Spring Has Sprung at Gateway Arch National Park

Visit this May to experience the park’s springtime beauty and special events

ST. LOUIS (April 23, 2025) — The sun is shining, and the flowers are blooming. Spring has arrived! This season, take advantage of the beautiful St. Louis weather and experience all there is to do and see at Gateway Arch National Park.

“May is a great time to visit the Gateway Arch and its surrounding 91 acres of park grounds,” said Pam Sanfilippo, Program Manager, Museum Services & Interpretation, Gateway Arch National Park. “Take a stroll through the park to admire the thriving native plants and wildlife or enjoy the park’s events and programming with your friends and family.”

Below, find information for events happening at Gateway Arch National Park during May. Visit nps.gov/jeff to learn more.

May 3: Be part of history by attending the grand opening of the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. Following an extensive renovation, the Old Courthouse will usher in a new era of accessibility, educational programming, and community engagement. Participate in the “Journey to Justice” festival, which will celebrate the restoration of this historic landmark with a day of festivities.

May 10: Gateway to the Stars returns! Learn about the wonders of the night sky from a guest speaker or Gateway Arch National Park Ranger. Then, enjoy a free telescope viewing on the Gateway Arch’s Entrance Plaza. Future programs are scheduled for June 7, July 5, Aug. 2, Sept. 27 and Oct. 25. 

May 17: Join Gateway Arch National Park for Kids to Parks Day from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and celebrate a national day of outdoor play! Participants can enjoy three activity stations located in Luther Ely Smith Square: a Junior Ranger table, Pioneer games and toys and the Old Courthouse.

May 18: At this B.A.R.K. Ranger Event, meet Jenny Dove, a PetTech-certified pet First Aid and CPR Instructor. Jenny, the education coordinator at Kennelwood Pet Resorts, will provide expert information on how to introduce dogs to each other.

May 24: Learn about St. Louis’ only Revolutionary War battle, the Battle of St. Louis. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Rangers and volunteers in period dress will be available to answer questions about this important but little-known battle.

ARCH VISITOR REMINDERS

Visitors should arrive at the Arch at least 30 minutes ahead of their scheduled tram time and enter the monument at the Arch entrance plaza, which faces Fourth Street and the Old Courthouse. The Arch legs are exits only. Entry to the Arch Visitor Center and the Museum at the Gateway Arch is always free. All visitors must pass through an airport-style security checkpoint to get to the lower levels 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. For more information, visit nps.gov/jeff or gatewayarch.com, or call 877-982-1410.

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 prepurchase parking with no validation required. If parking is not prepurchased, validation is required by scanning/stamping a parking ticket at one of two validators located inside the Arch Visitor Center. Discounted parking is not available on St. Louis Cardinals’ home game days without prepurchasing by 11:59 p.m. on the date prior to the game. With each parking purchase at the Stadium East Garage, $1 will support ongoing conservation and preservation efforts, educational opportunities and community programs at Gateway Arch National Park through Gateway Arch Park Foundation.

Metered street parking is also located near Gateway Arch National Park.

ABOUT GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK: Gateway Arch National Park, one of America’s 420+ national parks, 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. The park also preserves the Old Courthouse, the site of the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott v. Sandford 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. during the regular season and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer season. 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.