KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

DESCRIPTION: 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. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions and installations, performance work, a film and video series, lectures, concerts and children’s workshops.

ADDRESS: 4420 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64111

LOCATION: Just north of the Country Club Plaza.  

PHONE: 816-753-5784

WEB SITE: www.kemperart.org

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook-Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Twitter-@KemperMuseum, Instagram-kempermuseum

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Kemper’s permanent collection is virtually a who’s who among contemporary artists—including works by Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe.
• Each year, the museum presents 10-12 special exhibitions. The group and solo artist exhibitions feature established, mid-career and emerging artists from around the world.
• The museum’s acclaimed restaurant, Café Sebastianne, pairs innovative culinary creations with an artful setting. The Café has garnered four-star reviews in The Kansas City Star and secured high praise by Zagat.
• The museum gift shop features one-of-a-kind works of art for sale, as well as exhibition catalogues, posters and notecards.
• The Kemper East building houses additional gallery space and administrative offices.
• The Kemper at the Crossroads gallery, opened in 2008, features special exhibitions, programs and more in the Crossroads Art District, the heart of arts and culture in downtown Kansas City.

HOURS:

Museum and gift shop: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Thur., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat. and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Closed Mon.

Gallery at Kemper East (200 E. 44^th Street): Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Fri. 

Café: Lunch is served 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tue.-Sun. Dinner is served 5:30-9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Call 816-561-7740 to make reservations.

ADMISSION: Free.

ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: Approximately 130,000.

HISTORY: The Kemper Museum opened to the public on October 2, 1994, after two years of construction. At the core of the museum's permanent collection is the Bebe and Crosby Kemper Collection, a gift by the museum's founder R. Crosby Kemper and his wife Bebe. Since the Kemper Museum’s opening, its permanent collection has more than tripled.

WHERE TO GET LUNCH: Eat at the museum’s art-infused restaurant, Café Sebastianne, or at one of Country Club Plaza’s several restaurants.

HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES: Offered throughout the year, the museum’s free Family Days feature hands-on activities, live music, storytelling, docent-led tours, gallery games and dance and theatrical performances.

WHAT’S NEARBY: One of the nation’s most comprehensive general art museums, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, is less than two blocks away. Or browse the outdoor art, sculptures and fountains at the Country Club Plaza. The nearby H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Institute of Art features works by student artists.

DID YOU KNOW: From the air, the building’s dynamic architecture—designed by Gunnar Birkerts—resembles a bird in flight.    

DON’T FORGET: Snap a souvenir photo of the Kemper’s three popular outdoor sculptures—a pair of eye-catching bronze spiders and the whimsical, 11-foot Crying Giant.  

GROUP TOURS: Tours for groups of 10 or more are available by appointment, preferably made two weeks in advance. To schedule a tour, please call 816-753-5784 and ask for the education department.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take the MAX to the Art Museums stop.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: 

From the north: Take I-35 South to Hwy 71 South. Exit at Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. Turn right on Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. Take a right on Main Street and a final right at 45^th Street.

From the south: Take US-71 North into Kansas City. Exit at US-56 West. Continue straight onto Bruce R. Watkins Drive/US-71. Turn left onto Brush Creek Boulevard, which eventually becomes Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. Turn right onto Main Street and a final right at 45^th Street.

From the east: Take I-70 West into Kansas City. Take the Van Brunt Boulevard exit and turn left at the end of the ramp. Van Brunt becomes Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. Stay straight for several blocks and then turn right onto Main Street. Take a final right at 45^th Street.

From the west: Take I-70/I-670 East to I-35. Take I-35 South to Broadway. Turn left at 31^st Street. Then turn right onto Main Street. Travel several blocks and turn left onto 45^th Street.

PARKING: Free parking is available in designated lots at the Kemper Museum and one half-block north at 4400 Warwick Boulevard.  

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Kent Smith, director of marketing and communications, 816-753-5784 or ksmith@kemperart.org.