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The Gateway Arch is the one St. Louis landmark nearly every visitor plans around, and the national park around it is bigger than the Arch itself. The free part is bigger than most people expect. Tickets, hours and closures change, so the National Park Service and the park’s partner site have the current word.
How the Arch happened
A nationwide design competition began in 1947, and in 1948 Eero Saarinen’s design for a 630-foot stainless steel arch was chosen. Construction was completed on October 28, 1965. The sources the park publishes disagree about the exact groundbreaking year, so this guide leaves it out. The north tram opened to the public on July 24, 1967, and the south tram was finished in 1968. The site was long known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial; it was redesignated Gateway Arch National Park in 2018, a change that did not alter its boundaries or mission.
The free parts
The museum underneath the Arch is free, and it tells the story of St. Louis’s role in westward expansion. The grounds are free to walk, and the park itself describes picnicking on the lawns. The park covers about 91 acres, of which the Arch and its grounds are about 62. Staircases on the north and south sides connect the grounds to the riverfront, so you can walk down to the Mississippi and back up in a few minutes. The river is also the state line: Missouri runs from the center of the Mississippi westward, with Illinois on the far side.
The ride to the top
The ride is the ticketed part, sold at gatewayarch.com; check the site for current prices and time slots rather than trusting a number printed here. Reaching the tram takes at least 96 steps in six flights. The 1,076 steps in each leg are used only by maintenance and emergency personnel, so the stairs are not an alternative way up. The park also lists a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi as a separate ticketed option.
Add the Old Courthouse
The Old Courthouse stands two blocks west of the Arch and belongs to the same park. Construction began in 1839, and the first two trials in the Dred Scott case were held there in 1847 and 1850. It reopened to the public on May 3, 2025, after a renovation that added an elevator, new ramps, renovated courtrooms and reimagined second-floor galleries. The park’s FAQ lists it as open daily from 9am to 5pm; confirm that before you walk over. The Forest Park guide covers the 1904 World’s Fair side of the city’s history.
Official pages
Hours and alerts: nps.gov/jeff. Tickets: gatewayarch.com.
Plan the trip
Pick a base for your Arch visit
VisitingSTL features three real stays around the city, in Soulard, the Central West End and the Forest Park area. See them all and choose the one that fits your trip.
See Places to Stay →Quick answers
How tall is the Gateway Arch?
The Arch is 630 feet (192 meters) tall and clad in stainless steel. Eero Saarinen’s design won a national competition in 1947-48, and construction was completed on October 28, 1965.
What is free at Gateway Arch National Park?
The museum underneath the Arch is free, and the grounds are open for walking and picnicking. The ride to the top is ticketed and sold through the park’s partner site, gatewayarch.com.
Where is the Old Courthouse?
Two blocks west of the Arch, and it is part of the same national park. The first two trials in the Dred Scott case were held there in 1847 and 1850, and it reopened after renovation on May 3, 2025.
Do I have to climb stairs to reach the top?
To reach the top by tram you must manage at least 96 steps, divided into six flights. The 1,076 steps in each leg are for maintenance and emergency staff only.