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This court house was closed most the time when I was in St. Louis downtown. This review was for the outside and surrounding of the old courthouse. It's always a great spot for pictures taking with the arch at the background.
We thought the Old Courthouse was going to be a quick pit stop on our way to the Arch but we spent a lot more time here than we thought. We were told it had just reopened after a renovation and we are glad we got to see it. The courthouse was beautiful and their exhibits inside were great. The kids were able to become Jr. Rangers at the Courthouse and the Arch which was a nice touch. Overall we absolutely loved our time at this historical location and I suggest allowing enough time to explore.
I visited the Old Courthouse at 11 N 4th St, St. Louis, MO today, May 25, 2025, and it's a beautiful piece of history! The Greek Revival architecture and iconic cast-iron dome, finished in 1862, are stunning, especially in the rotunda with its vibrant frescoes. The first-floor exhibits, reopened after a $27.5 million renovation, are engaging--particularly the Dred and Harriet Scott gallery, which dives into their 1847 freedom suit with compelling artifacts and panels. Another exhibit, "Pathways to Freedom," highlights Black life in St. Louis, and the restored courtroom display feels like stepping into the 1850s. The staff was welcoming, sharing insights about the courthouse's role in landmark cases like the Scott trials and Virginia Minor's suffrage case. It's free, which is great, and the location near the Gateway Arch makes it an easy combo visit. The new elevator and UV-protected windows add accessibility and light, enhancing the experience. My only disappointment was that the third and fourth floors remain closed post-renovation, so you can't explore the upper levels, which I heard have unique historic elements. Parking downtown was also a bit of a pain--try the stadium garages nearby. Still, a must-visit for history lovers, just wish the upper floors were accessible!
Visited the smallest of all the National Parks yesterday with my husband who is from St. Louis and lived there for 50 years. He's of course been in the arch many years ago but was impressed with the updates and renovations to the museum and entrance. The tram to the top is reasonable - the wait from the line, to the trams, watching the brief video, ride up, 10 minutes up, and ride down is all about an hour or so if the line isn't too long (maybe 20-30 people). It's definitely worth the visit and their cafe and gift shop is wonderful with tons of cute items inside for keepsakes and the usual collectible National Park items. The outside is well-kept and clean with plenty of parking nearby in the city. It's an easy to walk park and was overall about a 3-4 hour visit. Note: The tram is very very small inside with 5 seats that are super close together and a low ceiling.
We visited the St. Louis Old Courthouse about 90 minutes before closing, excited to explore and teach our kids about the important history there as a homeschooling family. Unfortunately, our experience that first day was disappointing--a male National Park Ranger rushed us through and asked us to leave 30 minutes before closing, which cut our visit short and left our kids a bit confused and disappointed. However, we decided to come back the next morning, and we're so glad we did! The Park Ranger on duty that day was absolutely phenomenal. She not only welcomed us warmly, but she also engaged our kids with fun questions and quizzes, helping them explore and understand the exhibits on a deeper level. She made history come alive, and her enthusiasm was contagious--she truly rocked! The courthouse itself is stunning, with incredible architecture and so much important history, especially regarding the Dred Scott case. I highly recommend a visit--but try to arrive earlier in the day for the full experience!
This was need to see. We were exploring St. Louis and Crossing old courthouse. It was nice to see and fun to check out. I would definitely recommend it.
The St Louis Arch in Missouri has got to be one of the most amazing places. Plan on a couple of hours to visit this National Park. The Museum inside is just as fascinating as the grounds around the Arch. Time VERY well spent. The Arch itself ~. It's large 630 ft structure stands majestically along the Mississippi River and is the tallest monument in the US. Designed in 1947..... but not built until 1963-1968. What a magnificent engineering feat for its time. We will stop again when we get back in this area.... there is so much to see.
Quite elegant, unique and oversized! It impacts the majority of area surrounding ... If not obstructed. That's part of the fun! The brilliance of design makes this impact everyone on an active and passive level who can see it. So it's not historic going back hundreds of years... Yes yes yes... But it transformers all within sight of ït subliminally or overtly. It's something you just can't ignore within it's horizon.
What to say about this place. The Old Historic Courthouse is an extremely important site for the interpretation of a major decision in American jurisprudence and one that, in part, ultimately led our nation into the Civil War. The Dred Scott decision essentially laid out, horrifically, that the US Constitution did not include rights of citizenship for peoples of African descent, neither slave nor free. The members of the court had hoped their decision would put to rest issues surrounding slavery but it in fact had a catalytic and enflaming effect. It has been noted by some historians as the worst decision ever made by the highest Court in the land. So step into this historic building, see & learn more about this historic event, and contemplate, if you will, man's inhumanity toward fellow man. It is a place to be carefully preserved and to fully interpret this horrid situation - because if we as a free Nation don't learn from our past & evolve for the better, we have little to hope for in terms of growth for the common good. Must visit place in Saint Louis and for that matter in America.
