This museum has relocated to inside of the Truman Memorial building a few blocks west of the…read moreIndependence square - it was originally a few blocks south of the square. Admission is free with donations accepted. It starts with a 20 minute video that i recommend to get you acclimated to the importance that the frontier trails played in shaping this nation's history and growth. The museum is broken into sections on the California, Sante Fe, Oregon, and Mormon Trails and also showcases the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the fur trade. There's lots to read and lots of artifacts. It was personally intriguing since I have recently discovered that ancestors of mine trekked both the California and Mormon trails. There are certainly more interesting and larger museums in the region but i would recommend this one highly to show why our metropolitan area was critical to westward expansion.

My interest in the Oregon trail starts here in Independence, Missouri, since I know that the…read moremajority of the westward expansion movement in America started here in Independence in the mid 1800's. I know on the Oregon Trail since my youth playing the video games and that sparked my interest in seeing the real stuff in person. So once the opportunity came to see artifacts and exhibits pertaining to the Oregon Trail was made available, I jumped at the chance to see it before leaving the area. It was nice to come to this museum after searching on TripAdvisor and Yelp to find a good museum that caters to the Oregon Trail. I arrived here around 3:30pm on a brisk and casual Monday in October 2017 after picking up my rental car in Overland Park, KS. I had about an hour to browse through everything before leaving the museum at 4:30pm. The museum itself isn't large but had quite a bit of exhibits and information about the Oregon trail and its associated historic significance in the independence Missouri area. For the most part though, it was nice to see more of the artifacts and historical stories that made the travel from Independence mo to Oregon, California, and even Utah way back before the invention of the car. Those were rough times on the frontier and these brace souls risk their lives for the betterment of themselves and the growing country. The overall experience here at the National Frontier Trail museum was very fascinating, good, positive, and educational. I learned more about some of the pioneers' stories and the incredible hardships they had to endure throughout their journey: diseases, dehydration, starvation, weather, and the hostile Native American people were basically the main contributors to what they had to put up with on their long haul to the Pacific Ocean. This place does charge admission fee, but I lucked out, since I came in late, I got charged the senior rate, so I saved a couple of $$. Admission fee is get nominal though, so it is always good to support museums that support your need for knowledge and curiosity. They accept major credit cards, as well as cash. I was here when they had construction equipment here nearby, but I chose to park around the corner. They have parking spaces here for people visiting. Just didn't know how that would work, but I had a nice walk to and from the car regardless. For the most part though, my experience really wanted me to solidify my knowledge base of the Oregon trail and how the American pioneers risked death to achieve their dreams of living on the edge of the western fringes of America. The museum building itself was one story, but large enough to accommodate the exhibits, its artifacts, and collections of items that relates to the Oregon trail and its associated westward expansion of American civilization past the Mississippi River. The place was very much kid friendly and clean. It's quiet and casual like a library, so do yourselves favor by keeping your concerns and conversations to a dull roar. Be respectful that they kind of frown upon loud people and obnoxious individuals. If you are interested in this part of American history and near Independence, Missouri, consider coming and spending some time here. You will be enlightened by the hardship and sacrifices needed to undertake and understand what they did to survive and to build a nation. Hard work and dedication to what you do makes waves. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. You might want to have lunch first before coming here. It can be worth it if you stay long and soak up the knowledge and be amazed. I wish I could have been there earlier but had a time crunch. Support local! A+

This museum deserves much more hype than it gets! If you like history, it's a must-see. There were…read moreso many interesting exhibits that were interactive, and I appreciated the different perspectives on Truman's decision to drop the nuclear bombs- a very controversial move. There were many cool artifacts in the museum as well that I was not expecting- lots of interesting items from WWII. It's reasonably priced and definitely recommend everyone make a visit!

Enjoyed our visit to another presidential library and museum…read more I found it very informative and learned quite a bit about Truman. Reasonably priced at $12, with friendly staff and interesting exhibits. Worth a visit!

Anyone who looks at my reviews know that a 5 is rare! This exceeded any expectation I had and I was…read moresmiling so Much my cheeks hurt. What an Immersive experience! Books were SO much a part of our parenting I was transported to such deep memories. The attention to detail! The places to sit and read incorporated throughout! We went to an Adults only event just to check It out and we have already bought tickets to take our adult kids next month!!!

