Too often, hanging out consists of doing the same old thing. Why not try something new and learn some neat stuff along the way? Here in KC, we are lucky to have many unique and well-known museums. Some are even free admission! So, go out and enjoy what is offered in this beautiful city.
UPDATED: September 2024
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As an institution of national and international renown, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art establishes and adheres to the highest professional standards and practices in research, scholarship, presentation, interpretation, and care of our collections. Admission: Free
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The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1994 and draws more than 100,000 visitors each year. The Museum boasts three locations and a rapidly growing permanent collection of modern and contemporary works of artists from around the world. Admission: Free
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The Arabia Steamboat Museum is a unique Kansas City attraction: a time capsule of life on the American frontier in the mid-nineteenth century. It is not your typical museum. Visitors have the one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the everyday objects that made life possible for pioneers in the 1800s. Admission - Adults: $14.50, Ages 4-14: $5.50, 3 & under: Free
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There’s so much to see at the Hallmark Visitors Center. Interactive displays and fascinating exhibits give you a glimpse into the rich history and creative spirit of Hallmark. And stop by our theatre to watch the film created for Hallmark’s centennial. Admission: Free
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The Irish Center provides year-round activities celebrating Irish culture and heritage, including music programs and concerts, literary presentations, genealogy workshops, theatre productions and Irish language classes. Admission varies based on exhibits and classes
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Looking for a place the whole family can enjoy the wonders of the natural world? It's situated right off of 151st, and you've certainly taken note when you've passed it. The Museum at Prairiefire celebrates natural history and science around the globe. Admission: $14 adults, $8 children
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Among the permanent exhibits in the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum is a mural painting in the entrance lobby, "Independence and the Opening of the West," by Missouri artist Thomas Hart Benton; a reproduction of the Oval Office as it was during the Truman administration; and the office which Truman used in his retirement years.
Admission - Adults: $8, Ages 6-15: $3, Children under 3: free
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The 100-year-old Union Station is a hub of culture, education, and entertainment. Visit traveling national exhibits, 3D movies on the Extreme Screen, or explore our world in Science City, or enjoy a cup of coffee or a special meal in this beautiful, historic building. Union Station has something for everyone in the family.
Admission varies by exhibit
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The Historic Garment District Museum of Kansas City is located at 801 Broadway in the heart of the old Garment District between 6th and 11th streets and Washington and Wyandotte streets. Many of these buildings date back to the 1870s and are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Admission: $10
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The John Wornall House was built in 1858 by the prosperous farmer and prominent Kansas Citian John Bristow Wornall. Significantly, the House served as a Civil War battlefield hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers during the Battle of Westport, sometimes called the "Gettysburg of the West."
Admission - Adults: $8, Ages 5-12: $5, Ages 5 & Under: Free
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The Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center and Museum is a living museum that stands in tribute to the legacy of Kansas City’s early African-American pioneers and embodies the artistic, cultural and social history of the African-American experience.
Admission: Free
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The Shoal Creek Living History Museum, which began in 1975, is located in Hodge Park. It is a gathering of 19th century buildings; dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Missouri's early history and architecture.
ADMISSION: FREE, VARIES BY EVENT
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PHOTO VIA THE WALKing TOURIST
The Glore Psychiatric Museum exhibits feature the 130-year history of the adjacent state mental hospital, and illustrate the history of mental health treatment through the ages. It has been called one of the fifty most unusual museums in the United States.
Admission - Adults: $6, Ages (6 & Under): Free, Students: $4
National History
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The National World War I Museum and Memorial is America's museum dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.
Admission - Adults: $16, Ages (6-17): $10, Ages 6 & under: Free
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Photo via The Kansas City Federal Reserve
Visit the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Money Museum; a billion dollar experience! Free and open to the public, the Money Museum offers guests the opportunity to watch millions of dollars in currency be processed, lift a gold bar worth nearly $400,000 and enjoy fun, interactive exhibits while learning about the economy.
Admission: Free
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The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures educates, inspires, and delights adults and children through the museum’s collection and preservation of toys and miniatures.
Admission - Ages 5 & up: $5, Ages 5 & under: Free
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With a permanent exhibit, a changing art gallery, and hundreds of concerts and events every year, the American Jazz Museum is devoted to preserving and exhibiting the American art form of jazz music and culture.
Admission - Adults: $10, Ages 5-12: $6, Ages 4 & under: Free
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The mission of the TWA Museum is to provide information to the public emphasizing the story, history and importance of the major role TWA played in pioneering commercial aviation.
Admission - Adults: $10, Ages 6-16: $7, Ages 5 & under: Free
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The National Airline Museum is filled with artifacts and memorabilia from airlines all throughout the United States. Aircraft include the first Lockheed Constellation ever restored, a Martin 404, a DC-3 and a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.
Admission - Adults: $8, Ages 13-17: $4, Ages 12 & under: Free
Sports
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The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is a privately funded, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the rich history of African-American Baseball. Experience a tour of multi-media displays, museum store, hundreds of photographs, & artifacts dating from the late 1800s through the 1960s.
Admission - Adults: $10, Ages 5-12: $6, Ages 4 & under: Free
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Photo via The College Basketball Experience
The College Basketball Experience is a high-energy interactive facility where fans—from the casual to the passionate—of any age can immerse themselves in the game. From skills challenges to capturing your own call of a historic game at the ESPNU Broadcast Desk, you’ll experience college basketball like never before.
Admission - Adults: $15, Youth: $12
What's your favorite museum in town? Let us know at [email protected]!
