Preservation

Gateway Arch Park Foundation plays a critical role in preserving the historic and cultural assets of Gateway Arch National Park.

Museum at the Gateway Arch

In a unique arrangement, we provide for the ongoing maintenance and innovation of the exhibits in the Museum at the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse through a contract with Imagine Visual Service, LLC, a leading innovator in museum fabricaiton.  This is its first ongoing, regular maintenance agreement with a national park, made possible by the Foundation and its supporters. This is one of many Foundation projects that is setting a model for park conservancies across the country.

Each year, approximately 20 to 30 museum maintenance projects are completed, with regular maintenance on the replica keystone, interactive tram car model, ‘Clark’s Guided Tour’ software, riverboat and train model motors, and dozens of other critical museum elements. Additionally, the Foundation funds remote Wi-Fi and IT support for electronic elements throughout the Museum.

The Foundation also funds smaller maintenance needs at the Museum conducted by local personnel as they arise from day to day

Old Courthouse

In partnership with the National Park Service, Gateway Arch Park Foundation completed a $27.5 million renovation to the historic Old Courthouse in May 2025, which is only the second significant renovation to the facility since it was built between 1839 and 1862. This was the final component of the $380 million CityArchRiver project – the largest public-private partnership in the history of the National Park Service – spearheaded by the Foundation.

In addition to funding about $6 million of the $27.5 million project through privately-raised donations, the Foundation applied for and received a $2.7 million grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development for the renovation.

Read about the renovations here.