This museum is exceptional! I felt like a kid again seeing my favorite storybooks come to life!…read moreEvery single nook and cranny of this space was well thought out and artistically crafted. It was nice to have places for the kids to climb and explore. And there were also spaces to rest and be quiet. I like that each book was unique on display so it wasn't the same old thing over and over again. What I really loved was that they have multiple copies of each book represented in said section. So the ones we hadn't read and were interested in, we were able to discover like The Funny Thing and The Fire Cat. And ones we were aware if were fun to read while exploring like Goodnight Moon (my absolute favorite part), Babar, Frog and Toad, and No, David! The bus ride is a must; so creative and heart warming. We didn't purchase tickets for The Three Robbers experience, but peeking inside I wish we had, it looks great. The docents and volunteers were all knowledgeable of the books. And they were very kind when needing to remind kids of the museum rules. If I lived here I would by an annual membership for sure. And would have gladly paid more than the current $16 admission as I think this experience is worth much more.

Over priced and over rated…read more Too small. Things looked old and touched too much. Wack! Don't waste your time or money.

Unfortunately, this location didn't live up to expectations. Having visited the St. Louis Museum of…read moreIllusions, I found this one to be significantly smaller and lacking the same variety of exhibits. Given the price point, the experience felt a bit underwhelming and short. If you've been to their larger locations, this one might leave you disappointed.

The art deco is beautiful. This building is must see. Don't miss it, if you are in Excelsior…read moreSprings.

Art deco splendor! A…read moreworking city building filled with reminders of the spring waters heydays here. Love the intact water bar which is now the welcome center. Lots of surrounding picture displays of the town's history and notable persons with connections to the general area. **No special water to drink or bathe here!

The Nelson-Atkins is synonymous with Kansas City and an absolute must-visit for visitors and locals…read morealike. Where to even start? This encyclopedic museum was built in the 1930s in a traditional beaux arts style. The original 1930s building is just as stunning today as it was 90 years ago. The original courtyard has been modified and transformed into a restaurant, but aside from that it remains largely untouched. In the 2000s the museum expanded with the Bloch building - an architectural marvel all it's own. Drive by at night to see each lens lit up. Currently they are working on another expansion, that will bring the museum into the modern era. I've spent so much time here it's ridiculous. From exploring as a child with my grandmother, to my time as a student, to exploring now as an adult there is really something here for just about anyone. Being an encyclopedic museum it features art from across the world and spanning the timeline of humanity. You can use the Nelson as a launching pad for discussing nearly any moment in time through the lens of art, which is really an impressive feat for a midsize city like KC. Some of my favorite pieces include a relic with the "finger bone" of st. John the Baptist (it's likely a chicken bone), "Woman IV" by Willem de Kooning, "Boulevard des Capucines" by Claude Monet, and "Persephone" by Thomas Hart Benton. This is the place I take all of my guests, and the place I come to when I need to reset or recharge myself. It's always beautiful, always therapeutic, and always FREE. I'm not sure folks really understand the incredible gift we have as a community to have access to this incredible place. My top KC treasure, and I hope every person gets a chance to visit someday.

My wife and I were visiting from New York for a conference in Kansas City, and several people told…read moreus that the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art was a must-visit. We decided to check it out on a Friday afternoon. We had a wonderful time exploring the various exhibits and galleries. We also stopped at the café for a pastry and coffee, and everyone we interacted with was friendly and welcoming. Because we enjoyed it so much, my wife suggested we return on Saturday to spend more time exploring some of the other exhibitions. While we were there, I was taking a few photos of my wife on the second floor above the café with my iPhone when a staff member approached us in a very rude and abrupt manner. She told us that we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum--only selfies. She then stood nearby watching us, which made the situation very uncomfortable. Because of this interaction, we decided to leave the museum right away, which was disappointing and left us with an unpleasant feeling about the visit. When we returned to our hotel, I looked up the museum's photography policy online. It states: "The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art allows personal, non-flash photography inside the galleries, but strictly prohibits professional portrait, wedding, or engagement photo shoots inside the building." The photos I was taking were simply personal pictures of my wife and were non-commercial. It seems that this staff member was not properly informed about the museum's photography policy. As a result the low rating of our visit.

This is one of KCs gems - and thankfully not so hidden. This museum was founded by 2 women - 1 with…read morea love of toys and 1 with a love of miniatures. I've visited several times and am always amazed at the popular toys from each decade and the incredible to scale miniatures. During this visit we were one of the first to attend the grand opening of the Native American miniatures exhibit. It's so cool. I recommend everyone check it out. This museum is a must visit for all ages.

