DESCRIPTION: Kaleidoscope is a free art-making space for kids and their accompanying adults. Located in Crown Center in downtown Kansas City, Kaleidoscope is Hallmark’s gift to kids and families.
During each 50-minute studio session, kids are invited to explore and create in an open-ended way. Using materials leftover from Hallmark’s manufacturing processes (all sorts of paper, stickers, ribbon, and more), Crayola supplies (crayons, markers, paint), and their own vivid imaginations, kids are empowered to have their own creative experiences. There’s no expected outcome, and all ideas and interpretations are welcome. The possibilities are endless.
Kids of all ages are welcome, but most of our projects and exhibits are designed for ages 4 – 12.
ADDRESS: 2500 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO
LOCATION: Kaleidoscope is located in the Crown Center Complex in downtown Kansas City. To see a map of Crown Center click here.
For GPS directions, use the address 2450 Grand, Kansas City, Missouri, 64108. This will take you to the Crown Center parking garages.
PHONE: 816-274-8301
WEBSITE: www.hallmarkkaleidoscope.com
HIGHLIGHTS: Creativity is king at Kaleidoscope. Popular activities include:
HOURS:
We’re OPEN Tuesday – Saturday.
We’re CLOSED Sundays and Mondays and the following holidays:
We offer five studio sessions every day. Each session is 50 minutes of creative fun! Sessions begin and end at these designated times:
ADMISSION: Free!
Tuesday – Friday: Reservations are encouraged for families and required for groups of 15 or more.
Saturdays: Reservations are not available. Families are welcome to join one of five studio sessions on a first-come basis. Plan to arrive up to 10 minutes before the start time of your preferred session.
ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: Approximately 200,000
HISTORY: Don Hall, son of Hallmark’s founder J.C. Hall, conceived of Kaleidoscope as a place where kids could freely and imaginatively create – connecting perfectly with Hallmark’s mission of helping people express themselves. First launched as a traveling exhibit in 1969, Kaleidoscope settled into its permanent location in Hallmark’s Crown Center in 1975, where it has been ever since. Over the decades, it’s become a multigenerational tradition, with parents who enjoyed Kaleidoscope when they were kids now making sure their own kids get to experience that same fun. Kaleidoscope’s appearance and exhibits have changed over the years, yet its purpose and philosophy have remained the same: to inspire creativity and spark imagination in an open-ended environment.
WHERE TO EAT: There are many restaurants nearby in Crown Center, as well as Lunch Land, where you can eat your own bagged lunches on weekdays from 10 AM – 2 PM.
WHAT’S NEARBY: The Hallmark Visitors Center, which is right next door, is a fun place to spend a little time before or after your Kaleidoscope studio session. There is plenty to explore at Crown Center as well as nearby Union Station.
WHAT’S NEW: Our immersive Round Room exhibit changes annually, right before summer.
Be sure to visit kaLIGHToscope before the experiential exhibit vanishes at the end of May 2024. Then return in early June for the unveiling of the new, immersive Color Exploration exhibit! kaLIGHToscope is like stepping into a giant kaleidoscope, while Color Exploration will be like diving into a lava lamp. Both exhibits provide mesmerizing, imaginative, interactive fun!
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take the MAX to the Crown Center stop. The closest KC Streetcar stop is at Union Station, which is about 0.3 miles from Kaleidoscope.
PARKING: We recommend parking on the Blue Level in the garage on the East side of Grand Boulevard. Once parked, enter to the right of the Security Office and take the elevator to the third floor. Turn left out of the elevator. Follow signs and walk down the steps to the glass doors leading outside. Kaleidoscope are straight ahead.
Be sure to request a validation slip for 2-hours of free parking when you check in!
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT:
Lynette Morse, Hallmark Visitors Center & Kaleidoscope Manager, 816-274-5227 or lynette.morse@hallmark.com
Cheryl Williams, Kaleidoscope Supervisor, 816-274-3811 or cheryl.williams@hallmark.com
