News Release
NPS Graphic
Subscribe
 |
What is RSS
|
Contact: Pam Sanfilippo, 314-503-0184
Contact: Madeline Reichmuth, 314-384-6777
At Gateway Arch National Park, guests are encouraged to explore more than 200 years of history in the Museum at the Gateway Arch, take the Tram Ride to the Top or watch the documentary movie “Monument to the Dream” chronicling the construction of the Arch. Many other events and activities that connect visitors to St. Louis’ urban national park will take place throughout the week.The celebration kicks off with a “Fee-Free Day” on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 2023. At Gateway Arch National Park, the $3 NPS entrance fee that is included in each adult Tram Ride to the Top ticket and adult Documentary Movie ticket will be waived, making tickets available at a discounted rate.
“National Park Week is a time to share the many ways we can connect with, enjoy and experience our national parks,” said Pam Sanfilippo, Program Manager, Museum Services & Interpretation, Gateway Arch National Park. “We encourage you to explore our 91-acre park grounds, participate in a National Park Service wellness challenge, discover St. Louis’ unique role in our nation’s history in the Museum at the Gateway Arch, or participate in the National Park Service’s #YourParkStory social media campaign.”
This year’s National Park Week theme is “Your Park Story.” The National Park Service is encouraging NPS staff and the public to share “your park story” highlighting your special connections with places in national parks or to NPS programs and partners. See NPS staff stories on social media by searching #YourParkStory and share your own using #MyParkStory. Sharing a story about Gateway Arch National Park? Tag @gatewaywarchnps on Instagram or @GatewayArchNationalPark on Facebook.
Need help sharing your park story? Each day of National Park week has a theme. Share your park story about…
• connection on Saturday, April 22
• discovery on Sunday, April 23
• accomplishment on Monday, April 24
• tradition on Tuesday, April 25
• gratitude on Wednesday, April 26
• ingenuity on Thursday, April 27
• inspiration on Friday, April 28
• fun on Saturday, April 29
• love on Sunday, April 30
Learn more about each day’s theme at nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-park-week.
The park will also host these special events:
Ranger Talks: Daily
Gateway Arch National Park Rangers will discuss the daily National Park Week themes at 2:15 p.m. each day (April 22-30) inside the Visitor Center under the Gateway Arch.
FEE-FREE DAY: Earth Day, Saturday, April 22
On National Park Service fee-free days, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will waive the fee. At Gateway Arch National Park, the $3 NPS entrance fee that is included in each adult Tram Ride to the Top ticket and adult Documentary Movie ticket will be waived on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 2023.
VOLUNTEER RIVERFRONT CLEAN-UP EVENT: Saturday, April 29
9 to 11 a.m.; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., meet at bottom of grand staircase Calling all volunteers! The Volunteer Program at the Gateway Arch is seeking 100 people or more to “team up to clean up” the St. Louis Riverfront in celebration of National Park Week.
The Mississippi River is one of the largest sources of oceanic plastic debris; help minimize our environmental footprint! Last year’s clean-up resulted in 35 bags of trash, 40 pounds of plastic, and 54 pounds of other recyclables being kept out of the river and subsequently, our oceans.
The volunteer effort is led by Gateway Arch National Park and Gateway Arch Park Foundation, with support from Beyond Plastics, Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative, Republic Services, Living Lands & Waters, and Missouri Stream Team. All volunteers will receive gloves, trash bags, water and snacks. Afterward, stay and explore the park grounds. Sign up online.
Parking: Riverfront Clean-up volunteers will be directed to park at the Kiener West Garage and will receive validation.
JUNIOR RANGER DAY: Saturday, April 29 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Museum at the Gateway Arch As part of the "fun" theme for National Park Week, park rangers at Gateway Arch National Park will demonstrate Native American and pioneer toys. Pick up special Junior Ranger activities at the Gateway Arch Visitor Center front desk or Tucker Theater and complete them in the Museum to earn a Junior Ranger badge. The activities are like a scavenger hunt- participants are guided to find an exhibit and then connect that exhibit with another national park site by answering questions. They’re then guided to design their own national park.
B.A.R.K. RANGER EVENT: Sunday, April 30
12:30 p.m., outside Visitor Center
Enjoy a walk with your furry friends led by a park ranger and the newly inducted B.A.R.K. Superintendent (winner of Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s B.A.R.K. Ranger Photo Contest). Sign your pet up to be a B.A.R.K. Ranger and get some special swag, too.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WELLNESS CHALLENGE ACTIVITIES: Year-round
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 go online to nps.gov/jeff.
ARCH VISITOR REMINDERS
Visitors to the Arch must enter the monument at the Arch entrance plaza, which faces Fourth Street and the Old Courthouse. The Arch legs are exits only. Entrance to the Arch Visitor Center and the Museum at the Gateway Arch is free. All visitors must pass through an airport-style security checkpoint to get to the lower level of the Arch facility.
The Tram Ride to the Top of the Arch sells out early and often. Visitors are strongly encouraged to purchase tram ride tickets in advance at gatewayarch.com/buytickets. Please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of your scheduled tram time. For more information, visit nps.gov/jeff or gatewayarch.com, or call 877-982-1410.
Parking: Arch parking is available at the Stadium East Garage, located at 200 S. Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102, for a fee. Visit iparkit.com/TheArch to pre-purchase parking with no validation required. If parking is not pre-purchased, validation is required by scanning/stamping parking tickets at one of two validators located inside the Arch Visitor Center. With each preferred parking purchase at the Stadium East Garage, $1 will go to support ongoing conservation and preservation efforts, educational opportunities, and community programs at Gateway Arch National Park through Gateway Arch Park Foundation.
ABOUT GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK: Gateway Arch National Park 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 and preserves the Old Courthouse as the site of the Dred Scott 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. 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.
Last updated: April 20, 2023