Old Courthouse Renovation

The National Park Service worked in partnership with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to renovate the historic Old Courthouse. This is the final part of the $380 million CityArchRiver project – the largest public-private partnership in the history of the National Park Service.

 

The Old Courthouse reopened after extensive renovations on May 3, 2025.

Renovations include:

• The installation of an elevator for greater accessibility within the building, in conjunction with accessible ramps that were previously installed at both entrances during phase one of the CityArchRiver Old Courthouse renovations.
• Critical building system updates, which will help revitalize and maintain the building’s integrity. This includes a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
• A new fire suppression system
• General restoration and improvements to the building’s historically significant features such as windows, doors, ceilings, flooring and other decorative elements.  
• New exhibit galleries designed by Haley Sharpe Design in conjunction with Gateway Arch National Park staff.

 

A New Vision for the Old Courthouse

It is my sincere hope that in the future, people from around the nation and from around the world will learn what the people of St. Louis have long known: that the Old Courthouse is not only a civil rights site, or a women’s rights. It is a human rights site and a site of conscience, where the American people can remember and learn about our past to help ensure a more just and humane future for all people. - Gateway Arch Park Superintendent Jeremy Sweat