A Family Day in Kansas City: Where to Take Kids

At a glance

• Where: Kansas City, Missouri: Crown Center, Union Station, 18th & Vine, the Plaza area, River Market and Swope Park
• Free picks: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City Museum, Hallmark Visitors Center, Kaleidoscope, Loose Park and the Nelson-Atkins sculpture park
• Best for: Ages 2 to 14, with notes on toddlers and teens
• Hours: Typically 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the museums; several close on Tuesdays. Check each official site before you go

The easiest family day in Kansas City, Missouri is a Crown Center day: Science City at Union Station, lunch at Crown Center, the free Hallmark Visitors Center and Kaleidoscope, then the National WWI Museum and Memorial. Everything sits within a few minutes of each other, and the Hallmark garage gives two free hours with validation. Save the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and 18th & Vine for a second day.

Every place below is inside Kansas City, Missouri. Hours and prices change, so treat the numbers as typical and check the official site before you leave the house.

How we chose

We started from the big four, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the National WWI Museum and Memorial, Union Station and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, then checked a longer list against each place's own official site. A pick made the cut only if it was open, inside the Kansas City, Missouri city limits, and workable with children. Where an official page did not say something, we say so rather than guess.

Which pick suits which age?

Toddlers and preschoolers do best at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, Loose Park and Kaleidoscope. Ages 6 to 12 get the most from Science City, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, the Arabia Steamboat Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Teens tend to land on the National WWI Museum and Memorial, the Nelson-Atkins and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

• Ages 0 to 5: Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, Loose Park, Kaleidoscope, Science City's youngest-kids area
• Ages 6 to 12: Science City, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, SEA LIFE, Arabia Steamboat Museum, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
• Teens: National WWI Museum and Memorial, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The 12 picks

1. Science City at Union Station

Science City at Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road in Crown Center, is Kansas City's hands-on science museum, and it sorts its exhibits into ages 0 to 5, 6 to 12 and 12 and up. It is typically open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Union Station building itself stays open far longer, from early morning to midnight. The station has a four-level garage on its west side. Official page: Union Station Kansas City.

In our view, this is the best first stop with mixed ages because nobody has to wait while the other child finishes. Check the official site for current ticket prices, which we could not confirm.

2. Kaleidoscope at Crown Center

Kaleidoscope, 288 E. 25th Street in Crown Center, is a free art-making studio run by Hallmark for children 14 and under, who must be accompanied by an adult. Families can walk in, and only groups of 15 or more need a reservation. Sessions are timed, and the official pages disagree on which days it runs, so confirm days on the Crown Center listing first. Best for ages 3 to 10, and it costs nothing.

3. Hallmark Visitors Center

The Hallmark Visitors Center, 290 E. 25th Street in Crown Center, is a free, self-guided look at how greeting cards get made, and it takes about an hour including a short film. It sits next to Kaleidoscope, so the two pair well. Parking is in the P5 red-level garage, where Hallmark says the first two hours are free by QR code. The official page lists no hours, so check Hallmark's visiting page before you go.

4. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City

LEGOLAND Discovery Center, 2475 Grand Boulevard in Crown Center Shops, is an indoor LEGO play space, typically open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 3:30 p.m. Tickets start around $22 online and cost more at the door, and a combo ticket with SEA LIFE is cheaper than buying both. Check the official site for current parking details. It suits ages 3 to 10 best. See the official site.

5. SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium

SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium, 2475 Grand Boulevard in Crown Center, is an indoor aquarium next door to LEGOLAND, typically open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry an hour before closing. Tickets start around $19 online. Check parking details and current prices on the official site. It is a good rainy-day or cold-day choice for toddlers through age 8.

6. National WWI Museum and Memorial

The National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Drive, is a museum devoted to the Great War, and it works best for ages 10 and up. General admission is typically $19.50 for adults and $11.50 for ages 6 to 15, with children under 6 free. The Liberty Memorial Tower, an elevator plus 45 stairs to an open-air deck, costs extra. The museum is typically closed Tuesdays from Labor Day to Memorial Day, and its main exhibit halls close a little before the 5 p.m. building closing. Younger kids can still enjoy the grounds. See the official visit page.

7. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, 1616 E. 18th Street in 18th & Vine, is a self-guided museum that the official site says takes at least an hour. It is typically open Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Parking is free behind the museum. Tickets are typically $15 for adults and $12 for ages 5 to 12, with children 4 and under free. Best for ages 8 and up. Check nlbm.com before you go.

8. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak Street, is free every day for everyone, though visitors check in online or at the museum. Hours are typically 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Saturday and Sunday and until 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and it is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Oak Street garage typically costs $20 per visit, so many families skip the galleries with toddlers and head straight to the free Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, open sunrise to sundown. Gallery openings can change, so check nelson-atkins.org for what is open. It is only a short drive from the Country Club Plaza.

9. Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, 6800 Zoo Drive in Swope Park, is typically open daily 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., staying open until 5 p.m. on weekends from March through October. General admission typically runs about $22 to $28 depending on the date and whether you buy online, with children 2 and under free and cheaper rates for Jackson and Clay County residents. Parking is always free, which matters in a city where most family stops charge for it. Plan three to four hours, and allow for the walking with a stroller. The zoo closes on a few holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas, so check the zoo's site.

