St. Louis, MO  (KTRS)  The newly renovated Gateway Arch Museum and Visitors Center is officially open.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this Tuesday morning  to mark the completion of the five-year project. Hundreds of tourists and St. Louisans braved the heat to see this moment in history.

Senator Roy Blunt was among the honorary dignitaries in attendance.

“I think we’ve really set a template of how we can take care of and further expand this great park system in the future,” Blunt said.

One of the most significant aspects of the renovations is providing more accessibility and connection to the downtown area.

This marks the final piece of the $380-million project to transform the Arch grounds and is the first major renovation since the Arch opened in 1965.

The completion also means the return of Fair St. Louis to the Arch grounds. During the renovations, Fair St. Louis was held at Forest Park.