The Gateway Arch Museum in St. Louis has unveiled a refresh and expansion from New York-based architecture practice Cooper Robertson, in collaboration with locally based Trivers Associates and New York’s James Carpenter Design Associates. Originally designed by Eero Saarinen, the iconic landmark’s supporting venues now accommodate 100,000 square feet of new exhibition galleries, public education facilities, and visitor services.
Expanded by 45,000 square feet, the former Museum of Westward Expansion greets visitors with a sleek new glass entrance crafted by James Carpenter Design. New wraparound paths have also been created to guide traffic toward the western-facing entrance, while also framing views of the Arch and the nearby courthouse. Housed beneath the Arch, the subterranean museum now focuses its programming on the design of the monument itself. Interiors mirror the contours of the surrounding landscape, which also received an upgrade courtesy of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. The LEED Gold-certified design features lighting that emits a consistent level of brightness as visitors transition through the underground galleries.
