Jefferson National Parks Association

Jefferson National Parks Association For more than 50 years, we have been helping people enjoy, learn about and support America's national parks, public lands, and historic places. Based in St.

You can also follow us on Instagram . Jefferson National Parks Association (JNPA) is a nonprofit partner of the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Louis, Missouri, we support visitor education, heritage preservation, and cultural programs at 11 public lands and historic sites in the nation’s heartland. JNPA-supported visitor centers, park retai

l stores, museums, publications, and products serve millions of park visitors each year. Our educational retail model ensures that every book, map, and interpretive product we sell is approved by park staff for historical accuracy and relevance to each park’s themes. Proceeds from our retail sales allow JNPA to invest an average of $3 million annually in our partner parks – funding educational programming, exhibits, preservation projects, and site improvements. JNPA also raises funds through direct donations as well as the sale of Missouri’s specialty Gateway Arch license plates. JNPA is proud to serve these 11 partner parks:
• Gateway Arch National Park (MO)
• President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site (AR)
• Lewis & Clark Visitor Center (NE)
• Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (AR)
• Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (MN)
• Missouri National Recreational River (SD)
• New Philadelphia National Historic Site (IL)
• Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument (IL)
• Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park (MO)
• Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site (MO)
• Voyageurs National Park (MN)

Support JNPA’s mission to preserve America’s stories and landscapes for future generations. Learn more and contribute at donate.jnpa.com. Follow us on Instagram () or LinkedIn () for updates, programs and ways to get involved.

05/29/2026

Get ready — the 22nd Annual Marvin J and Thomas Leo Likes Lecture Series kicks off next week!

This year’s theme, “Community, Cooperation and Shared Purpose,” explores powerful stories connected to abolition, freedom suits, the United States Colored Troops, New Philadelphia families, and genealogy research.

Topics include:
▪️ John Wood and abolition in Illinois
▪️ Freedom Suits in St. Louis
▪️ The United States Colored Troops and the Civil War
▪️ New Philadelphia neighbors and family histories
▪️ Tips and resources for descendants researching their roots

The free Zoom lecture series begins Tuesday, June 2 at 7 PM Central and continues each Tuesday in June. Registration is required.

We hope you’ll join us for another incredible season of learning, conversation, and connection.

To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/MMoQiFeIT6mM3d5sDiBGIA

🚐 The Arch Store To-Go trailer is back for the summer at Gateway Arch National Park! Operated by JNPA, the trailer offer...
05/28/2026

🚐 The Arch Store To-Go trailer is back for the summer at Gateway Arch National Park!

Operated by JNPA, the trailer offers a convenient way for visitors to purchase Gateway Arch merchandise and souvenirs right outside the park’s entrance. (And entry to the park is free if you want to visit the full store!)

🕰️ Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

❤️ Proceeds support educational programs and experiences at the park.

This Saturday, learn about “The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman” from John Marselak and David Nolen at Ulyss...
05/27/2026

This Saturday, learn about “The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman” from John Marselak and David Nolen at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. 🔎

📅 Saturday, May 30
⏱️ 10 a.m.
Learn more: https://shorturl.at/Tq37R

Today, we remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. As we head into summer, partner sites...
05/25/2026

Today, we remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country.

As we head into summer, partner sites like Gateway Arch National Park begin extended hours, offering more time to visit and explore.

Happy Memorial Day from JNPA.

📸: Gateway Arch Park Foundation

05/22/2026

Preserving history goes beyond what you see on the surface. 🎥 Hear from JNPA’s Kat Terry, Gateway Arch National Park (GANP) archivist, on how the park’s Research Center helps protect and share the thousands of documents, photographs, and records that preserve the park’s story.

JNPA’s ongoing support–including funding for the archivist position and contributions to the Research Center–helps ensure this archival work remains accessible for researchers, students, and the public.

Learn more and plan a visit: https://shorturl.at/Bx9Z1

A new exhibit honoring the 200-year legacy of Julia Dent Grant opens tomorrow at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site...
05/21/2026

A new exhibit honoring the 200-year legacy of Julia Dent Grant opens tomorrow at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site! 👇

On Friday, May 22, the site will host a special opening, including a lecture by historian and curator Nick Sacco, that explores Julia’s life through personal artifacts. Visitors attending this opening will be among the first to experience this fascinating collection.

📆 May 22 | 10 a.m.
👉 Find more details and how to make reservations: https://shorturl.at/hbMjV

The Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park gift shop may not sell real artifacts but it does offer great souvenirs to c...
05/20/2026

The Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park gift shop may not sell real artifacts but it does offer great souvenirs to commemorate a visit to this 18th century Missouri town.

Visitors can find a range of items, including hats, water bottles, and keepsakes like stickers and Junior Ranger puzzles.

May is Historic Preservation Month, a great time to support this park. Proceeds from purchases help fund preservation efforts and visitor experiences. 🤝

🛒 Explore more in the park store or online: https://shorturl.at/zS6Rh

05/15/2026

Thinking of visiting Voyageurs this weekend? The Crane Lake Visitor Center will have a one-day special opening on Saturday, May 16 (9 am - 5 pm), to coincide with the community’s bass fishing tournament. An exhibit on loan from the University of Minnesota’s Voyageurs Wolf Project is currently on display and available for viewing for the full summer in the Crane Lake Visitor Center meeting space, offering visitors an opportunity to learn more about ongoing wolf research in the region. Come check it out and enjoy the vibrant gateway community of Crane Lake!

Can't make it this Saturday? All four of Voyageurs' visitor centers - Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, Ash River, and Crane Lake - will open for the regular season over Memorial Day weekend (May 23) and operate daily from 9 am to 5 pm through September:

www.nps.gov/voya/learn/news/voyageurs-national-park-prepares-for-2026-summer-season.htm

Photo Credit: NPS/Mark Miller (Voyageurs Wolf Project Exhibit and Displays at Crane Lake Visitor Center)

With support from JNPA, the work at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site continues to connect past and...
05/15/2026

With support from JNPA, the work at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site continues to connect past and present every day. 🙌

⏪ In 2025, the site hosted nationally recognized programs highlighting the ongoing relevance of civil rights history. These programs included the annual National Park Service speaker series featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Taylor Branch, and the 68th anniversary commemoration of the Little Rock Nine, during which four members shared their firsthand experiences.

JNPA’s underwriting assistance and financial contributions helped bring about these events as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the park’s educational programs, outreach, and interpretive efforts. We are proud to help ensure these stories remain accessible to visitors and learners.

📊Learn more in our most recent Impact Report: https://www.jnpa.com/715/what-we-do.htm

What’s happening at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site this weekend? 🤔 👇📜 History Talk: Learn about Mary Meachum an...
05/14/2026

What’s happening at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site this weekend? 🤔 👇

📜 History Talk: Learn about Mary Meachum and her role in the Underground Railroad from local historian Angela DaSilva
📆 This Saturday, May 16 | 10 a.m.
🔗 Learn more: https://shorturl.at/skTiE

Address

1 S Memorial Drive, Ste 1900
St. Louis, MO
63102

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