July 3 promises to be a big day for residents of St. Louis, Missouri.
This year, the annual Independence Day kick-off known as Fair Saint Louis also includes the grand opening of a brand-new museum at the city's most iconic landmark, the 630-foot-high Gateway Arch.
The museum, which replaces the former Museum of Westward Expansion built in 1976, is just one part of a $380-million facelift known as the CityArchRiver Project. The five-year redo includes a new name for the iconic site, now called Gateway Arch National Park.
Formerly the Jefferson National Expansion Monument, Gateway Arch National Park, is one of the world's most-recognizable architectural icons. It stands testament to Thomas Jefferson's role in opening the West, while also paying homage to St. Louis' role in the Westward Expansion of the United States, the pioneers who helped shape the nation's history, and Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse. It also marks the site from which Lewis and Clark began their 1804 expedition.
Fifty years after its completion, the Arch continues to be one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the world. Located in downtown St. Louis, it is situated amidst a forested urban national park, one of the few west of the Mississippi River, and is a favorite place for walking, biking, picnicking and riverboat excursions.
With the opening of the new Museum at Gateway Arch National Park-which includes a gleaming new visitor center-guests will be welcomed by a new glass entrance below the Gateway Arch that faces the Old Courthouse and Downtown St. Louis.
Museum exhibits chronicle the westward expansion of the United States with interactive displays split into such categories as Colonial St. Louis, Jefferson's Vision, Manifest Destiny, The Riverfront Era, New Frontiers and Building the Gateway Arch.
At the tram stop, which takes guests to the top of the arch, a 100-foot-wide media wall displays historical footage of the Gateway Arch and other scenes depicting America's westward expansion.
Grand opening festivities begin at 10 a.m. on July 3, with public remarks and ribbon cutting. Early visitors will also receive a commemorative coin, while supplies last. At noon, the new museum and visitor center will open to the public. Live music, food trucks and family-friendly activities will be available until 2 p.m.
Travelers looking for a distinctive way to explore St. Louis this summer, can book a 23-day journey onboard the American Queen, with an itinerary that starts in New Orleans and winds its way along the Mississippi River to Red Wing, Minnesota.
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