Upcoming Events and Programs

Check signage at the visitor center for today's program topics.

Ranger-led indoor museum tours. Daily at 12:15 and 4:15, and also at 2:15 and 3:15 on weekdays (Monday through Friday). Meet at the entrance to the museum (inside the visitor center).

Learn about the Arch's construction, St. Louis’ role in the westward expansion of the U.S., our city's fascinating French origins, or many other topics on a ranger-guided tour of the Museum at the Gateway Arch. Explore six exhibit galleries that focus on over 200 years of shared history. Check the magnet board at the entrance to the museum for each day's topics.

Grounds walking tours. Daily at 10:15, and also at 11:15 Monday through Friday and 1:15 on Saturday and Sunday. Meet outside the visitor center at the "Ranger Programs Meet Here" sign.

Explore Gateway Arch National Park’s trails with a ranger-led walking tour of the grounds. Exercise your body and your mind as you hear stories of St. Louis’ history. Participants should meet the ranger near the Arch Visitor Center entrance. (In case of inclement weather, the meeting place will be in the Arch Visitor Center lobby.)

Running with a Ranger. Mondays at 7:15am. Meet outside the visitor center at the "Ranger Programs Meet Here" sign.

Join a park ranger for a 2-mile run through Gateway Arch National Park. The ranger will adapt the run to the group and share insights about St. Louis along the way.

Coffee with a Ranger. Tuesdays at 10:15am. Meet at the Arch Cafe, inside the visitor center.

Ever wonder what it’s like working for the National Park Service? Pick up a cup of Joe or another beverage at the Arch Café, located on the lower level of the Arch Visitor Center, for a chat with an Arch employee. Meet at the Arch Café tables in the tram lobby – just look for the ranger!

Reading With a Ranger. Saturdays and Sundays at 11:15 am: June 15 and 16, June 22 and 23, and July 6 and 7. In the Education Classroom (in the visitor center, at the base of the stairs behind the Explore St. Louis desk).

A free program for families! Read a themed children’s book with a park ranger, with plenty of time for group discussion. After you finish the book, explore your artistic talents by creating a craft project to take home.

Touch tables. As staffing allows. At various locations throughout the museum.

Touch Tables are displays that allow visitors to tangibly connect with the park’s living history collections in a safe and positive environment. Learn about the early fur trade, pioneer toys, sabots (a French wooden shoe), or many other topics.

Wellness challenge. Year round, self-guided throughout the park.

The NPS Wellness Challenge promotes the unique ways in which our national park sites promote healthy lifestyles, highlighting specific activities that further physical, learning and mental wellness. At Gateway Arch National Park, participants can earn Wellness Challenge badges by taking the Tram Ride to the Top, walking up the Arch Grand Staircase, or becoming a Junior Ranger, among many other activities. To get started, visit the Information Desk in the Arch Visitor Center or check out our NPS Wellness Challenge website.

 

Upcoming Special Events

 

Eads Bridge 150th Birthday Celebration

St. Louis's landmark bridge is turning 150 years old on July 4, 2024!
We are celebrating with a series of fun, educational programs.

Building the Bridge, a 150th Anniversary Tribute

Learn more about the amazing Eads bridge and the innovations in its construction process at this series of talks by bridge historian Paul Giroux at the Gateway Arch Visitor Center's Tucker Theater. Mr. Giroux, Dist.M.ASCE, NAC received his BS in Construction Engineering from Iowa State University in 1979. Paul worked for Kiewit for 45 years on a wide variety of heavy civil engineering mega projects throughout the United States. Paul played a key role in notable projects such as the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore, several projects on the Big Dig in Boston --- including the new Zakim/Bunker Hill Bridge, the new San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge East Span. Currently, Paul is a visiting professor of engineering practice at Purdue University Lyles School of Civil Engineering.

During the past two decades Paul had leadership and speaking roles at numerous anniversary events including the Brooklyn Bridge 125th, the Hoover Dam 75th, the Golden Gate Bridge 75th, the Panama Canal 100th, the Grand Coulee Dam 75th, the Transcontinental Railroad 150th, the Union Chain Bridge 200^th (Scotland) as well as lectures on the Eads Bridge, and the Mackinac Bridge. The Eads Bridge is an important chapter in the history of bridge design and construction. This presentation will bring the story of the Eads Bridge to life, providing a unique learning opportunity.

Programs in Tucker Theater
Sunday, June 30th at 1pm
Tuesday, July 2nd at 1pm
Thursday, July 4th at 1pm
Saturday, July 6th at 1pm

Ranger Presentations

A ranger-led talk or tour will meet each day Saturday, June 29 - Sunday, July 7th at 2:15pm, focusing on the Eads Bridge.
Meet at the entrance to the Arch museum for this program.

