The museum was built on the grounds of Oak Hall, the home of Kansas City Star publisher William Rockhill Nelson (1841-1915).[3] When he died in 1915, his will provided that upon the deaths of his wife and daughter, the proceeds of his entire estate would go to purchasing artwork for public enjoyment. This bequest was augmented by additional funds from the estates of Nelson's daughter, son-in-law and attorney.[4] In 1911, former schoolteacher Mary McAfee Atkins (1836–1911), widow of real estate speculator James Burris Atkins, bequeathed $300,000 to establish an art museum. Through sound management of the estate and a booming economy, this amount grew to $700,000 by 1927. Original plans called for two art museums based on the separate bequests[5] (with the Atkins Museum to be located in Penn Valley Park). However, trustees of the two estates decided to combine the two bequests along with smaller bequests from others to make a single major art institution. The building was designed by prominent Kansas City architects Wight and Wight, who also designed the approaches to the Liberty Memorial and the Kansas governor's mansion, Cedar Crest. Ground was broken in July 1930, and the museum opened December 11, 1933. The building's classical Beaux-Arts architecture style was modeled on the Cleveland Museum of Art[4] Thomas Wight, the brother who did most of the design work for the building said: We are building the museum on classic principles because they have been proved by the centuries. A distinctly American principle appropriate for such a building may be developed, but, so far, everything of that kind is experimental. One doesn't experiment with two-and-a-half million dollars.[6] When the original building opened, its final cost was $2.75 million (about $54 million in 2018).[4] The dimensions of the six-story structure were 390 feet (120 m) long by 175 feet (53 m) wide, making it larger than the Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum, which was locally referred to as the Nelson Art Gallery or simply the Nelson Gallery, was actually two museums until 1983 when it was formally named the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Previously the east wing was called the Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, while the west wing and lobby was called the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art.[7] On the exterior of the building Charles Keck created 23 limestone panels depicting the march of civilization from east to west including wagon trains heading west from Westport Landing. Grillwork in the doors depict oak leaf motifs in memory of Oak Hall. The south facade of the museum is an iconic structure in Kansas City that looms over a series of terraces onto Brush Creek. About the same time as the construction of the museum, Howard Vanderslice donated 8 acres (32,000 m2) to the west of the museum, across Oak Street, for the Kansas City Art Institute, which moved from the Deardorf Building at 11th and Main streets in downtown Kansas City. As William Nelson, the major contributor, donated money rather than a personal art collection, the curators were able to assemble a collection from scratch. At the height of the Great Depression, the worldwide art market was flooded with pieces for sale, but there were very few buyers. As such, the museum's buyers found a vast market open to them. The acquisitions grew quickly and within a short time, the Nelson-Atkins had one of the largest art collections in the country.[8] One of the original components of the building was a re-creation of Nelson's oak paneled room from Oak Hall (and namesake of the estate). The room contained Nelson's red plush easy chair and bookcases. The room was dismantled in 1988 to make way for a photography studio.[4][9] One-third of the building on the first and second floors of the west wing were left unfinished when the building opened to allow for future expansion. Part was completed in 1941 to house Chinese painting and the remainder of the building was completed after World War II.[4] In 1993 Michael Churchman wrote a history of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, High Ideals and Aspir
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

