Things to Do in Kansas City: 14 Local Picks

At a glance

Where: Kansas City, Missouri; every pick below is inside the city limits
Start with: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, National WWI Museum and Memorial, Union Station, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Free picks: Nelson-Atkins admission, walking the Country Club Plaza, The Scout, the KC Streetcar
Hours: Typically museums close one or two days a week; check each official site before you go

The best things to do in Kansas City, Missouri start with five anchors: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the National WWI Museum and Memorial, Union Station, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Add a walk through Downtown Kansas City, the Country Club Plaza and the Crossroads Arts District and you have a full trip.

This is the answer a local gives a visiting friend: what to do, how long it takes and the one tip that saves you a wasted trip. Every place below is in Kansas City, Missouri, and each was checked against its own official site in November 2026.

How we chose

We picked places that are open to the public, inside Kansas City, Missouri, and known for this exact job: giving a visitor a real sense of the city. We confirmed each on its own official site, left out chains, and skipped anything we could not confirm is currently open. Hours and prices change, so treat every number here as typical and check the official site before you go.

What are the five anchors every visitor should see?

The five anchors are the museums and halls that explain Kansas City: art, war, rail, baseball and music. See all five and you know how Kansas City tells its own story. Plan a half day for each of the first four and an evening for the fifth.

1. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Midtown)

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art at 4525 Oak Street is free to enter every day, for everyone. You check in online or at a kiosk before entering the galleries, and the museum covers more than 5,000 years of art.

Time: two to three hours.
Hours: typically Monday, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Local tip: admission is free, but parking in the Oak Street garage typically costs $20 per visit. Plan to walk or ride in if you can, since the Plaza is close.

2. National WWI Museum and Memorial (Penn Valley)

The National WWI Museum and Memorial at 2 Memorial Drive tells the story of the First World War through galleries and artifacts, and its memorial tower looks out over Downtown Kansas City.

Time: two to three hours.
Hours: typically Wednesday through Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Labor Day to Memorial Day, closed Tuesday, and open daily in summer.
Cost: general admission is typically $19.50 for adults, with lower prices for seniors, military and youth ages 6 to 15, and free for children under 6.
Local tip: pair it with The Scout and Penn Valley Park below, since both are a short walk away.

3. Union Station (Crown Center)

Union Station at 30 West Pershing Road opened in 1914 and covers about 850,000 square feet, with a Grand Hall that has a 95-foot ceiling. It is part of the Crown Center side of town.

Time: one hour to look, half a day if you add an attraction.
Hours: the building is typically open 6 a.m. to midnight. Attractions such as Science City are ticketed; see the official pricing page.
Local tip: some areas of the station close for projects from time to time, so check the official site for what is open on your day.

4. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (18th & Vine)

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at 1616 East 18th Street tells the story of the Negro Leagues, and it sits two blocks from the Paseo YMCA, where Rube Foster founded the Negro National League in 1920. It is the heart of the 18th & Vine district.

Time: about two hours.
Hours: typically Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; no Monday hours are listed.
Cost: admission is typically $15 for adults, with lower prices for seniors, children and veterans.
Local tip: the American Jazz Museum is next door and also uses the 1616 East 18th Street address, so one trip covers both.

5. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (Downtown)

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts at 1601 Broadway Boulevard is Downtown Kansas City's home for symphony, ballet and opera performances, and the building itself is worth seeing.

Time: one hour for a visit, an evening for a performance.
Hours: public access is typically most Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some exceptions; tours and ticket-office hours vary, so call 816-994-7222 or check kauffmancenter.org first.
Local tip: if you cannot catch a show, the Friday public access hours are the easy way in.

What else is worth your time inside the city?

The next picks fill the gaps: jazz, a salvaged steamboat, a zoo, a greeting-card visit and a famous statue. Each one fits into a morning or an afternoon.

6. American Jazz Museum (18th & Vine)

The American Jazz Museum at 1616 East 18th Street covers Kansas City's jazz history, right next door to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Time: about 90 minutes.
Hours: typically Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., closed Mondays from mid-September through May.
Cost: admission is typically $15 for adults.
Local tip: ask about combined plans at the front desk if you are doing both museums.

7. Arabia Steamboat Museum (River Market)

The Arabia Steamboat Museum at 400 Grand Boulevard displays the cargo of a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River on September 5, 1856, and was dug up in 1988 from a Kansas farm field. It is in the River Market area.

Time: about two hours.
Hours: typically Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; closed several holidays including Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Cost: admission is typically $16.50 for adults.
Local tip: walk to City Market afterward and have lunch.

