Fact Sheets

18TH AND VINE

Kansas City’s historic jazz district is home to legendary smoked meats, the stellar Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and celebrated live music clubs. It’s this combination of barbecue, baseball and bebop jam sessions that melds together for one sweet melody.

AIRLINE HISTORY MUSEUM

The National Airline History Museum is located at the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City, Mo. To walk through it is to truly step back in time, to a different and more graceful age of air transportation.

AMERICAN JAZZ MUSEUM

Located in the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District, the sights and sounds of a uniquely American art form come alive at the first museum in the country devoted exclusively to jazz. The museum includes interactive exhibits and educational programs as well as The Blue Room, a working jazz club, and The Gem Theater, a modern 500-seat performing arts center.

ARABIA STEAMBOAT MUSEUM

Housing the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world, the Arabia Steamboat Museum features more than 200 tons of recovered artifacts from the sunken 1856 steamboat Arabia. The museum’s exhibits and “touchable treasures” tell the story of the boat’s Missouri River demise and amazing rediscovery in 1988.

BLACK ARCHIVES OF MID-AMERICA

The Black Archives in Kansas City just celebrated its 50th year in preserving Black history! We are a nonprofit organization, serving as a community partner, resource institute, and an educational resource with a repository of African American documents and artifacts.

BOULEVARD BREWING CO.

Founded in 1989, Boulevard Brewing Company is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. Currently sold throughout the country, this craft beer is a staple among Kansas City celebrations.

BROOKSIDE

The Brookside area is a metropolitan hub of beautiful homes, unique shops, trendy restaurants and cultural attractions. Home to some of Kansas City’s hippest residents and urban professionals, Brookside was one of the city's first suburban shopping areas.

CHILDREN'S MERCY PARK

With its award-winning design and technologically advanced features, Children's Mercy Park is praised by locals and travelers alike as a breathtaking work of art. Children's Mercy Park is also the proud home of Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City and is located in a thriving and ever-expanding entertainment community known as Village West.

COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA

This 15-square-block outdoor shopping and entertainment district is filled with romantic Spanish architecture, European art and dazzling fountains. Designed in 1922, the Country Club Plaza features local merchants and fashionable national stores as well as distinctive restaurants, outdoor cafes and nightlife hotspots.

CROSSROADS ARTS DISTRICT

The Crossroads Arts District is an artistic downtown neighborhood where once-vacant warehouses now house a variety of eclectic, locally owned boutiques, award winning restaurants, local craft beverage makers and a thriving arts scene.

CROWN CENTER

Located on the southern edge of downtown Kansas City, Crown Center offers fine hotels, entertainment, dining, shopping, offices and residential living in the city’s burgeoning cultural arts and professional services district.

GEHA FIELD AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM

GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is home to the two-time Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. After a massive renovation completed before the 2010 season, visitors to the stadium can experience modern facilities in addition to the proud history and tradition of Chiefs football.

HALLMARK VISITORS CENTER

Experience more than 105 years of Hallmark Cards’ history presented through fun interactive exhibits, displays and videos that enable visitors to understand the creativity and craftsmanship involved in making Hallmark products. The...

JESSE JAMES BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM

Located in nearby Kearney, Missouri, the Jesse James Birthplace features the world’s largest display of James family artifacts and the Jesse’s original gravesite. Guests tour the authentically preserved grounds and see into the farm house where Jesse James was born in 1847.

KALEIDOSCOPE

At Kaleidoscope, children make whatever their imaginations can think up using Hallmark discarded materials. These free, 40-minutes art sessions allow children’s creativity to run wild with a variety of products including which include melted crayons, markers, watercolor paints, ribbons, shiny paper and much more.

KANSAS CITY BALLET

Founded in 1957, Kansas City Ballet is a 29-member professional ballet company that offers a wide array of performances from traditional classics to contemporary pieces. Kansas City Ballet has earned the respect of the national dance community and is a source of pride for KC, especially during December as the company performs the holiday classic, "The Nutcracker."