Can you go to St. Louis without visiting the arch?! Absolutely not. We'd never been before, so made our way over on a beautiful spring day. I had no idea that you could ride an elevator up to the top and enjoy the view. The elevator carts were super interesting and moved pretty fast. It's a tight space up there, so if you're claustrophobic, it's maybe not for you. It was super cool though and I'd definitely recommend it. They had just renovated everything too, so it looked great in there.
It was perfectly fine. It's a cool bit of history, and something that I wanted to see just so that I could say that I saw it. The views are very pretty, but it's more of a road trip stop than a destination. Most of the time spent here is dealing with crowds.
Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse is belong to US park service. The arch and courthouse are located at the prime location of the city. It is gateway to welcome the boater from mighty Mississippi River. This gateway symbolizes St. Louis is the city of all float. The Arch Gate and the courthouse is align. It is perpendicular to the Mississippi River. The arch has tram to the top. They sold combo tickets with the river cruise and the movie. You can it as individual ticket when you don't have much time. The arch room of the top is limited room. You can see the entire city. The arch is 630 feet tall monument and open in 1965. President is not allow to the arch because of security reason except president president Eisenhower. The courthouse is built mid 1800. The dome is like church cathedral. It is beautiful building. A lot of civil right cases were ague here.
When people think St. Louis, they think of the iconic Gateway Arch. But in the background and just a few steps away is another iconic spot: the St. Louis Old Courthouse. This is where the Dred Scott court case was filed, when an enslaved man unsuccessfully sued for his freedom. The Courthouse is well maintained with tons of information to read and explore. You can even step inside the actual courtroom. There are multiple levels to explore, and the interior dome has amazing, intricate details. Highly recommend visiting this before or after you Gateway Arch visit!
8 years ago
This place is amazing and filled with information !! and on top it's free! If you have time, I definitely recommend it. read more
8 years ago
The statue of Dred and Harriet Scott prompted me to go inside the courthouse. For those who enjoy history and architecture, this is a worthy stop and it's free. Those who have posted before sum the courthouse experience up well. *In regards to buying tickets for the Gateway Arch, you can purchase them at the courthouse before the tour, but due to crowds, I advise purchasing your tickets online 24 hours in advance so that you can choose the time of your tour. Tickets can then be downloaded to your phone. read more
The Arch is a must-see when you are in St. Louis. I visited once before on my way back to Louisville from Kansas City. I took the opportunity to stretch my legs and walk around for a few minutes before finishing my drive. I paid only to park and walked around the monument and was back on my way. This time we parked further away (cheaper) and walked up to the old courthouse, where you can buy your arch tickets. It was just after noon and we were sold a 12:35 arch time. We really had to hustle to get over to the arch in time, primarily because the area surrounding the base of the arch is under construction. You have to go veeeerrrrry far around in order to get to the entrance, and you have to go to the far entrance from the side you are directed to take to get there. Also, once inside the arch, there is a LOT under construction. It currently (Fall 2017) feels messy. Overall, it was rather disappointing. As for the actual Arch-iness: it is much like a lining up for a Disney 3-D ride. You enter on one side or the other, the person scanning your ticket will tell you which side to use. You are given a capsule number. Then you go down more stairs and line up in front of your capsule. They are small and charming, in that mid-century idea of futuristic kind of way. Anyone claustrophobic or not a fan of being exceptionally close to others and potentially strangers (depending on how many are in your group) might have second thoughts about going up. And anyone afraid of heights should not ride to the top. It is super packed with people up there, and even on a calm-weather day you can feel the arch swaying ever so slightly. BE AWARE. It is not for everyone. The view is...fine. I am not sure it is worth the $12-$15. I am not upset that we did it. But it is all rather underwhelming. Don't feel bad if you don't want to spend the money. The Arch is best seen from the outside anyways. AND the old Courthouse is free to walk around and explore! And it is actually really cool! That was probably my favorite part of the visit to the Arch area. Don't skip it! Even if you buy your arch ticket and have to hustle right away over to in time for your capsule ride...be sure to come back and explore the courthouse! Parking in the area isn't terribly expensive, particularly if you don't mind walking a few blocks. And you can see the important bits for free, so don't let a cost deter you. read more
Unfortunately the museum of westward expansion at the Arch was under construction when I visited. But we got to check out the exhibits at the courthouse so it was ok. Luckily when we went the crowds were minimal so we got tickets right away and when we lined up at the Arch we got on the tram up within a few minutes. Be warned, the tram ride up is definitely nerve racking if you have anxiety issues or you're claustrophobic. The view from the top is beautiful. If you're in St. Louis this is one of the places you should check out. read more
