Just over 50 years after the Gateway Arch opened in St. Louis, Eero Saarinen —also known for his Tulip Chair design—finally gets his wish.

The Arch debuted in 1967 at a cost of $13 million, but Saarinen's original design included an elevated walkway that he did not live to see. “We’ve really completed his vision by connecting the city to the Arch,” says Eric Moraczewski, Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s executive director.

The Gateway Arch and new glass-walled visitor center at night.

At 630 feet tall, the stainless-steel Arch remains the world’s tallest man-made monument, zipping visitors to the top via a four-minute tram ride. Now, it connects with downtown St. Louis via a new walkway, bridging the Old Courthouse (the site of the landmark Dred Scott trial) with the National Park monument’s new glass-walled visitor center. Previously, visitors had to call a cab or cross four lanes of traffic on I-44 to get to the Arch—then queue up outdoors, sometimes in sweltering heat and humidity.

The newly finished park, walkways, and visitor center seen from above. The Arch is now connected to St. Louis's Old Courthouse by a pedestrian footbridge.

Along with the monument makeover comes a name change. What was once the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and the Museum of Westward Expansion, founded in 1976, is now Gateway Arch National Park and Museum at the Gateway Arch. Adding 46,000 square feet to the existing 103,546 square feet, six exhibit areas document history back to the mid-1600s, with more emphasis on women than before, and more interactive exhibits, too, such as a replica of a dry-goods storefront.

The new museum and visitor center are on schedule for a July 3 grand opening.

Both the visitor center and museum, whose architect is Scott Newman FAIA, open on July 3. The project is seeking LEED Gold certification.

Another extension of Saarinen’s vision is the new expansive green space—open now—along the west bank of the Mississippi River. Catering to both bicyclists and walkers are 1.5 miles of undulating paved paths.

A view of the Old Courthouse from inside the glass-walled visitor center and museum.

Many local businesses are in on the buzz leading up to the July 3 grand opening, including Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, where rooms frame a stunning view of the Arch. A new overnight package includes Arch tram tickets and a glass terrarium filled with a chocolate replica of the Arch, crafted by 350-year-old chocolatier Bissinger’s. When the wind blows just right, in fact, Arch visitors just might catch a whiff of baking chocolate, as headquarters are only a mile north along the Mississippi River. archparkrg

RELATED: Peek Inside the New TWA Hotel in Eero Saarinen's JFK Airport Terminal