Museum at the Gateway Arch

Learn about St. Louis' role in American History

The museum shares St. Louis's role in United States history, from the city's founding in 1764 to the completion of the Gateway Arch in 1965.

The museum is free and is located underground, beneath the Gateway Arch.
Learn about accessibility features in the museum here.

Explore the six museum galleries below:

Museum Galleries

Colonial St. Louis

Discover the Indigenous and Creole culture of St. Louis before the Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson's Vision

Thomas Jefferson had a vision for the United States
New Frontiers

Explore how people settled and lived in the West, the myths that became the West's cultural legacy, and the changes caused by industry
The Riverfront Era

The first steamboat to arrive in St. Louis changed the city forever
Manifest Destiny

The United States was determined to move west
Building the Dream

Learn how the Gateway Arch became a reality