News Release

Gateway Arch National Park sees 2.4 million visitors in 2023

Ground lights illuminate the Gateway Arch from both sides

Sue Ford

News Release Date: February 29, 2024

Contact: Lindsay Pattan, [phone]

Contact: Pam Sanfilippo, [phone]

The methodology, based upon a peer-reviewed study, uses location-based mobile device data to track visitors’ movement throughout the park. This allows the park to more accurately estimate the number of visitors on the park grounds, who do not enter the Gateway Arch Visitor Center.

“We are pleased to see such strong visitation in 2023,” said Jeremy Sweat, Superintendent of Gateway Arch National Park. “The National Park Service is looking forward to continued collaboration with our park partners to create high quality visitor experiences in 2024 and as we prepare for the reopening of the Old Courthouse in 2025, which will further expand opportunities for park visitors.”

Many programs and events held at Gateway Arch National Park are brought to life through a collaborative partnership between the National Park Service, Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Jefferson National Parks Association, Bi-State Development and Great Rivers Greenway.

Ryan McClure, executive director of Gateway Arch Park Foundation, sees the increase in park visitors coinciding with an increase in events, attractions, and vitality building in the city. “2023 was a busy year for our city, with the first St. Louis City SC MLS season, the return of the Battlehawks to the Dome, and many new attractions. There’s so much to do Downtown, and we are hopeful that increased national tourism and current residential projects will drive Arch visitation even more. The Gateway Arch National Park is a hub for St. Louisans and our visitors, and the investments made in it are paying dividends for our entire region.”

The visitor experience at the Arch was reimagined and improved through the CityArchRiver project and additional events and programs like Winterfest, Blues at the Arch, Frights and Heights, B.A.R.K. Ranger, Gateway to the Stars, Run with a Ranger, NPS Wellness Challenge, and other outdoor programming have been added to attract more visitors.

“When Downtown has all of this synergy, with so much growth and development in the City, all of us benefit,” said Mary Lamie, executive vice president of multi-modal enterprises for Bi-State Development, which operates the Gateway Arch tram and riverboat rides. “Gateway Arch National Park features treasured museums and attractions, but it also is a beautiful public gathering place. It’s a place for people to play, exercise, and enjoy, and more and more people are spending time there.”

Gateway Arch National Park Visitation

Year	Visitation
2023	2,422,836
2022	1,618,774
2021	1,145,081
2020	486,021
2019	2,055,309

   
For the most up-to-date visitor counts for Gateway Arch National Park, click here. For more information about Gateway Arch National Park, visit nps.gov/jeff

About Gateway Arch National Park:Gateway Arch National Park, one of America’s 420+ national parks, is a unit of the National Park System that commemorates Thomas Jefferson’s vision of a unified continental nation and St. Louis’ role as the gateway to the American West during the 19th century. The park also preserves the Old Courthouse, as the site of the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott v. Sandford case. The park includes the Gateway Arch, the Arch grounds and the Old Courthouse, located on the riverfront in downtown St. Louis. Admission to the Museum at the Gateway Arch is free, and most programs are free of charge and open to the public. Many programs and events at the park benefit from the generous support from park partners Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Jefferson National Parks Association and Bi-State Development. The Gateway Arch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the regular season and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer season. The Old Courthouse is currently closed. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. For more information about Gateway Arch National Park, visit NPS.gov/jeff.

About Gateway Arch Park Foundation:Gateway Arch Park Foundation is the official philanthropic partner and conservancy for Gateway Arch National Park. Its mission is to ensure the Gateway Arch, its grounds, neighboring public spaces, and attractions are a vital, welcoming, well-supported resource to the community and nation for generations to come. It seeks to fulfill its mission by providing for ongoing conservation, preservation and education at the park, in addition to hosting, facilitating and promoting community programs that bring the park and its surrounding areas in Downtown St. Louis to life. The Foundation is part of an alliance that helps meet this mission, which includes the National Park Service, Bi-State Development, Great Rivers Greenway, Jefferson National Parks Association, and the City of St. Louis. For more information, visit ArchPark.org.