
95°
74°
93°
74°
☔ 100% 
75°
65°
☔ 100%
64°
60°
☔ 58%