Museum at the Gateway Arch

Learn about St. Louis' role in American History

The Museum at the Gateway Arch 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.

This museum took the place of the former Museum of Westward Expansion, which closed February 2015.

The museum is free and is located underground, beneath the Gateway Arch. It is open daily from 9am until 6pm, with occasional extended hours during high-demand times. Learn about accessibility features in the museum here.

Check out our park calendar to learn what programs and events will be happening during your visit.

Explore the six museum galleries below:

 

Museum Galleries

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  Colonial St. Louis

  Discover the Indigenous and Creole culture of St. Louis before the Louisiana Purchase

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  Jefferson's Vision

  Thomas Jefferson had a vision for the United States

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  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

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  The Riverfront Era

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

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  Manifest Destiny

  The United States was determined to move west

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  Building the Dream

  Learn how the Gateway Arch became a reality