The tram to the top of Gateway Arch in St. Louis is in need of repairs/NPS
Visitors hoping to take in the view from the top of the iconic, 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch in St. Louis will have to get there by November 28 or wait until next spring.
A temporary closure is required to address the Arch’s motor generator sets, which need to be replaced, and to upgrade its electrical system, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial announced last week.
During the suspension of tram operations, entrance to the Arch will be free, and tickets will not be required to enter the Gateway Arch Visitor Center or to view the documentary “Monument to the Dream.” The Old Courthouse will continue to operate normally and offers museum exhibits as well as interpretive programming.
“We encourage everyone to visit the Old Courthouse to view free exhibit galleries focusing on early St. Louis, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery expedition, and the settlement of the Great Plains; restored original courtrooms; and an exhibit focused on Dred and Harriet Scott,” Rhonda Schier, chief of museum services and interpretation at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, said in a release. “Visitors can also participate in living history events with mock trials in the Old Courthouse’s restored courtrooms.”
The Museum of Westward Expansion, located under the Gateway Arch, is closed for significant renovations and won’t reopen until summer 2017. Certain artifacts from the museum are on display in exhibit galleries at the Old Courthouse.
The Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse will be closed Thanksgiving Day, November 24, but they will have extended holiday hours on November 25-26. The Gateway Arch will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the Old Courthouse will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is a historically busy time at the Arch. Visitors are encouraged to purchase their Journey to the Top tram and Arch entry-only tickets in advance at www.gatewayarch.com. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the Old Courthouse or by calling 877-982-1410.
Comments
I was sorry to miss the Museum of Westward Expansion when I was in St. Louis this summer, since it was closed, but I did get to see the Arch. That said, I saw a tram car (set up in the old courthouse as part of the museum there), and you couldn't pay me ride in that thing. Claustrophobia city!
It is indeed a weird ride, but worth it.