Gateway Arch National Park Self Guided Audio Walking Tour

This 1.9 acre park was named in honor of Harry J. Kiener, an olympic athlete who was born in St. Louis. Kiener competed in the 1904 St. Louis Olympic games, as part of the U.S. track and field team. Later in life, Kiener became a steel executive and a philanthropist. In his will, he donated this land to be used as a public plaza. Today, you can find statues, fountains, a playground and plenty of seating from which to admire the city skyline.(10 min)

The Old Courthouse of St. Louis has gone through many changes. Originally built in 1828, the courthouse was expanded in 1839, and has been redesigned and remodeled several times since. The courthouse is associated with 2 landmark cases that went all the way to the US Supreme Court, and a National Park museum inside the courthouse details the history and legacy of those court cases.(1 hr)

The Dred and Harriet Scott Statue on the east side of the courthouse is dedicated to the Scotts' fight for freedom in the US courts. Although ultimately unsuccessful, their struggle led directly to the United States Civil War.(10 min)

The Luther Ely Smith Square is the start of the St. Louis Gateway Mall, along row of parks and green spaces running through downtown St. Louis. The park commemorates Luther Ely Smith, the father of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the predecessor of Gateway Arch National Park. The park is also the start of the Gateway Ach Trail, which winds through the National Park. There are two beautiful zen gardens in this park for shade and relaxation.(20 min)

The Gateway Arch Museum of Western Expansion is one of the best National Park museums in the country. It has an incredible collection of artifacts, as well as fun and interactive exhibits. This is also where you can purchase tickets for the various activities at the park, like a riverboat cruise, a 30 minute film, a VR experience, and of course, a tram ride to the top of the arch. There is also a gift shop and restaurant inside the museum.(2 hr)

Get up close to the Gateway Arch!(10 min)

This northern section of the park is known as The North Gateway. It’s a seven-and-a-half acre section of the Gateway Arch National Park, and features a natural amphitheater that hosts concerts and events throughout the year. It also contains the Explorer’s Garden, where you can find plants that Lewis and Clark wrote about on their travels, and that were used by the Indigenous People they encountered. There are about 26 different plant species in the garden, and another five types of wild grass in the surrounding Native Meadow..(15 min)

The Eads Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge across the Mississippi. Built in the late 19th century, the Eads Bridge was a groundbreaking achievement. It was designed by renowned engineer James Buchanan Eads, and was the first bridge in the world to use steel as its primary structural material.(5 min)

This bronze statue of Lewis, Clark, and Lewis' dog Seaman, memorializes the expedition's heroic return. It was created by sculptor Harry Weber, and added to the riverfront in 2006.(10 min)

Get down close to the historic Mississippi River! Nearby, you can take a Helicopter tour of the park, or board the riverboat cruise.(10 min)

The Grand Staircase of Gateway Arch National Park rises up from the riverfront to meet the arch. The staircase represents Rising Up to the West, and all the challenges and riches it possessed.(15 min)

Known locally as The Old Cathedral, this church was first established in the 1700s, soon after the city itself was founded. The current building was constructed in 1834. The church is only open to visitors on on the first Sunday of the month, after the noon Mass has ended. But there is a museum that's open several days a week.(1 hr)