I've been around more than a few blocks, and seen a number of National Monuments - the Arch is quite possibly the most breathtaking one I've ever seen. Seriously, it's well worth it to go. I even went when most of the park was fenced off for major construction, and it still was one of my cooler monument experiences. Also, I'm going to go out of character and say go to the movie. They have a free background/history movie on the making of the Arch, and it's really cool. Why, you ask? Because it's actually footage from the construction of the Arch. Real, honest to goodness, video footage of the construction. Recorded audio of the crews actually talking to each other. Live video of the major moments of the project. I mean, it was really, really cool! But seriously. Dat Arch... read more
10 years ago
I went to visit the Gateway Arch on a very gloomy day so the pictures of the arch was not as amazing as it would have been if it was a nice clear day or at least with white puffy clouds in the sky. There always seem to be construction going on all the time (from the two times I visited, 2 years apart). But nonetheless, the arch was a pretty cool site to see in St. Louis. Immediately as we entered the city, you will see it from the freeway. So our drive to the arch was so exciting! We parked nearby in one of the structure and walked to the arch. It is $10 to go up to the arch and you would get to see two movies about its rich history. I was a bit bummed that the museum part of the arch was closed down for renovation. The trip up the arch is about 3-4 minutes and you will sit with about 3-4 other people in a tiny little pod that slowly elevates you to the top of the arch. Not recommendable if you are claustrophobic. The view from the top is decent, but not breathtaking. You will see the famous landmarks of St. Louis, like the courthouse, the stadiums, the Mississippi River running along the city, etc. For traveling planning purposes, I think 1-2 hours at this arch will be more than enough. Allowing you to enjoy the view, snap a few pics, watch the movies, and check out the gift shop. The walk from the Arch to the Old Courthouse is roughly 10 minutes. Old Courthouse: Neat little historical site for you to visit if you are exploring St. Louis. If you are at the top of the arch, this building is the green dome! It has a beautiful dome decorated with historical figures. You can get a glimpse of the format of a courthouse and check out the history of the US obtaining the Louisiana Purchase. Beautiful Christmas decors during the holiday season. Best of all? It's free! read more
10 years ago
When visiting St. Louis, this totally has to be on the To-Do list. Fun for everyone, and a major must see! Since it was the hubbster and mine first time, we couldn't resist the chance of going straight to the top.. Starting at the Old Courthouse, our Fam walked up the steps and then came into viewing a spectacular interior from the hallway and then up to the ceiling. Our smart phones did their best in capturing the artistry, but its really a sight for your own eyes to see. We then moved on to purchasing the tickets for the "pod" ride up to the famous arch. There is a replicated "pod" model to sit in before you experience the real thing. Staff is friendly and are able to answer any questions. Once we were ready, we all went ahead and crossed the street to the entrance for the arch. Before the ride, there is a brief introduction of the Arch's history done by an Attraction host or hostess, and when that's completed, the tour begins to the "pod" entrance. The Fam enjoyed the ride up, which wasnt too long - about 4 mins. Once inside, we were at the actual top of the arch.. Super AMAZING views of the St. Louis, and the Mississippi river are to be seen! A++ for simple adventure and cool city views! Perks: Awesome day trip for the Fam or school kids. If you are a tourist, its not as pricey to do for your Itinerary. Picture taking is highly recommended! KNOW before you GO: If you are claustrophobic, or have any health concerns like high anxiety, heart issues or phobias, please let the staff know right away before going up. They may already ask you ahead of time before you pay for your tickets. Also, there are NO restrooms at the top of the arch. Awesome TIP: As with any other tourist attraction, there is the commemorative photo op before you go inside. To souvenir or not? Be wise. (photos are $25-$30) OverALL: Fun with history. Fun with the Family. Tourists welcome! Its all worth it! read more
I won't rehash the history of this gorgeous building. (It's far better looking than any of its 20th century neighbors.) Just stand in the rotunda and look up in awe for a while. You'll get blissfully dizzy, plus it's good practice for when you visit the Arch just a few blocks away. read more
13 years ago