8. City Market (River Market)

City Market in the River Market is a weekend farmers market at Fifth and Walnut streets in Kansas City, Missouri.

Time: one to two hours.
Hours: typically Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. from April through October and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in March, November and December; January and February are typically Saturdays only.
Local tip: use the Find a Vendor page on the official site to see who sells what before you go.

9. Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (Swope Park)

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium at 6800 Zoo Drive is inside Kansas City, Missouri, in Swope Park, and it is the pick for anyone traveling with children.

Time: half a day to a full day.
Hours: typically daily 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., though hours change by season; closed Thanksgiving.
Cost: tickets are typically $22 to $24 online and a little more at the gate, and children 2 and under are free.
Local tip: buy online, which is cheaper than at the gate.

10. Hallmark Visitors Center (Crown Center)

The Hallmark Visitors Center at 290 East 25th Street is a look at the greeting-card company based in Kansas City, and visitors can push the button on the bow machine for a souvenir bow to take home.

Time: about an hour.
Hours: typically Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday and several holidays.
Local tip: it is a short walk from Union Station through Crown Center, so pair the two.

11. The Scout (Penn Valley Park)

The Scout is a bronze statue by Cyrus Dallin in Penn Valley Park, dedicated in 1922, which won a gold medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. KC Parks lists the park as open from 5 a.m. to midnight daily.

Time: 30 minutes.
Local tip: it sits on a hilltop overlooking the city, so it is a good photo stop on the way to or from the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Where should you send visitors next?

Once the anchors are done, send people to three neighborhoods: Downtown Kansas City, the Country Club Plaza and the Crossroads Arts District.

12. Country Club Plaza (Plaza)

The Country Club Plaza is a historic open-air shopping and dining district of 15 city blocks with Spanish-inspired architecture and dozens of fountains. See the Country Club Plaza page for more.

Time: two hours to an afternoon.
Cost: walking the district is free.
Local tip: come back after dark in the holiday season for the Plaza Lights, a Kansas City tradition for more than eight decades. Check the official site for this year's lighting date.

13. Crossroads Arts District (Downtown)

The Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City, Missouri is packed with galleries and artist studios, and First Fridays brings it to life on the first Friday of every month. Read more on the Crossroads Arts District page.

Time: two to three hours.
Hours: the Art Alleys and Food Truck Plaza typically run 5 to 9 p.m. from April through October; winter hours vary, so check kccrossroads.org.
Local tip: the KC Streetcar is free to ride, which makes parking a non-issue.

14. Power & Light District (Downtown)

The Power & Light District in Downtown Kansas City is the city's entertainment district of bars and restaurants built around the KC Live! courtyard. See the Power & Light District page.

Time: an evening.
Cost: Chiefs game-day watch parties at KC Live! are typically free; some other events are ticketed.
Local tip: pick a Chiefs game day for the watch party at KC Live!, and confirm the schedule on the official site.

What does a two-day Kansas City route look like?

A two-day Kansas City route covers all five anchors and the three neighborhoods without doubling back.

Day one morning: Nelson-Atkins (free), then lunch and a stroll through the Country Club Plaza.
Day one afternoon: National WWI Museum and Memorial, then The Scout.
Day one evening: dinner in the Crossroads Arts District, or a show at the Kauffman Center.
Day two morning: 18th & Vine, covering the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum.
Day two afternoon: Union Station and the Hallmark Visitors Center at Crown Center.
Day two evening: Power & Light District, or the Arabia Steamboat Museum and City Market on the way.

For food stops, browse food and dining listings, and for dates check events.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Kansas City, Missouri?

The best things to do in Kansas City, Missouri are The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the National WWI Museum and Memorial, Union Station, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Then walk the Country Club Plaza, Downtown and the Crossroads Arts District.

What can you do in Kansas City for free?

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is free every day with online or kiosk check-in, and walking the Country Club Plaza and visiting The Scout in Penn Valley Park are free. The KC Streetcar is also free to ride.

How many days do you need in Kansas City?

Two days covers the anchors, a neighborhood or two and a few meals. Add a third day for the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium or more time in the Crossroads Arts District.

Is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art closed on certain days?

Yes, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is typically closed Tuesday and Wednesday and open the other days, with late hours Thursday and Friday. Check the official site before you go.

What is the Arabia Steamboat Museum?

The Arabia Steamboat Museum at 400 Grand Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri displays the cargo of a steamboat that sank in 1856 and was recovered in 1988.

Best Things to Do in Kansas City, Missouri: A Local's List