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, despite being one of the bigger museums in KC, is…read morehonestly kind of a hidden gem in town. I never went before they renovated, but once they did I made my way here and immediately wondered what had taken me so long. You might think to yourself that this is for kids or on the flip side you might think that it's just for collectors - both couldn't be more untrue. The first fun thing is just the massive historic building that this place is in - if you like architecture and exploring old buildings you'll enjoy that part of it. The next thing you'll notice is that there is a ton to see here, from the ornate details of dollhouses, to miniatures that will blow your mind, to nostalgic barbies, there really is something for just about anyone. I like how you can come here to be reminded that everyone once was a kid and that toys tell a unique story about humanity in their own way. If you haven't been this is a great thing to do on a rainy day in KC. I would recommend it for older kids - maybe 10+ and for anyone who enjoys history or museums.

Beautiful museum! all the volunteers were helpful and knowledgeable. The artifacts are amazing…read more Could have spent all day there Highly recommend

John was a great tour guide but the lady at the start was a inconsiderate hating person that didn't…read moreenjoy her job

This is a super fun activity center for kids. It is free to enter. They have a session every 45…read moreminutes which allows smaller group of kids to enjoy the activities. The area is full of different types of hands on activities like glueing shapes, painting, coloring, solving puzzles, arts and crafts. Each table had its own accessories like stickers, papers, accessories for kids to use their imagination to create different things. The passageway goes to a separate room where kids can act out puppet shows and interact with movie making process. Lots of associates constantly walk around the floor refilling the tables and making sure kids are enjoying their time. When the session is about to end, they notify all the parents to head toward the exit.

Took grand niece there were kids from Leawood Ks bussed in 2 years older…read moreThan my niece they instruct adults to let the kids decide what to make and what to do the helicopter parents couldn't abide by that and made the stuff for the kids our grand niece did it all her self and she was 2'years younger Not enough time to complete everything Hours are really screwy one place says one Thing another place says different

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE, MIND BLOWN…read more I did a Super Bowl travel bet (whichever team wins the Super Bowl, visit that city), and was looking for things to do in Kansas City. I love watching travel shows to get ideas, and saw this museum featured on "No Reservations." I have to admit that when I heard they were going to the "hair museum" on the show, that didn't really interest me (I can barely put my hair in a ponytail lol), but I was sold after watching. I had to visit! I absolutely love oddities, the macabre, art, and quirky just weird off-the-beaten path things, and this checked all those boxes! I emailed the museum, and luckily I was able to score a private tour on my birthday! Our guide was Linda, Leila's daughter, and she was so friendly, informative, and a great storyteller. You do have to email in advance for a visit - you can't just show up. So make sure you do that. What we saw inside was the largest hair collection on the planet, and you really just have to be there. It's overwhelming, stunning, and beautiful. If you love genealogy, art, history, oddities, this is for you! It was so touching how so many loved ones have been forever memorialized in hair art and to see Leila and Linda's dedication to keeping the memory of those everyday people alive. It's not just everyday ordinary people, there's hair from celebrities and even religious relics. The stories blew me away! Do yourself a favor and check this place out if you're ever near KC!

While on vacation, I visited the Hair Museum. Needless to say. I've driven by it thousands of…read moretimes. I finally decided to visit it. Now, I didn't have cash, as always, had my card. I was with my mom who had cash. Thank goodness. They don't take cards (ouch). It is 15$ to enter. I previously thought it was hair styles, but after reading here on Yelp, I kind of knew what it was. But, when entering, the weird feeling started. Hair has DNA in it. It would be extremely cool to get a paranormal ghost hunt here. What the Hair Museum consists of mostly is framed hair wreathes from the 1800's. There's thousands of hair wreathes. And there's hair samples (Linoclon, Elvis, Kennedy's among others.) There's also hair jewelry. The hair jewelry is made with human hair (passed down from generation to generation,) on a Kumihimo braid. I dare you to try it. Working with hair is almost my tolerance level. There's also horse hair jewelry that people still make. Horse hair is very coarse. I was impressed and stunned. The wreathes are beautiful, creepy thought provoking and unforgettable. Leila teaches how to to make hair wreathes in classes at the museum. She also wrote a book. It's weird enough to check out if you're in Independence.