BLACK PEOPLE BEWARE!!! ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR BEWARE!!!! I took a date to the Nelson this Sunday for their Dia De Los Muertos festival and to see the museum for their first time. While following our curiosity through the exhibits, I was stopped by staff because of my waist bag. They informed me I was wearing it “too far to the back”. They went on to tell me that bags were only to be carried on the side or in front as to protect the art. My date, a white woman, standing around 20 feet to the left of me in the same room also had her bag in the same manner of “too far to the back” but he ignored her. I looked around the room(s) to see many a large or small purse “too far to the back” and this sentry walked right past them. I poked my head into the hallway and observed this staff member’s behavior. He walked passed multiple bags, on multiple floors ‘ that were “too far to the back” without saying a thing to those patrons. Definitely discriminatory. In the next two hours, no other staff approached me because of bag placement. Although, I did witness a white woman with her bag “too far to the back” set off an alarm near a black couple and then that black couple got followed around until “they did something wrong” and were chastised. So it’s not just one staff member. What is going on here?! 80-90 percent of the sentries aka staff were white men. The other 10-20 percent, people of color and women, were conveniently placed at entries/exits to the building, the gift shop, or the restaurant. I’ve been going here for years and this treatment was quite upsetting. Instead of peacefully meditating on the cultural statements of the past, I am instead harassed and upon closer inspection, so are other black men and women. How can I enjoy the quiet peace of meditation through art when I know someone is following me around and waiting for me to break a rule? I give them two stars because they have an impressive collection (strong 6.5/10 when compared to my home museum the MoMA) and the women at ticketing were kind and happy to guide. JUST BE VERY CAREFUL HERE, SPECIFICALLY IF YOU’RE A PERSON OF COLOR. One day, it won’t be like this in intellectual spaces or any space. I hope this review finds key individuals supporting that idea. Those who can diversify the Nelson’s staff and end this discriminatory sentry behavior, please do so!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

I am gob-smacked by this collection. A medium sized museum with broad reach and superb curation. Each piece is stunning in its own right and are displayed exquisitely. They have a stunning indigenous american collection, choice collection of chinese and japanese decorative arts (furniture from 1500s that looks modern) (a set of landscape marbles the quality of which I have never previously seen), a fine south asian collection, a choice african collection, a comprehensive western art collection from greece to roman to medieval to renaissance to mannerism to baroque (explained the difference between baroque and rococo, thank you) to impressionism to modern/abstract expressionism all the way to contemporary. Stunning stunning collection. I unexpectedly found myself in Kansas City—and cannot believe my good fortune in choosing to come here. Why is this museum not celebrated as one one the most wonderful museums in the country (maybe it is locally, but to an east coaster—not well known). Oh—did I mention their sculpture park? Bronze bather by renoir? Not to mention oldenburg, moore, rodin and lipshutz and others. And it’s all free. And—they have exact replica of one of the ghiberti baptistry doors from Florence—from the forge that did the ones hanging today!!! Unbelievable collection. If you love art—do yourself a favor and fly to Kansas City just to spend a few days at this museum. Truly worth the trip. Thank you to whomever for putting together this careful and impeccably curated collection. Btw, did I mention the caravagio?! See below.
Visited on
Weekday
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

You should go, it is free and wonderful. Expect to spend a day there. I would suggest taking it in two trips each at least 2-3 hours. They even screen movies there! The wife and I spent 2 hours here and only looked at one floor. It was absolutely phenomenal. We were lucky enough to go at a time that it wasn't super busy it was only our first time and it was great. We were greeted by the friendly staff on entering and a large display was immediately described in detail. Once we signed in we wandered around and saw beautiful paintings and artifacts. We only did one floor as well as walked through a small portion of the Chinese scroll art exhibit. You should definitely go. After all it is free, and has some truly phenomenal art. Ohh and be careful some of the art has a proximity sensor and alarms will go off if you are excited and point too close to the object. The staff was very friendly to me and I apologized, sort of felt like I was in a museum heist movie, that was cool, but definitely do not suggest you doing that.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

My husband took me to this place for our anniversary, and I was amazed at how much quality time we were able to spend together just enjoying the history within this museum without ever spending a dime to get in. We just had to make a reservation online and bring the papers to show we booked it. I do want to note that this is a donation based location, so if you have a few dollars to spare then I would definitely recommend doing so, because you will enjoy your time here, and it helps keep this place free for everyone to benefit from it's historical atmosphere. Overall this place is beautiful, and the information you can learn just by observing the art is fantastic because it's great for everyone, even children, and they let you bring drawing tools in if you wish to sketch the historical masterpieces as you view them.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

Nelson-Atkins Museum is such a hidden gem and probably one of the top museums on the country! The collection is phenomenal, especially the Asian art that’s collected from specific periods that’s hard to obtain. On top of it all, it’s free to visit! Really love the exterior and the shuttlecocks and the sculpture garden. I’ll recommend spending a whole day here and grabbing lunch at Rozzelle. Use the map to plan out which sections are the most important to you and check them out first before they get crowded and then you can cover the rest. There is also a nice coffee shop in the museum. The staff is nice and helpful. Parking is $14 for the whole day and it’s covered and cool. Make sure to get a reservation beforehand to make entry easy and seamless.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

