Step into the heart of America, where history echoes through classic landmarks from the soaring Gateway Arch to neighborhoods shaped by immigration, innovation, and art. This 4-day journey explores St. Louis’s pivotal role in westward expansion, global ambition, and social change—set within a region long home to Indigenous communities—from the Mississippi River and the legacy of the 1904 World’s Fair to the communities that continue to define it. Through notable sites and local stories, discover how St. Louis became both gateway to the West and mirror of the American experience. Tami Goldman, director of tourism and visitor experience at the Missouri Historical Society, is the guide. 

Highlights include:*

• Gateway Arch National Park: The stainless steel arch rises above the Mississippi as a symbol of national expansion. From the top, enjoy sweeping views of the riverfront city that launched the Corps of Discovery in 1804. St. Louis stood as the final major outpost before Lewis and Clark traveled.
• Missouri History Museum (Forest Park): Located on the former grounds of the 1904 World’s Fair, the museum features exhibitions on the fair and the evolution of Forest Park. A special behind-the-scenes experience provides rare access to collections and curatorial insights.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Founded in 1859, this internationally renowned institution is a leader in plant science and global conservation. Its historic landscapes and the Climatron, the first geodesic dome greenhouse, reflect St. Louis’s longstanding commitment to scientific inquiry.
• Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site: Across the river from St. Louis, Cahokia preserves the largest and most influential pre-Columbian city north of Mexico, built by the Mississippian culture between about 1050 and 1350. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its monumental earthworks offer a powerful glimpse into early Indigenous urban planning and a once-thriving, sophisticated society. Enjoy a private guided tour of the site.
• National Museum of Transportation: Home to one of the nation’s largest collections of period locomotives and railcars, the museum highlights the rail networks that helped open the American West.
• Foundry Hall (City Foundry): A vibrant food hall featuring independent chefs and flavors that reflect the city’s immigrant roots and contemporary creativity.

*Note this tour will no longer include a visit to the National Blues Museum.

Know Before You Go

• This tour begins begins Saturday, September 26 at 6 p.m. with a welcome dinner at the hotel, and ends on Tuesday, September 29 at 4 p.m. with a transfer to St. Louis International Airport.
• Important note: Flights are not included; participants make independent flight arrangements to St. Louis. Once the tour has reached its minimum registration, participants will be notified and encouraged to buy airline tickets. This will occur no later than 60 days prior to the start of the program. More information will be sent via email.
• Cost includes 3 nights of accommodations, bus transportation, services of a study leader and Smithsonian representative, 8 meals (3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners), gratuities, taxes, and entrance fees.
• Single-room supplement $250 (factored into the Single Room Member and Single Room Nonmember pricing).
• Singles registering at the double-room rate are paired (on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement otherwise.
• Detailed information is emailed to registrants about 4 weeks prior to departure.
• Participants are strongly advised to purchase travel insurance for overnight and multi-day tours from a provider of your choice. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.

General Information

• Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
• As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
• For additional tour information:
• Study Tour Policies
• Refund/Cancellation Policy