Upcoming Events and Programs

Iconic Conversations Speaker Series, 2025-2026

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a variety of topics relevant to the St. Louis region. You might learn about our city's early beginnings, its architecture, our prominent leaders, the rise of the Gateway Arch, our civil rights struggles, and the best things to do around town. Book discussions will be followed by an author signing opportunity.

All programs are free and no reservations are needed. They will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse (11 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102). The building is fully accessible, and a sign language interpreter will be on hand for each presentation.

September 14, 2025: Jim Merkel, 60 Years of the Gateway Arch
October 12, 2025: John Guenther, The Gateway Arch: An Illustrated Timeline
November 9, 2025: Flannery Burke, Gateway to the East: Broadening Native Perspectives on St. Louis
December 14, 2025: Amanda Burke, Gateway Arch National Park: 90 Years as an Icon for Historic Preservation
January 11, 2026: Amanda Doyle, 100 Things to Do in St. Louis Before You Die
Feburary 8, 2026: Jan Jacobi, Lincoln and Douglas
March 8, 2026: Andy Hahn, Mapping St. Louis
April 12, 2026: Ed Wheatley, Baseball in St. Louis
May 10, 2026: Calvin Riley and NiNi Harris, Black St. Louis
June 14, 2026: Cheryl Eichar Jett, Aprons Away: Women's Work on Route 66
July 12, 2026: Vivian Gibson, Memories of the Mill Creek Neighborhood
August 9, 2026: Peter Kastor, St. Louis' American Revolution

Visit our calendar for more information about each specific event in this series.

 

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Keep checking this page for more information about future events

Fee Free Days in 2025	Date
Martin Luther King Day	Monday, January 20
1st Day of National Park Week	Saturday, April 19
Juneteenth National Independence Day	Thursday, June 19
Great American Outdoors Act	Monday, August 4
National Public Lands Day	Saturday, September 27
Veterans Day	Tuesday, November 11