An Engineering Marvel of Steel and Curves
Written: Sep 06 '01 (Updated Sep 06 '01)
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Pros: Breathtaking view, they explain how the Arch was built, architecturally-interesting courthouse
Cons: Museum of Western Expansion, not enough time, trams very unpleasant
The Bottom Line: The Gateway Arch is an engineering masterpiece that offers great views to those who suffer through the transport to the top.
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| quasar's Full Review: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial |
Last Labor Day weekend I found myself meeting a group of IRC friends in St. Louis. I'd never been there before, although I'd come close once when I lived in Chicago. We planned only a few activities in advance, preferring to play things by ear. We decided that we wanted to go to the science museum, one of the Mets-Cardinals games that weekend, and to the Gateway Arch.
As our group arrived at various times on Friday and Saturday morning, we didn't plan anything until Saturday. We decided to go to the science museum and from there to the Arch.
After finishing up at the science museum, we hopped on a train to the Riverfront area. As we walked off the train we immediately saw the Arch. What struck me immediately was how segregated it is from the other buildings in the area. It sits in a rather pretty park containing a pathway to the Arch lined with trees and a large expanse of grass. The Arch looks more formidable for the starkness around it. The other tall buildings I've been to - the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, the CN Tower, the Sears Tower, and the Hancock Building - all look like ordinary tall buildings amid a sea of tall buildings. With its unusual shape the Arch would always stand out, but the absence of other buildings made it even more striking.
We walked over to the entrance to the Arch. There are actually two - one at each foot. Underground, between the feet and beyond, you will find The Museum of Western Expansion, two entrances to the Arch, a gift shop, and a ticket office. The ticket office also listed two movies so I assume there is at least one movie theater as well although I didn't see any signs of it.
We saw that the next available time to ascend the Arch was over three hours away. I figured it would always be busy and suggested we buy the tickets and get something to eat and go to the museum while we waited. Several others were tired and didn't want to wait so we left with the understanding that come hell or high water we were going up the Arch the next day.
So the next day we went back and stood in line to buy tickets. I have a pass that gives me discounts at most National Parks so we saved $2 per ticket, paying $6 instead of $8 each. This time the wait was two hours. The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial actually consists of the Arch, the museum, and the Old Courthouse. The Old Courthouse is about a block from the Arch. No buildings separate the two. I think the most breathtaking view of the Arch is from the steps of the courthouse.
The Old Courthouse
The courthouse was built in the early 19th Century and is a large winged building with a dome in the center. By winged I mean it has four hallways that meet in the center under the dome. The first room by the entrance is a small gift shop. The rest of the rooms on the ground floor hold exhibits on life in St. Louis through the years. It was a somewhat small but very nice museum. The center area has a rather steep staircase that leads up to the second level. From there you can access the third and fourth levels. I don't believe these levels have exhibits but give you the chance to see the workmanship of the dome up close and personal. My knees were bothering me a bit so I stayed on the ground floor.
The dome is beautiful to look at, with intricate carvings and a gold cap. The entire building is architecturally interesting and worth visiting just for that even if you don't like museums. It also has some interesting historical significance as the site of the infamous Dred Scott trials. Surprisingly this aspect of the courthouse was not highlighted in the museum and only came to light when I spoke to one of the guards.
The Museum of Western Expansion
Our trip to the courthouse took about an hour, leaving us with another hour before it was time to visit the Arch. We spent that time in the Museum of Western Expansion.
Directly opposite the ticket booth underneath the Arch, the museum consists of one large room filled with artifacts from western expansion including the Lewis and Clark expedition and Indian relics native to the region. The museum is actually quite small and I didn't think it had much I hadn't seen before in other museums. There were some interesting letters but for the most part the museum was a disappointment. We only spent about 30 minutes inside, leaving us with 30 minutes to kill before our scheduled entrance into the Arch.
The Arch Museum
Although just billed as a trip to the top of the Arch, admission actually gains you entrance into a very nice museum on the history and construction of the Arch. This small area was stuffed with everything from explanations of the shape of the Arch including the mathematical equations used to determine its shape to small interactive exhibits showing how the last piece of the Arch had to be carefully inserted at the top of the structure to a discussion of the tram system installed to carry people to the top.