So I found this to be far more impressive from the outside than up top. The Arch is a beautiful, graceful structure best appreciated from the area around it. Getting to the top is quite an ordeal and I'm not sure it was really worth it--I certainly wouldn't do it again. You can buy a ticket online, then when you get to the Arch (technically the Jefferson Westward Expansion Memorial and part of the National Park Service), you will currently (Sept. 2016) have to walk a convoluted path around the perimeter of the area and past the south leg of the Arch to get to the north leg where the current entrance is. This is all due to construction that was due to be completed in summer 2015 but still doesn't look anywhere near done. Then you will stand in line to go through security. Then you will stand in line to be assigned to one of the "eggs" (there are six, with five passengers per egg) on the tram that goes to the top. Then you will stand in line to wait for the tram to arrive. Then you will move and stand in line while waiting for the exiting guests to disembark from their eggs. Then you will wish they would explore that Disney continuous-loading thing for this exercise. Then you will move and stand in line outside your egg. Then you will realize that you are sharing an egg with four very large individuals and you will be concerned for weight limits. Then you will hear a speech about being careful getting into the egg and not hitting your head. Then you will squeeze into your egg with the four biggies and hit your head anyway. Then you will take a four-minute ride up with mysterious clunking sounds and see lots of wires and electrical boxes outside your egg. Then you will realize that this whole set-up can't possibly meet any fire code other than Satan's, as there's no way out of the egg for much of the trip up. Then you will exit into a narrow hallway with smallish windows on both sides and pretty decent views of a muddy river and several sports stadiums. Then you will snap a few pictures and get tired of being jostled and then head back down via a shorter (three-minute) trip in an egg with people who are thankfully smaller but who stink of garlic. Then you will walk back around the arch to exit and be glad that the Hyatt and its bar are close by. Total time to get to top: 53 minutes. Total time spent at top: 90 seconds. But it is beautiful and iconic, so I'm glad I did it. I just wouldn't do it again. read more
10 years ago
What a lovely way to repurpose such an important place in American History! So it was in this very court where Dred Scott and his wife unsuccessfully filed their petition that they were free persons and not slaves. Nowadays apart from an exhibition about the life of Dred and Harriet Scott, the building functions as the HQ of the State Park Rangers and along with a shop, tourist info center plus various exhibitions, there is a ticket office where you can buy tickets for the Arch. The ticket office has a replica of the pod that is used to ride up to the arch in, so was cool to see that. The building itself is quite beautiful with soaring ceilings and wide hallways and it reminded me a lot of Italianate basilicas from a design perspective. The rotunda in the middle is decorated with American flags and looks super grand. Lovely building and super glad we went here to buy our tickets rather than the box office at the arch itself. Note: #294 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016 read more
18 years ago
The Old Courthouse is one of the most historically significant buildings in St. Louis. Here is where Dred Scott sued and won freedom from slavery for himself and his wife, a ruling that was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court and was one of many leading factors to the Civil War. While it was a place where slaves were auctioned, St. Louisans can feel good in that the Old Courthouse was one of the first places that ruled against slavery. Today it is a wonderful landmark that features tours to young and old. Admission is free, and there is much to see. The building is gorgeous and offers many shutterbugs plenty of opportunities for picture taking. There are also fun dioramas to look at that depict the history of the Courthouse. Everyone should make the trip to the Courthouse at least once just to understand the importance of the city through the ages. The Arch is within walking distance, and features a shop at its base. A long elevator ride creaks up to the top of the Arch for a stunning look at the beautiful city. Those who are claustrophobic may want to skip the trip to the top, as the elevator cars are extremely tiny. One cool aspect of the Arch is that it sways in the wind, which will always give you a bit of a thrill! While Old Courthouse tours are free, the Arch is not. Prices depend on age [$7 and under] and the wait can be lengthy. read more
14 years ago
Don't let the simplicity of the Gateway Arch fool you. What looks simple and timeless defied a lot of odds in its construction. From start to finish, I enjoyed my experience here. I would highly recommend purchasing tickets for the tram to the top ahead of time because lines can be crazy. Also, I would highly recommend paying the extra $5 to see the 20 min movie that details the construction of the arch from start to finish. It sheds a new light on your experience there and you walk away in awe of the engineering feat that you stand in. What's also cool about this place is the unexpected surprise of the Lewis and Clark museum located underground. It's free and a must see, so allow yourself the time to do it all. You should note that parking in the garage is free if you show your receipt before exiting, which is really nice. Beware that from the time you clear the ticket taker, it can take another 45 minutes before actually getting into the tram that will take you to the top of the arch. The tram looks like a little capsule that holds a maximum of 5 people. The ride to the top is definitely unlike any other elevator experience you have had and might be overwhelming from those who suffer from heights or claustrophobia. However, it is so worth it when you do finally make it to the top. On a clear day, from 630 ft. high, the windows offer views up to 30 miles away. It is the only place in St. Louis that this will happen. Also, the grounds that the arch is located on, border the banks of the mighty Mississippi, and on a nice day, this would be an ideal location to picnic at. Tourist trap or not, the Arch is a must-see in St. Louis! read more
