October 16, 2026

Gateway Arch National Park is home to world-class museums. In fact, the museums in our hometown national park have been officially accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1980, which is a coveted recognition that signifies a commitment to excellence and the highest museum standards.

That excellence doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional preservation work, constant care, and a strong partnership behind the scenes between the National Park Service (NPS), which owns and operates the museums, and Gateway Arch Park Foundation, the Park’s official philanthropic partner.

A key part of this partnership is the Foundation’s Senior Manager of Operations and Volunteer Engagement, Meagan Patterson. Earlier this year, Patterson took on a new role working alongside NPS to help maintain the Museum at the Gateway Arch and the galleries inside the Old Courthouse.

This working relationship, which was established as part of the CityArchRiver Project, is the first ongoing maintenance agreement of its kind, allowing a national park’s philanthropic partner and its contractors to perform museum maintenance within a park. Since the completion of the CityArchRiver Project, the Foundation has worked with skilled contractors to carry out this critical work. As the need for a more permanent role emerged, Patterson was a natural fit to help lead it.

“My background is in historical administration and museum studies,” said Patterson, “so as I was having a conversation with our team leadership one day about this work, it was a great opportunity for me to use my skills and grow the partnership between the Foundation and Park. It is our responsibility to ensure the museum remains world-class every day.”

And maintaining a world-class museum is no small task.

More than two million people visit Gateway Arch National Park each year. That means there are millions of people who are experiencing the stories of St. Louis and our nation through the Park’s museums and exhibits and just as many people interacting with the museums’ technology, tactile pieces, exhibit cases, and other components that will naturally experience wear and tear over time.

That’s where the Foundation’s maintenance partnership plays an important role. Working closely with NPS, Patterson can identify needs, coordinate repairs, and respond quickly when something requires attention. In recent months, she and the Park have addressed or identified the need for repairs to projectors, exhibit handrails, exhibit cases, monitors, tactile models, exhibit lighting, and more.

But perhaps just as important as responding to problems is preventing them in the first place. 

With Patterson dedicated to this work, the Foundation and NPS can assess the museums more frequently and take a proactive approach to protecting the exhibits and artifacts before damage occurs. For example, many people may not know that the exhibit cases have micro-ecosystems to protect historic artifacts, and Patterson works with the Park to ensure the equipment required to maintain these ecosystems is working properly.

It’s the kind of work most visitors will never see—and that’s exactly the point.

When a museum does its job well, visitors can focus on the stories and artifacts in front of them without thinking about everything that makes those experiences possible.

"A museum doesn’t come to life on its own, It belongs to everyone, including the passionate park rangers who help care for the exhibits, take the information, and create programs so that the public can learn about it."

Meagan Patterson
Senior Manager, Operations & Volunteer Engagement

“There’s still a lot to be seen in this fairly new role for me, but I’m so grateful to our Foundation donors, our park partners, and all the people who support and steward this work so that our St. Louis story, that is so integral to our local community and our nation, can be shared with future generations.”

Every artifact, plaque, and interactive experience visitors encounter in a museum represents our history, which must undeniably be preserved. And, to do this, it requires ongoing investment and care.

So, the next time you visit the Museum at the Gateway Arch or the galleries of the Old Courthouse, take a closer look. Behind the exhibits are dedicated people working every day to protect the history they hold: the park rangers, the maintenance staff, and people like Meagan Patterson.

And critical to supporting that work are Foundation members and donors who make this partnership possible. Your support helps ensure that the museums remain world-class and the stories of Gateway Arch National Park remain here to be discovered, experienced, and shared for generations to come.

Interested in supporting this work? Become a Gateway Arch Park Foundation member today!