KANSAS CITY LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City opened at Crown Center in April 2012. Described as stepping into the biggest box of LEGO® bricks in the world, this interactive attraction features hands-on play areas, a 4D Cinema, LEGO building classes, LEGO-themed rides and special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations.

KANSAS CITY MUSEUM

The Kansas City Museum is a city museum. This means it is a museum that tells the stories of Kansas City and its people. We tell these stories through exhibits, programs, and events that focus on history and the humanities.

KANSAS CITY POWER & LIGHT DISTRICT

The nine-block Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City links the Kansas City Convention Center to T-Mobile Center. The 24/7 neighborhood is home to more than 50 restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and retail outlets.

KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY

Founded in 1982 and recognized as “The Sound of Kansas City”, the Kansas City Symphony’s 80-person orchestra is a vital part of the cultural arts community of Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY ZOO AND AQUARIUM

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium offers visitors the unique experience of seeing more than 1,700 animals in naturalistic settings—all stretched across 202 acres in Swope Park.

KANSAS SPEEDWAY

Home to the nation’s top professional auto racing since 2001, Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval racetrack in the booming Village West district in Kansas City, KS.

KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

With an architectural design as unique and harmonious as its wide spectrum of performances, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is a jewel of Kansas City. Featuring the technologically advanced Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg Hall, this 285,000-square-foot glass and stainless steel work of art is praised by both attendees and world-renowned performers and artists as the pinnacle of performing arts centers.

KAUFFMAN STADIUM

Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals, is known as one of the most beautiful ballparks in baseball. After a massive renovation before the 2009 season, visitors to “The K” now experience modern facilities in addition to the tradition of Royals Baseball. Fresh off the Royals’ 2015 World Series win, Kauffman Stadium is one of the most energetic places in Kansas City.

KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

The acclaimed Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art boasts a rapidly growing permanent collection of modern and contemporary works by artists from around the world. In addition to gallery spaces, the free museum houses an indoor courtyard, a café, a museum shop and a meeting room.

LEGENDS OUTLETS KANSAS CITY

One of Kansas City’s favorite shopping and entertainment destinations, Legends Outlets Kansas City, boasts 1.1 million square feet of retail space, plus a movie theatre, and several hotels.

LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY

Lyric Opera of Kansas City is one of the nation’s premier regional opera companies. The organization currently performs at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre inside the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the state-of-the art stage for stage for performance art in Kansas City.

NATIONAL WWI MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL

The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.

NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM

Part of the Museums at the 18th & Vine complex, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum recreates the look, sounds and feel of the game’s storied past. Video presentations and memorabilia in the 10,000 square-foot multimedia exhibit chronicle the history and heroes of the leagues from their origin after the Civil War to their end in the 1960s.

NERMAN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, located on the Johnson County Community College campus, is the largest contemporary art museum in the four-state region. The museum features major exhibitions of internationally, nationally and regionally renowned artists.

POWELL GARDENS

Set on 970 acres of lush, rolling hills and windswept meadows, Powell Gardens—Kansas City's botanical garden—offers breathtaking displays of intricate gardens, interesting architecture, a nature trail, and a year-round calendar of special events, exhibits and classes for the entire family.

RIVER MARKET

Sample cuisines from across the world and navigate through farmer’s market stalls stocked with fresh produce in this 150-year-old riverfront neighborhood that’s situated on the free-to-ride KC Streetcar route.

SEA LIFE AQUARIUM KANSAS CITY

Opened in April 2012, this two-hour experience takes visitors on a journey from the fresh waters of the Missouri River, into the mighty Mississippi River then out into the warm blue coral strewn waters of the Caribbean Sea, ending in the deep dark abyss of the Atlantic Ocean.

STARLIGHT THEATRE

Presenting Broadway entertainment since 1951, Starlight Theatre is Kansas City’s oldest and largest performing arts organization. Each summer, Starlight presents up to seven Broadway musical productions and hosts a variety of top concert artists on its outdoor stage.

