The Gateway Arch of St. Louis and the Museum of Westward Expansion, both situated at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is located near the point where Lewis and Clark started their expedition, which is the first American expedition on land to the West Coast.
The Gateway Arch is the iconic image of St. Louis, Missouri. The Arch was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. The Arch is 192 m (630 feet) in height and 192 m (630 feet) wide at its base, it is the tallest monument in the United States. The construction of the monument began on February 12th, 1963 and was completed by October 28th, 1965. The monument was opened on July 24th, 1967. By 1968, a tram system which combined an elevator cable with gimballed cars, that worked similar to ferris wheel gondolas had been put into place. The cars are egg shaped and it takes about four minutes to reach the Arch top. There is an observation area placed at the top of the arch.
Beneath the Arch is the visitor center, inside the center is the Museum of Westward Expansion. The museum exhibits the history of the riverfront in St. Louis. The Tucker Theater shows a documentary on the construction of the Arch, “Monument to the Dream”.
If one is looking to stay a few days in the area, a St. Louis Hotel that goes by the name of Millennium Hotel St. Louis would be worth a look for the lodger.