10. Arabia Steamboat Museum

The Arabia Steamboat Museum, 400 Grand Boulevard in the River Market, displays cargo recovered from a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856. It is typically open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are about $16.50 for adults and $6.50 for ages 4 to 14, with ages 3 and under free. See the Arabia hours and rates page. It is the strongest pick for ages 6 to 12 who like real objects over screens.

11. Kansas City Museum

The Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Boulevard in the Historic Northeast, offers free general admission and is typically open Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. It is a good choice when the budget is tight and the kids are school-aged. The official site, museumofkansascity.org, does not list parking or kid ages, so confirm programs before you drive over.

12. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (formerly the Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City), 5235 Oak Street on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, is typically open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesdays. Tickets are typically $12 for adults, $10 for ages 65 and up and $6 for ages 6 to 17, with ages 5 and under free, and the museum is free on Second Sundays. It suggests at least 90 minutes. See the official site. Best for ages 4 to 10 and grandparents along for the day.

Bonus: a free reset at Loose Park

Loose Park, 5100 Wornall Road in the Country Club District, is a public city park, typically open 5 a.m. to midnight. It has a playground, a sprayground, Loose Lake, a rose garden and a Japanese garden, according to Kansas City Parks and Recreation. Use it as a recovery hour after a museum. Details at kcparks.org.

Where do you park?

The parking answer depends on the cluster. In Crown Center, use the garages: Hallmark lists two hours free at its P5 red-level garage with QR-code validation, and LEGOLAND and SEA LIFE post their own parking details. Union Station has its own garage on the west side. At the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, parking is free. At the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, parking behind the museum is free. At the Nelson-Atkins, the Oak Street garage typically costs $20 per visit, so ask whether walking in from nearby street parking suits your family.

Where do you eat with kids?

In Crown Center, eat at the center itself: several restaurants under one roof means a picky eater usually has an option, and nobody gets back in the car. For barbecue after the museums, Jack Stack Barbecue Freight House, 101 W. 22nd Street, is close to Union Station and is typically open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, later on Fridays and Saturdays. We could not confirm a kids menu on Jack Stack's own site, so call 816-472-7427 first. At the Nelson-Atkins and the zoo, pack a lunch if your children are young. For 18th & Vine, Arthur Bryant's Barbeque is open daily at 1727 Brooklyn Avenue.

Which day of the week works?

Several places close on Tuesday, which is the day most likely to wreck a plan. The National WWI Museum and Memorial is typically closed Tuesdays in the school year, the Nelson-Atkins is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is closed Tuesdays, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum does not list Monday hours. Saturday and Sunday work for almost everything, except that the Kansas City Museum opens at noon on Sunday.

Save this: one full-day route

This route keeps the day inside Crown Center and the Liberty Memorial hill, with one drive and one meal.

1. 10:00 a.m.: Science City at Union Station. Park in the west garage and give it two hours.
2. 12:15 p.m.: Lunch in Crown Center. Take a break before the afternoon.
3. 1:30 p.m.: Hallmark Visitors Center and Kaleidoscope. Use the P5 garage QR code for free time. Check Kaleidoscope's days first.
4. 3:00 p.m.: National WWI Museum and Memorial. Last Liberty Memorial Tower ride is typically 4:15 p.m., and the museum closes at 5 p.m.
5. 5:30 p.m.: Dinner at Jack Stack Barbecue Freight House, then home before bedtime.

Swap for little ones: replace the WWI Museum with LEGOLAND Discovery Center or SEA LIFE. Swap for a second day: zoo in the morning, then Loose Park or the Nelson-Atkins sculpture park in the afternoon.

When should you leave?

Leave each place before the meltdown, not after. Most museums on this list take 60 to 120 minutes with kids, so one anchor stop in the morning and one after lunch is a full day. The Arabia Steamboat Museum is a smaller stop, and the zoo is the only pick that justifies half a day.

For more areas worth walking afterward, see Downtown Kansas City and Brookside.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Kansas City with kids?

In our view, Science City at Union Station, the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium and the Crown Center attractions are the strongest family picks in Kansas City, Missouri. The free options include the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kansas City Museum, the Hallmark Visitors Center and Kaleidoscope.

Is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art free for kids?

Yes, admission to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri is free every day for everyone. Visitors check in online or at the museum, and the museum is typically closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Where can you park for free with kids in Kansas City?

Parking at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium in Swope Park is always free, according to the zoo's official site. Parking behind the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at 18th & Vine is also free.

What can toddlers do in Kansas City?

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, Loose Park and Kaleidoscope at Crown Center are the easiest picks for toddlers. The zoo lets children 2 and under in free, and Kaleidoscope is a free art studio for children 14 and under with an adult.

Is the National WWI Museum and Memorial good for kids?

It suits ages 10 and up best, though younger children can enjoy the grounds. General admission is typically $11.50 for ages 6 to 15, and children under 6 are free.

What is closed on Tuesdays in Kansas City?

The National WWI Museum and Memorial is typically closed Tuesdays during the school year, the Nelson-Atkins is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is closed Tuesdays. Check each official site before you go.