STRAWBERRY HILL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER

Originally a Victorian home built in 1887, the Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center now promotes, sponsors and preserves the Slavic ethnic heritage prevalent in Kansas City, Kan., with a wide variety of culturally relevant exhibits and artifacts.

SWOPE PARK

At 1,805 acres, Swope Park is the crown jewel of the Kansas City, Mo., park system. As Kansas City's largest park, and one of the largest urban parks in the United States, Swope Park is home to many of Kansas City’s finest attractions.

T-MOBILE CENTER

In October 2007, Kansas City ushered in a new era of live entertainment with the addition of the award-winning arena, Sprint Center, now known as T-Mobile Center. A cornerstone of Kansas City’s downtown revitalization, T-Mobile Center is a state-of-the-art, 18,500-seat arena located east of the Kansas City Power & Light District.

THE CITY MARKET

The City Market is home to an eclectic mix of restaurants and merchants who offer distinctive gifts, flowers, home accessories and specialty foods from across the world. March through November, it hosts the region’s largest farmers’ market on Saturdays with additional markets on Sundays and Wednesdays.

THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL EXPERIENCE

The nation’s official hall of fame for men’s college basketball is more than facts about inductees. Here, you become the basketball star as you spend the day playing at over 20 drills. The 41,500-square-foot attraction contains hands-on, interactive basketball exhibits and houses the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. After hours, The CBE is available for private and corporate event rental.

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AT KANSAS CITY

The National Archives at Kansas City is home to historical records dating from the 1820s to the 1990s created or received by Federal agencies in the region. Visitors can research genealogy, tour the We the People exhibit and attend public programs and lectures.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TOYS AND MINIATURES

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (T/m) preserves and exhibits one of the nation’s largest historic toy collections on public display and the world’s largest fine-scale miniature collection.

THE NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART

Discover the power of art and spirit of the community at the internationally recognized Nelson-Atkins. Add free admission, an Italian courtyard-inspired restaurant and friendly, knowledgeable staff to make this your favorite destination, too.

THE ROASTERIE FACTORY CAFE

The Roasterie Coffee Company is one of Kansas City’s premier coffee purveyors, a specialty coffee-roasting company that sources from across the globe, building personal relationships with local farmers who own and operate small farms.

THOMAS HART BENTON HOME & STUDIO STATE HISTORIC SITE

This two-and-a-half-story, Victorian-style home offers an interesting glimpse into the mind of renowned painter and sculptor Thomas Hart Benton. The house was the residence of the famous Missouri painter beginning in 1939 and has remained virtually untouched since his death in 1975. Guided tours of the site are offered daily.

UNION STATION

Union Station Kansas City—a 501(c)3 non-profit organization—is a 104-year-old historical landmark and celebrated civic asset renovated and reopened to the public in 1999.

WEST BOTTOMS

Description: Eclectic is just the beginning in this historic neighborhood for antique shoppers and urban explorers alike. The West Bottoms offers an excellent selection of vintage stores and local shopping, as well as alluring bars and restaurants. Spend...

WESTPORT

Westport, Kansas City's original entertainment district, boasts a rich history as the oldest established community in Kansas City. More than 150 years ago, Westport marked the passage into the Western Frontier and set the foundation for what it is today: a thriving shopping and entertainment district.

WORLDS OF FUN/OCEANS OF FUN

As Kansas City’s hometown amusement park, Worlds of Fun offers 235 acres of family rides, thrill rides, rollercoasters, live shows and attractions.

ZONA ROSA

A mixed-use urban center in Kansas City’s booming Northland, Zona Rosa offers more than 100 shopping, dining and entertainment options in a nostalgic downtown setting. With nearly 1 million square feet of retail, office and residential space, Zona Rosa is a one-of-a-kind destination drawing customers from in and around the city and beyond.

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