We were given about 20 minutes in this section and it wasn't nearly enough. I think there was enough material to hold my attention for at least an hour. Also, since they let about 40 people into the area at once, often you had to wait several minutes to see or try a specific exhibit.
Being an engineer at heart, I found the information on design and construction of the Arch absolutely fascinating. Eero Saarinen designed a stainless steel structure comprised of a series of tubes shapes like equilateral triangles. Pieces lower to the ground were smaller, with smaller walls, and stronger reinforcement. Rising 630 feet into the air, the Arch is by far the largest structure of this sort ever constructed.
Even more fascinating are the tram transports used to carry passengers from the base to the top of the Arch. Each side has a series of eight cars that each hold five passengers. The cars slide along the angle of the Arch, rocking as the center of gravity shifts. It's almost like a diagonal elevator tied only at the top, or a somewhat scary (albeit slow) amusement park ride where you get into the cars and they rotate them around.
The Ride to the Top
After 20 or so minutes in the museum, we were all herded toward the tram cars. People are organized into groups of five regardless of the numbers in their party. I was separated from my friends and told to sit with a family of five for the ride. You stand on a step corresponding to your tram assignment. Folks get out, often on top of you. It was crowded and unpleasant. Once the outbound folks clear, you must somehow squeeze five people into a cozy small car that could possibly make newlyweds happy, but not many other pairs of people let alone groups of five. I had a seat next to the door. My left side was crushed against the metal of the car. My right smushed into the woman sitting next to me. As the car moved, we slid a bit and I was continuously pounded into the side of the car. In theory the transport was fascinating, but in practice it was painful.
The ride to the top took about five minutes and it was pleasant at all. The rocking of the cars, although expected, was still quite scary. It was more powerful than I expected and I thought something might be wrong several times. Sitting next to the door, I could see out to the crawl ways and the staircases reserved for workers and emergencies. I did get more of a glimpse of how the Arch was constructed from my view, but it was hard to pay attention with the rocking and smashing going on inside.
The Top of the Arch
After five very long minutes we arrived at the top and piled into a very small observatory. It does fit all of the people, but not everyone can have a window spot so you have to take turns. If there are a lot of children in your group it may be quite difficult to get a turn on each side of the Arch.
The view on the two sides is wildly different. One side faces the river and Illinois. You get a wonderful view of the water, riverboats, and mostly non-urban land in Illinois. The other side faces St. Louis and affords a breathtaking view of the city. You can look down on Busch Stadium and watch a baseball game as if in a blimp. The skyscrapers are all below you, and you can see for miles on a good day. Both views were lovely in their own way, but I am a city girl at heart and really enjoyed the aerial glimpse of the city.
We weren't rushed out of the observation area, but there really wasn't much to do up there. We did log onto IRC using a wireless Palm just so we could tell all of our friends where we were, but even so I'd say we spent no more than ten minutes at the top, much of that just waiting for the window spots.
They run the trams back down semi-continuously and again it was a miserable journey. I enjoyed the view at the top very much but I really wish there was a better way to get there.
My Thoughts
If you go to St. Louis you must visit the Gateway Arch. It's the type of thing that everyone does in St. Louis, the same way everyone who visits Paris goes to the Louvre and everyone who visits San Francisco takes a trolley ride. Make sure you take the time to enjoy the museum inside the base of the Arch; it really is the highlight of the trip. If you aren't done when they say it's time to go up, ask to go in the next group of trams or ask if you can come back after going up (I would have done this if I hadn't been in a group). When it's time to take the tram to the top be prepared for some discomfort.
The Museum of Western Expansion was disappointing. I'd avoid it altogether unless you've never seen Indian artifacts. The Old Courthouse was enjoyable and worth the hour or so it takes to visit.
I'm really glad I had the chance to visit a monument I've heard about all of my life. No one in America can avoid seeing pictures of the Arch, and I have always found it fascinating from an engineering standpoint. I am not very fond of heights but I always like going to the top of tall observatories and looking down on the world. With its unique shape, the Gateway Arch is one observatory I'll never forget.
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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