Top 5 Museums in Kansas City, MO

Kansas City, Missouri, is a rich and diverse hive of activity. There’s plenty to do here, whether you’re interested in fine dining or soaking up culture, making it a great place to visit for a couple of days. These museums make it well worth your time to stay in Kansas City and show you what has made this city so interesting over the years.

1. American Jazz Museum

Kansas City, Missouri. Image via Flickr by Brian ⚓ Hillegas

Jazz is key to the makeup of Kansas City. This style of music flourished here during the first half of the 20th century, leaving a timeless legacy that you can experience today.

The American Jazz Museum is the best place in Kansas City to understand more about this quintessential part of the city’s culture. Here you can watch live performances, peruse the exhibits, and check out the jazz art collections. Don’t miss the Charlie Parker memorial, an 18-foot sculpture of the jazz legend’s head. Charlie was a Kansas City native and an integral part of the jazz scene here in the 1940s.

2. National World War I Museum

National World War I Museum. Image via Flickr by Grand Central USA!

One of Kansas City’s most important institutions, the National World War I Museum is a must-visit attraction. The exhibitions and events here give visitors a picture of the Great War and educate them about its history.

The permanent exhibitions here showcase objects, documents, and videos depicting life during World War I, and the museum also has temporary exhibitions of items that focus on certain aspects or periods of the war. Interactive children’s exhibits help little ones learn more about this pivotal time in human history.

3. Kansas City Museum

To learn more about this fascinating city and its history, the best place to go is the Kansas City Museum. The rotating exhibitions showcase medical objects, the history of the fire department, and the city’s fashion scene to give you a glimpse into important parts of life in Kansas City. Entry to the museum is free, making it one of the best budget-friendly things to do in Kansas City.

4. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

The aim of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is to educate visitors about the rich history of African Americans in baseball. Originally created in 1990, the museum once operated out of a tiny office. Since then, it has expanded multiple times, and it now inhabits a 10,000-square foot space alongside the American Jazz Museum. The NLBM owns a large collection of photographs and artifacts that tell the story of African-American baseball from the late 19th century to the 1960s.

5. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Often deemed one of the best art museums in the United States, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is one of Kansas City’s greatest attractions. This museum’s original property opened in 1933, when it was dedicated to two passionate Kansas City natives, William Rockhill Nelson and Mary McAfee Atkins, who both believed in the importance of public art.

A new building opened in 2007. Today, the museum owns a collection of 35,000 works and welcomes half a million visitors per year. Admission to the museum is free.