Iconic Conversations: NiNi Harris and Calvin Riley, Black St. Louis

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a var......More

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a variety of topics relevant to the St. Louis region. You might learn about our city's early beginnings, its architecture, our prominent leaders, the rise of the Gateway Arch, our civil rights struggles, and the best things to do around town. Book discussions will be followed by an author signing opportunity. All programs are free and no reservations are needed. They will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse (11 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102). The building is fully accessible, and a sign language interpreter will be on hand for each presentation. Come hear the rich and inspiring history of African Americans in St. Louis, ranging from the city’s founding as a French fur trading post through the Spanish colonial era to the new millennium. Authors Calvin Riley and NiNi Harris discuss their book Black St. Louis, which highlights great figures who showed leadership, incredible innovation, and courage despite the injustices they faced.Calvin is an educator who, along with his wife, amassed a collection of Black memorabilia dating back 250 years, now on display at the George B. Vashon Museum of African American History. Nini has authored 18 books on St. Louis history, from explorations of historic neighborhoods and parks to volumes on immigrants and Black St. Louisans.

It will be held in the rotunda.

B.A.R.K. Ranger: Summer Safety

B.A.R.K. Ranger events are always free and open to everyone. Dogs must be leashed and friendly. All events will start at 10:00 a.m. at the park entrance. Since B.A.R.K. Ranger events are held outdoors, they will be cancelled in case of inclement weather. 

Meet outside the Gateway Arch visitor center entrance

Battle of St. Louis

Rangers and living history volunteers will tell the story of the British led attack onSt. Louis on May 26, 1780.

Outside, near the South Reflection Pond.

Birds, Migration, & Buildings: Exploring the Connection Between Nature and our Built Environments

Join St. Louis Audubon Society Urban Conservation Specialist Matt Barton and learn about how buildings and their attendant light effect bird migration

Iconic Conversations: Cheryl Eichar Jett, Aprons Away: Women's Work on Route 66

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a var......More

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a variety of topics relevant to the St. Louis region. You might learn about our city's early beginnings, its architecture, our prominent leaders, the rise of the Gateway Arch, our civil rights struggles, and the best things to do around town. Book discussions will be followed by an author signing opportunity. All programs are free and no reservations are needed. They will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse (11 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102). The building is fully accessible, and a sign language interpreter will be on hand for each presentation. We’ve all heard of Route 66, but did you ever stop to think of all the women who worked along the 2,448-mile length of the most famous highway in the world? They pumped gas, ran for office, painted murals, joined the military, reported news, and designed buildings, theme parks, rockets, and toys. Just in time for this year’s 100th anniversary of the iconic Mother Road, author Cheryl Eichar Jett will examine the myriad roles women played along Route 66.Cheryl is an award-winning author and playwright specializing in this unique niche of women’s history. Her new book just debuted this spring.

It will be held in the rotunda.

Planets around other Suns

Do planets around other stars actually exist? How do we know they are there? Could any of them be like the Earth and possibly harbor life? Dr. Pamela Gay, Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, will try to answer these fascinating questions. Meet at the Ed......More

Do planets around other stars actually exist? How do we know they are there? Could any of them be like the Earth and possibly harbor life? Dr. Pamela Gay, Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, will try to answer these fascinating questions. Meet at the Education Classroom inside the Arch Visitor Center.

Iconic Conversations: Vivian Gibson, Memories of the Mill Creek Neighborhood

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a var......More

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a variety of topics relevant to the St. Louis region. You might learn about our city's early beginnings, its architecture, our prominent leaders, the rise of the Gateway Arch, our civil rights struggles, and the best things to do around town. Book discussions will be followed by an author signing opportunity. All programs are free and no reservations are needed. They will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse (11 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102). The building is fully accessible, and a sign language interpreter will be on hand for each presentation. Once home to 20,000 residents, the close-knit African American neighborhood of Mill Creek Valley in downtown St. Louis was demolished in 1959, a victim of federal urban renewal policies. Nearly 70 years later, the children who once lived in the segregated working-class community share their stories in Vivian Gibson’s moving memoir. These former residents look back on their lives, revealing their resilience as children who witnessed the decline and eventual erasure of their neighborhood.Vivian herself grew up in Mill Creek Valley. Her collection of stories reveals extraordinary lives of ordinary people. In addition to discussing her book, she will screen her recently produced documentary short, titled "Remembering Mill Creek: When We Were There."

It will be held in the rotunda.

Telescopes for Beginners

Interested in exploring the night sky on your own? Getting your own telescope is one of the best ways to do this. Don Ficken, President of the St. Louis chapter of Dark Sky Missouri will bring in various telescopes and show how to use them. Meet at the Education Classro......More

Interested in exploring the night sky on your own? Getting your own telescope is one of the best ways to do this. Don Ficken, President of the St. Louis chapter of Dark Sky Missouri will bring in various telescopes and show how to use them. Meet at the Education Classroom inside the Arch Visitor Center.