Ranger Art Program

Help create an special painting of the bridge with Ranger Tony.
Programs in the Museum except for the *July 4th program.
Tuesday, July 2, 3pm - 5pm.
Wednesday, July 3, 3pm - 5pm.
Thursday, July 4, 3pm - 5pm. *Meet in the St. Louis Family Fun Zone tent weather permitting
Friday, July 5, 3pm - 5pm.

Items on loan from the St. Louis Engineers Club and Paul and Teresa Entwistle will be added to the Eads section of the museum the last week of June.

Cobblestones & Courage, a VR Experience

Learn more about James Eads in this VR experience presented by park partner Jefferson National Parks Association (fee involved)

Special promotional items for the bridge anniversary will be available in the Arch Gift Shop.

 

Save the Date! 2024 B.A.R.K. Ranger Events

All B.A.R.K. events will be held outdoors and all will meet at the entrance plaza. Events will be cancelled or rescheduled in case of inclement weather. All dogs must be leashed and friendly. See our Pets page for more information about B.A.R.K. Ranger.

Sunday, June 16^th at 10am. Landscape Walk. Join NPS staff to learn the history of Dan Kiley's iconic design, which has been widely celebrated as a triumph of mid-century modern landscape architecture and has been deemed a National Historic Landmark. We will also learn about changes to the landscape since its installation, especially in the North Gateway area.

Sunday, July 21^st at 10am. Puppuccino Crawl. Dogs get to enjoy a pup cup while we stroll the grounds.

Sunday, August 18^th at 10am. Dog Art. Create a special piece of art with your pet. All materials will be provided.

Sunday, September 15^th at 10am. Dog First Aid and Health chat with Jenny Dove. Jenny is a PetTech Certified Pet First Aid and CPR Instructor and currently works as the Education Coordinator at Kennelwood Pet Resorts. Attend with or without your pet.

Sunday, October 20^th at 10am. Pet Costume Parade. Dress up your pets and show them off in a parade around the Arch.

 

Save the date! Gateway to the Stars programs.

Gateway to the Stars programs all feature an astronomy or national park related talk that is followed by free telescope viewing on our entrance plaza. The telescope viewing is led by the park and volunteers from the St. Louis Astronomical Society, weather permitting. The June 14, July 12, and August 10 programs will be held inside the Gateway Arch Visitor Center, either in the Education Center or Tucker Theater.

Friday, June 14, 7 pm. Skywatchers of Ancient Cahokia.

Historian and author Bill Iseminger reveals the astronomy of the so-called "lost civilization." Mr. Iseminger will sign copies of his book "Cahokia Mounds: America's First City" in front of the Arch Store from 6:15-6:45 pm.

Friday, July 12, 7 pm. Summer Stargazing.

Learn about the lore behind some of the major stars and constellations visible this summer, along with tips on how to find them and the currently visible planets.

Saturday, August 10, 6-8 pm. Kids Explorer Night.

At 6 pm, families with children between 5-12 will have a chance to build and bring home their very own Galileoscope. Supplies are very limited, so please e-mail [e-mail] or call 314-655-1704 to reserve your place. This will be followed by the annual Junior Ranger Night Explorer workshop, where children of these ages can fill out a special booklet and earn a special patch customized to our Park.

Friday, September 13, 6:30 pm. Legends of the Fall Sky.

The skies of autumn 2024 will be filled with bright planets and interesting sky events. Learn when and how to see them in this ranger-led presentation. This presentation will be presented outdoors in the entrance plaza, but could be moved just inside the arch main entrance in the event of inclement weather.

Friday, October 18, 6:30 pm. Ghosts of the Arch Grounds.

The annual favorite returns as a park ranger discusses the various "incarnations" of the area as it evolved from a French fur trading post to the present Gateway Arch National Park. The stories behind people such as Thomas Targee, James Eads, Percy Green, and Kenneth Swyers will be discussed. This program will be presented outdoors on the Entrance Plaza but could be moved just inside the Arch Main Entrance in the event of inclement weather.

 

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Keep checking this page for more information about future events

Fee Free Days in 2024
Martin Luther King Day	Monday, January 15
1st Day of National Park Week	Saturday, April 20
Juneteenth National Independence Day	Wednesday, June 19
Great American Outdoors Act	Sunday, August 4
National Public Lands Day	Saturday, September 28
Veterans Day	Monday, November 11