This is a REAL MUSEUM with REAL ART. There ranges art from about the 1960's(?) to THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. There are real Egyptian relics here. Amazing statues with immaculate details. All pieces have a description of their history and the meaning behind them. There are guides to help if you want, but I chose to wander around and explore. When I thought I had exhausted the place (after several hours), I found out there was another floor of art. It is free to enter, donations are welcome, but I recommend getting the tickets in advance to ensure there isn't any crowding (there probably won't be).
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

I really can't say enough good things about this museum. We utilize coat check which was easy and also stopped in the coffee shop which had amazing candies and local coffees and teas! The art and layout was unbelievable. We could have spent so many more hours there but we only had a couple before our flight left. We enjoyed lunch and they're really beautiful courtyard, we had the prime rib and the chicken entrees two glasses of wine and a Pellegrino and it was still under $50! What a great time and the food was delicious all the staff are fantastic also
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

This is one of my favorite art museums for so many reasons! One being that they layout of the gallery’s really breaks up the crowds and you can spend more time with your favorite pieces. The building is magnificent and it’s just such a beautiful place! But let’s talk about that Mini Golf experience! As a lover of mini golf and art this was a dream come true! It was so fun to play the course that was made with such detail and bringing select paintings to life! It was amazing and I would love to see it expand to 18 holes.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Very few times in life do you get such a great experience for free. There is no cost for the museum and all of the on premise art. Parking on premise is $12+ but on the day I went there was plenty of nearby parking available. Amazing art and many interactive sculptures outdoors. Inside is an amazing museum showing art from many periods but not limited to : Roman, Egyptian, Renaissance, modern and so much more. There is an enormous amount of diversity in the exhibits and you could easily spend an entire day here.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

This place is wild! We came for the shuttlecocks and stayed for the mini golf. Spent a little over 90 minutes here and didn't even step foot in the building, had way too much fun in the sculpture garden. Currently have an instillation where you can mini golf your way through the iconic pieces of the sculpture garden, I think we had more fun as three grown adults than the group of kids next to us. Great way to spend an afternoon and spark discussion about the necessary levels of stuffiness surrounding art.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
$16–20

This is one of - if not THE - best museums I have ever been to. The exhibits aren’t crowded, the lighting is great, everything is wonderfully displayed. I could not believe van Gogh and Monet paintings were mere feet in front of me. The staff were all very friendly and eager to share their knowledge of the exhibits. The grounds outside are beautiful and definitely worth a stroll when the weather is nice. To make it all even better - admission is free! Definitely worth your time to take a visit here.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

We were visiting KC from the UK, and our friend we were staying with highly recommended The Nelson Atkins Museum. There was so much stuff to look at, from a whole host of decades and cultures. My personal favourite was the selection of paintings as well as some of the Asian pieces of history on display. The gardens that surround the museum are wonderful too, even when we visited in April. The toilets we used were all clean and hygienic too, which is always a positive.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

I took my 9 yr old we had a blast. To have 2 different POV from 2 different age groups and both be amazed is totally awesome. Every inch of the place deploys art. From the outside, in. It was so beautiful. They have arts and crafts for the kids on weekend and its free. It is a huge place, however, there were plenty of staff and was very helpful and informative with navigation as well the art work. I will most definitely come back with more of the little ones
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

This place is absolutely amazing. It's huge and has 3 floors full of art. Parking in the garage is free for 30 minutes, and $14 after that. Entrance to the museum is free but you need to check in at the desk and get a wrist band. There are so many great things to look at in there, and i feel like you'd need more than 6 hours to really see and appreciate everything. The museum staff is amazing, and everyone seems passionate about their job. I love this place.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Was an amazing place, I have back issues and the fact that they had portable seats was soo helpful as their museum is so large that I needed it. I was followed by an art gallery attendant for 3-4 areas I thought he was the son of the wax statue.. My personal favorite artifact was the tobacco pouch made from a black footed ferret. Imagine pulling up with that guy, he even had eagle claw horns! The underground parking area was awesome since it gives you direct access to the museum. There was a lady in the people mover but I didn't ask her for a ride, will next time!

