St. Louis Art Museum.
View of the Gateway Arch from Eads Bridge.
the definitive icon of St. Louis; a 91-acre park along the Mississippi River on the site of the earliest buildings of the city; the Old Courthouse, a former state and federal courthouse; and the 140,000-square-foot museum at the Gateway Arch. You may choose to pay to ride the tram to the top of the 630-foot arch. The park grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. www.gatewayarch.com Across fromtheGatewayArch is theOldCourthouse,which is often pictured framed by the silvery arch. This was the scene of many rallies, speeches, and several important trials, including the suit by Dred Scott for freedom from slavery and by Suffragist Virginia Louisa Minor for the right to vote. Visitors can tour restored courtrooms and historic galleries. The Old Courthouse is open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm Citygarden Keep heading a few blocks west to the Citygarden, a 2.9 acregreenspace filledwith lushplantings, internationally renowned sculpture, and gurgling fountains. Opened in July 2009, highlights of the Citygarden include 24 pieces of sculpture and three water features, one with 102 computer-controlled spray jets and custom lighting.
Enjoy the video wall, set within a limestone wall that spreads across two blocks, displaying video art. Take the audio tour through an innovative smartphone app, featuring the voices of St. Louis celebrities including Olympic Gold Medal-winner Jackie Joyner-Kersee, sportscaster Joe Buck, and baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith. www.citygardenstl.org St. Louis Union Station Built at a cost of $6.5 million in the 1890s, Union Station was given a facelift in the 1980s. A highlight is the Allegorical Window, which is a stained-glass window with hand-cut Tiffany glass. The window features three women, representing the main U.S. train stations during the 1890s—New York, St. Louis, and San Francisco. In additiontobeautiful, historicarchitecture, thedowntown station offers free movies and a concert series between April and October. Check www.stlouisunionstation.com for a schedule. Although it’s free to enter the station, there are many new attractions that require admission including the St. Louis Wheel and the St. Louis Aquarium.
ST. LOUIS ON A SHOESTRING
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2020
29
Made with FlippingBook Proposal Creator