About
The Old Courthouse, part of Gateway Arch National Park in downtown St. Louis, invites visitors to explore pivotal stories of American history in a landmark building completed in 1862. The courthouse was the site of the first two trials in Dred Scott’s fight for freedom and later heard Virginia Minor’s case for a woman’s right to vote. The building was also the site of hundreds of freedom suits and is part of the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Following extensive renovations, the Old Courthouse reopened in May 2025 with improved accessibility, restored historic features and four new museum galleries. Visitors can explore exhibits devoted to Dred and Harriet Scott, African American life and the struggle for civil rights, the courthouse’s architecture and craftsmanship and the role of courts in American society. Two historically furnished courtrooms are also open to explore. Admission is free.Historic St. Louis
History buffs will want to explore other sites and museums throughout the region, from Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site to Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum and the Missouri Civil War Museum to The Griot Museum of Black History.
11 N. Fourth St.
St. Louis,
MO
63102
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Hours
Hours vary by day and season – check website to plan your visit.
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