This museum is excellent. The collection is vast and diverse, the curation is on point and the ways that they have found visitors to interact with art is truly remarkable. I visited with my friend, who is color blind, and they had special glasses to help him see the art more fully. On their website you can scan art to have a more complete story of what you are viewing. I spent all day at the museum and still wasn't able to visit every gallery and because of the weather our time exploring the outside was minimal. I can't wait to return - I highly recommend visiting.

This is a pretty spectacular museum and very worth going to. Art spanning many time periods and cultures including the facade of a Chinese temple. Pottery, sculptures, pictures by the Masters, Egyptian mummy, suit of armour; we did not budget nearly enough time to take it all in and will absolutely return next time we're in Kansas City. Underground parking is available for a flat rate of $14. (Parking is free with military ID...very nice).
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Decided to stop in on a whim on a beautiful Thursday morning. Was the 3rd person in the door. It was quiet and peaceful. A truly inspirational experience every time I come through the door. The Nelson's layout and wide open halls allow for a perfect distribution of people even on a busy day. Don't miss it and visit often. I've been coming for years and always seem to notice something I hadn't seen before. One of the best things about this city of this museum.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

I was really surprised by the museum. I've been to many large museums, and just always assumed Missouri wouldn't have a great one. Was I wrong lol. This place was amazing, there are a lot of great exhibits and works of art to see here. Not only that, you can visit for free! I spent a good 3.5 hours just looking around, I will certainly be coming back and donating. I would like to see more historical items, there seems to be an abundance of paintings, which are nice, but it seems to outweigh the amount of historical objects they have by a lot.

My Aunt and I spent the afternoon here, and wow, we could have spent even longer! (We didn't finish before they closed). This museum exceeded our expectations. The fact that it was free entry even made it more unbelievable. We were impressed with their vast collection. Definitely plan on at least 4 hours if you like to linger, looking at the different exhibits. Staff was friendly and even told us about different periods as we transitioned between exhibits.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

This place is well organized, and full of art. Parking in the garage is free for 30 minutes, and $14 after that but you can park on street free. Entrance to the museum is free but you need to check in at the desk and get a wrist band. There are so many great things to look at in there, minimum it will take 5-6 hours to look around. The museum staff is helpful and everyone seems passionate about their job.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

What a rich museum full of art spanning the globe and thousands of years. It's hard to describe just how many treasures you will see, but you get back what you put in. You could spend weeks reading and observing everything, or you can speed run it and be out in an hour or two and feel like you've seen a lot of the world. If I had my druthers, I would probably spend several hours per section over the course of several days if I could, but most people will never have that kind of Time unless they are locals.

100% worth the stop whether you have an hour or all day. Easily could spend a day exploring this museum. I wish I had more time and will be coming back to catch more of the exhibits. Excellent help around to point you in the right direction as well. All the exhibits I did get to see were so amazingly presented and had information easily presented along side each piece.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

I forgot how much I love the Nelson until I went with my kiddo’s third grade class for a field trip. The docents are so knowledgeable and helpful. The building is beautiful and clean. The art is displayed in such an organized and meaningful way. The kids and adults enjoyed the day tremendously! I’m planning a day to go back with my kiddo so he can see more.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

Better than I ever imagined. We enjoyed every hour of our walk through the museum. There was a lot to see. The history, techniques, and talent were simply amazing. This is a perfect place to go on a hot day. Park in the cool underground parking lot (14.00) and enjoy the perfect indoor climate while enjoying the beautiful art.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

A world class museum with exhibits from every era and culture. We spent four hours and could have easily spent 4 more. Free general admission, spotless facilities and a spectacular restaurant along with a gift shop make for a great inside experience. Outside, the lovely grounds and sculpture garden are well worth the stroll.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Nobody could brag enough about this place! Inside and out, every aspect of the museum is beautiful and immersive. You'll be there for hours admiring it. The grounds are peaceful and full of a variety of sculptures. They have a stunning café that'll feel thousands of miles away from Kansas. A true gem in our city.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
$1–5