15 years ago
We went to the Arch a few times before going up. It's a really nice museum. Going up to the top was fun. Once up you get such great views of the city. I had t been up there since I was a child so it was nice to share this with my family. The presentation leading up to the ride up Was simple and right to the point. If you want to know more information about how it was built that is a separate cost. Which should be included in the ride to the top. One crazy coincidence is when I asked the employees what were their thoughts on the boat tour all of them said they had never done it! I was mind blown! How have you worked here and not done the things this place provides? We decided not to do it because of the employees don't think it's worth it to do it must not be worth it to pay for. I defiantly encourage they do an employee experience one day. I love the idea of the picture they print out but I was surprised that they print the pictures ahead of time. Such a waste of paper if no one buys them! Although they said they will recycle it it could still be avoided by outing the screens that show the digital photo prior to printing. Overall it was a beautiful experience and I encourage everyone to do. read more
If you're visiting St. Louis and you don't have the Gateway Arch on the itinerary, you're doing St. Louis wrong. I remember making the drive to St. Louis from Terre Haute, Indiana as a high schooler with a carload of friends just to watch the sun rise under the arch. I first did the tram ride up the arch a few years back, and then again on my most recent visit to St. Louis. The tram ride is well worth the fee, as you stop at the top of the arch and can see above the entire city from the little windows. It would be cool if there were windows looking outside along the tram ride as you ride up, but seeing the inside of the arch as you ride up is interesting in itself. The only complaint is that parking and actually getting to the arch is somewhat of a nightmare. Do not trust Google maps to get you to the arch, as it takes you about half a mile from the arch. We finally gave up, parked and walked towards the arch, and of course discovered closer parking along the way. read more
10 years ago
Great tourist destination. A must do when visiting St. Louis. Beware of the tour start time though. Your ticket will include the time but this is not when you get to actually go up in the Arch. It is only the time that you get in line. During peak hours or weekends you may stand in line for a very long time. The staff working inside do not seem to have very much knowledge of this process. We arrived at our required time and stood in line for over an hour only to have staff rush a group of 30 people in front of us right before it was our turn to start the tour. Apparently their tour start time was before ours and they didn't arrive when they should have. The whole process was very frustrating but the experience was worth it once we arrived at the top. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
I really enjoyed visiting here with my dog! The trail is really long and paved around the arch and further. My dog and I sat under a tree by the arch for a long time just hanging out & enjoying the view. We had a great time while my fiancée went inside the arch to see the views! There's not much else to do other than to go in the arch and go for a walk but we enjoyed seeing it! read more
8 years ago
I enjoyed this spot. First of all it's free, secondly I got my steps in for the day. It's an interesting spot if you are into history. My 13yr old had no interest, he was bored. It has lots of rooms to explore and not lots of traffic. read more
The Old Courthouse is a must see if you're visiting St. Louis for the first time. As the courthouse where Dred and Eliza Scott fought for their freedom (although the actual courtroom their case was held in is no longer in existence), the building contains fascinating and important history. There's a short film about the Scotts and their fight for freedom as well as several rooms to explore where you can learn about the history of the Scotts and slavery in Missouri, Western expansion, and the Native Americans of Missouri. The building itself is also worth exploring. The dome is gorgeous (you'll see younger folks laying down on the floor to get a photo looking up at the dome), and you can explore several floors of the building. The second floor has two courtrooms that you can enter to get views of what the courtrooms would have looked like in the Scotts' era. There is a gift shop, and they offer guided tours. There is important American history inside this courthouse, and it's a free attraction that anyone visiting this historic city can take advantage of and learn from. I highly recommend a visit when you're in St. Louis. read more
9 years ago
Place is awesome and beautiful views. Right along the river front easy access from our hotel. We didn't go up in the arch was the tour line was long. Lots of picture opportunities. They do have food vendors along the river serving food in case you are hungry. read more
8 years ago
Great tourist attraction! My group made a stop here during a road trip and went all the way up! Friendly staffs, nice informative video, and well organized. Great views from the top! read more
9 years ago
Neat place. Well done film about Dred Scott court case. Buy your tickets here to go up in the arch, etc. Nice old staircases, and a nice scale model? down one hallway, made glass I think though I didn't read anything about it. read more
18 years ago
