Gateway Arch turns 50 with anniversary celebration

As the Gateway Arch nears its 50th anniversary in October 2015, partners involved with operating and enhancing the national park have announced plans to celebrate the iconic monument’s golden birthday. An all-day community celebration will take place on Saturday, October 24, in nearby Kiener Plaza. Additional commemorative celebrations will take place on Wednesday, October 28, marking the 50th anniversary of the Arch’s completion. All information about the events can be found at www.gatewayarch.com/50.

Here are a list of events for the Gateway Arch 50 Anniversary.

Arch 50 Fest – Saturday, October 24, 10:30 am – 8:30 pm

The St. Louis community and all visitors are invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Arch during a day-long celebration at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. The event will include food and drink vendors, children’s activities, and live music throughout the day. The celebration will culminate with a world-class fireworks display showcasing the Arch. This event is sponsored and funded by the CityArchRiver Foundation and Great Rivers Greenway and entry will be free.

Recognition Ceremony and Birthday Party – Wednesday, October 28, 11 am

At 11 am—the moment when the final piece of the Gateway Arch was put into place 50 years ago—National Park Service leadership, along with local officials and partner dignitaries, will lead a special recognition ceremony commemorating the completion of the Arch on the Fourth Street side of the Old Courthouse. Immediately following, local cupcake trucks will distribute free 50th anniversary-themed cupcakes to visitors.

$1 Journey to the Top Tram Rides – October 28, all day

For one day only, Journey to the Top tram ride tickets will be sold at the original price of $1. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Old Courthouse, online at https://ticketsforthearch.com or by calling 877-982-1410.

Visitors to the top will receive:

• A “Top of the Arch” lapel button modeled after one that was originally distributed when the trams opened in 1967.
• An “I Went to the Top” certificate, similar to the certificate handed out to riders in the 1960s.

Limited-edition 50th Anniversary Merchandise

Custom-designed 50th anniversary items—including hats, shirts, jackets, mugs, coasters, and more—are available for purchase in the Museum Store located under the Gateway Arch, the Old Courthouse Gift Shop, and online at www.shop.jnpa.com.

Meet the Builders of the Gateway Arch at the Missouri History Museum – October 28, 9:30-11 am

At this free event, the public can meet the men who built the Arch in the 1960s. Iron workers, electricians, sheet-metal workers, draftsmen, field engineers and other construction workers will pose for photos and sign autographs in the lower level of the Missouri History Museum.

The “Arch Perspectives” exhibit will be on display in the lower level of the museum, and showcases various photos of the Arch through the years, including photographs of Arch construction by famed St. Louis photographer Robert Arteaga. Screenings of the award-winning documentary “Monument to the Dream” will be offered throughout the day in the museum auditorium. National Park Service rangers will be on site offering special activities related to the construction and history of the Arch.

The Gateway Arch: An Icon for Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Panel Discussion at the Missouri History Museum – October 28, 12-1 pm

National Park Service Historian Bob Moore, along with landscape architect Susan Saarinen (daughter of Gateway Arch architect Eero Saarinen) and others will participate in a panel discussion on the history of the Gateway Arch—from its beginnings as a vision of Eero Saarinen to its completion on October 28, 1965.

Everyone is encouraged to take pride in this momentous occasion and purchase tickets prior to your visit to the Arch. You can learn more information about the Gateway Arch at www.gatewayarch.com.