What a surprise in Kansas City! Really well curated art museum with a variety of exhibits. And it's free!? Amazing. It is well laid out, and the app is helpful for mapping your route. I especially enjoyed the French Impressionism and Native American exhibits. We visited on a Monday and it was not overly crowded.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

Talk about an unexpected amazing experience! I'm not an artist lover per say and this place made me one! So much amazing variety. You could go your whole life and not see that many high quality artists. The atmosphere and thought to each room had crazy detail. All of this for free? Wow! I'll be back!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Spent the afternoon at the new Monet exhibit; was even more impressed by the modern/contemporary art. All museum personnel I interacted with were incredibly friendly & gracious. The museum is on the most incredible grounds. I live in Nashville & did not realize there was a world-class museum just across the Mississippi from me!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

A stellar art museum with a rich history, it offers is full time, ever expanding collection, special exhibits, sculpture garden, mini golf course, classes, events, dinning and stunning grounds. This is a must see and if you are local a membership (free parking, free special exhibits, discounts in shop and restaurant and many membership events) pays for itself in a couple of visits and helps fund this local gem.

A wide variety of art from all over the globe and various eras. The grounds have a ton of different sculptures as well as a snack bar and mini-golf. The Egyptian, Asian and American Indian exhibits were really great. They have a couple tombs as well as several huge statues from Hindu and Buddhist cultures. The staff is very helpful and includes free coat check with several different areas that’s kid friendly.

We went to the museum for a few hours on a Saturday after lunch. There is no line, easy kiosk to get wristband. Free museum just have to pay for parking if you don't find a close spot. I love the different exhibits, and I was able to take my time and lokm at what I truly wanted to see.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

This is a truly amazing museum with so much to see both inside and outside. Admission is free but you should still book online prior to your visit. They have a parking garage that is reasonably priced at $14. You should plan on at least 3 hours if you want to walk the entire museum.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

A wonderful museum! It’s free to visit (the special exhibitions on the bottom floor are separate tickets that must be paid for, but are worth it). Plan to spend a whole day here if you want to see most of the exhibits. You will need more than one day to fully experience the whole museum. A must-do in the KC area!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

I have gone to this museum since I was a kid and I always come back when I am in town to check out the exhibits. The Alberto Giacometti exhibit was amazing and one of my favorites! I was able to enjoy it before it's departure, recommend it 100%! Run to check it out if you can!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Dia de los muertos! It was an amazing experience! I loved everything about the festival very recommended, the museum as always is amazing, very mesmerizing place! You need to check the Monet and his modern legacy exhibition! Makes you fall in love with Art! Again and again
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

My favorite art museum to date! The staff are incredible friendly and knowledgeable. Beautiful art work and sculptures. It is free to and enter and free limited parking. I ended up paying $14 dollars to park in the parking garage attached to the museum.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Great museum with lots of paintings from renowned artists, lots of art work from different cultures and a vast building to spend hours and hours through the endless exhibits. Top notch facilities and very friendly staff. It's free but you can donate whatever amount you desire.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

One of my favorite places on Earth. Bought a membership this year. Isn’t necessary but parking is included and no need to reserve a time. Admission as always is free with donations encouraged. Wonderful museum with lovely green space that is also filled with art. Something for everyone here. They have quite the collection. It rivals art museums overseas.

It was an amazing morning that took me by surprise and it was all due to my beautiful and loving daughter and granddaughter who took me to see all of the wonderful arts in there very special to me and I will never forget it?
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

Visited on a Friday afternoon. It was not very crowded. Absolute architectural masterpiece of a building. A fantastic collection of art . The only thing I wish was they had more pieces from the 50s to today. I will be back!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Literally the best museum experience I have had in the US. The journey starting with ancient Egypt, and traveling through time all the way to American artists is absolutely spectacular. For a free experience, this is a fantastic way to spend time in KC.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

There is so much to see here. From paintings and pottery to mummies and jewelry from centuries past. There is also a mini golf course that you shouldn't pass up. Definitely going back and bringing friends and family.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
$16–20

Such an incredible museum with so much to see. In other places, you would pay a hefty entrance fee to see the type of things you see here for free. No matter the period of history you like best, you can lose yourself for hours in these exhibits. Be sure to see the Asian exhibit and the reproduction of the Buddhist temple. Impressive!

