Gateway Arch National Park guide · 1 min read
Free Ranger Tours and Virtual Arch Visits
Free ranger-led tours leave on a set timetable, both on the grounds outside the Arch and inside the museum, so you can join one during your visit.
If you need a tour that falls outside that timetable, you can ask about a special ranger-led tour arranged ahead of time by phone.
Unable to visit in person? A virtual tour with a park ranger brings the park to your screen. In one recorded museum tour, Ranger Erin starts at the Old Courthouse, then guides you through the West Entrance of the Visitor Center and on into the museum and the Tram Lobby. The recording runs a little under eight minutes.
The Gateway Arch rises as the park's centerpiece, built of stainless steel on the edge of the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Louis. The Museum at the Gateway Arch sits beneath it, and no tickets are needed to enter. Inside the Old Courthouse, exhibits cover the legal cases heard there, among them the first two Dred Scott trials. For Ride to the Top, you board a round capsule and travel by tram to the summit, and buying tickets online in advance is recommended.
Groups can book ranger-led programs, but reservations need to be placed at least 30 days ahead. Requests can go in online or by phoning the Arch's Group Sales Specialist. A ranger then gets in touch to work out the particulars of the visit. A current list of Museum Education Program topics is available too, and if plans change, contact the Group Sales Specialist as soon as you can.
For ranger programs and special events, check the Park Calendar before you arrive. It shows what is scheduled during your stay, so you can plan your day around a tour or virtual session you have your eye on.