A perfect place in the KC Country Club Plaza area to have lunch and spend a couple of hours enjoying their wonderful works of art. Admission is free, parking is $12, so a very reasonable amount to spend for a visit.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

Great special displays, and a fantastic section that contains historical art. REAL art. If you catch my drift. Back when people wanted to create beautiful things, and were inspired and encouraged to depict greatness.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

The entire place was so wonderful, the halls felt like they went on forever. I didn't get to see everything the first time I went and I want to go back so bad!! It was a truly awesome experience. (The cafe looked nice but was a little $$)
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

El dìa de muertos/ el dìa de los muertos/day of the dead the event was perfect but the tamales on The Tamale Kitchen truck were not too good they were flat, cold and just not that good for $6.00 a piece
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

I’ve been to many museums and I always recommend this one. You could be here for hours, there’s something for everyone. I do think they could use a better cafeteria, with allergen free options. When you’re in the cafe, or the historial exhibits, or the pop art, you feel in a completely different area than the next.

Each time I visit it's always been a fantastic experience. The collections of art and history are so vast that when I return I always discover something new. Please donate when visiting this place or others like it- donations keep it alive and well maintained.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Fantastic museum/gallery. Beautifully curated and thought through displays. Each room compliments the works so well, a very enjoyable visit. And it's free! The audio guide is also free and a must, so bring headphones and use the free wifi.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait

This is an absolute must-see! A beautiful museum with so much to see and the grounds are filled with lots of sculptures. It is at the top of my list list as far as museums. You will not be disappointed.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

A large and gorgeous museum. Friendly people and completely free. You only have to pay for the parking (Should you choose to use it). Worth the trip!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Great place to visit for art and history people. Lots of selection or artifacts and art. We spent about 3 hours and saw some amazing works of art.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

It's such a nice museum, great exhibition, sculpture park, and awesome people working there. Special thanks to Jonathan & Maggie at the check-in!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Bring ya walkin' shoes because there is so much to see! The exhibits are just absolutely spectacular. And really, the museum truly does a great job with lighting for all the displays. Really gives everything a special ambiance. The mini golf was excellent as well.

Nice place. Staff is friendly and does their job correctly. They really care about preserving the artwork. There are lots of different exhibits to view. Everything from furniture to weapons. They have old art and new art. Not a great place to take kids.

Beautiful place and so peaceful. Not very handicap friendly. The walk ways were hard to walk with my walker but there’s lots of shade and open areas to mini golf, and relax. This is only the outside of the museum experience.
Visited on
Weekend

There was no waiting. I parked on the street. Parking Garage is $15. I tried the menu and had the humus appetizer. It was the worst tasting humus I've has and I like humus. I'd recommend something from the dessert menu.
Visited on
Weekend

One of the best KC experiences!! The glass labyrinth is very cool, but you must go online and make an appointment to tour it.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes
Price for adult entry
Free

This should be a famous museum. Lots of interesting art and the museum itself is built in many different styles that you could not guess by looking at it
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Wonderful place to visit. Free admission but can always donate. Plan to take a while to explore all the floors.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

Was worth the trip from Wisconsin. They had so many different forms of art from many different decades. You could find something for everyone to like.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Price for adult entry
Free

First visit in almost 20 years. Very good museum. Could spend several days here. A must when visiting Kansas City. It was free admission, but I gave a small donation.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Awesome! Way more than I can see in a single day. I will have to plan on returning over multiple days. Nice parking garage $16 for parking or use street parking.
Visited on
Weekend

Staff are always welcoming and friendly, Everything about this place brings you in. Beautiful galleries & art. The layout is very pretty, too.
Wait time
No wait

Wow! What a treasure in KC. A must visit and it's absolutely free!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Visiting was a great experience. Nice relaxing day out. So many different varieties of art. Staff was helpful and nice.