The staff was full of knowledge. We were the only patrons inside the water bar area. I read each of…read morethe more than 20 information boards posted around the perimeter of the water bar area. It was beautifully decorated in one of my favorite architectural eras, art deco. The information boards gave great explanations of the founding of the town, the springs, how the Hall of Waters operated, the water bar, famous people who visited, founding of hotels and the history of the people who operated them, and lots more! Be prepared to read A LoT. Which I enjoy learning that way and at my own pace. The treatment area was interesting to see the devices and apparatus they used when this place was humming in the early 1900's. I was disappointed the pool area and the bottling area are closed off to the public. Wish I knew someone on the inside. Haha. And they would show them to me. I love exploring safely and respectfully. A definite must see for someone who loves history like I do!

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!

I'm at work and I casually reference Jesse James to a co-worker and he asks - "Who is Jesse…read moreJames?". I couldn't believe that anyone didn't know about JJ, but growing up in Samoa without a TV left my friend out of the loop. I immediately told him - "Saturday we are educating you on a local legend that became internationally renown". My friend, his wife and I arrived at noon on a Saturday and paid $6 each for the bank museum tour. The guide was very friendly and laid a deep explanation of what Clay County and the James family were experiencing during and right after the Civil War. The weather the day of the robbery, the layout of the Liberty square, the medical and mental state of Jesse, who the bankers were and their reactions and actions all told while you see the clock set to the exact time and date of the event, hear the old wooden floor creak beneath you and are surrounded by artifacts or replica's of the items originally inside the bank; the description makes you feel that you are a witness to America's 1st daylight bank robbery. My friend and his wife are now sold on the legend of The James Family and want to see the house museums in Kearney and St. Joe now. A great inexpensive way to spend an hour or so and relive some of the areas infamous past. They also have a backroom with family and area artifacts. The gift shop is free to enter and shouldn't be missed by anyone traveling thru even if you don't have time for the tour.

The Jesse James Bank Museum is pretty darn cool. It was the site of the first daytime bank…read morerobbery, which was executed by members of the James gang. I had read about this robbery in a book, I believe, and now I was able to stand in the old bank building itself, which was really cool. They have restored it to the way it would have looked back in those days, and it's a great little stop to soak in some history of the area in and around Liberty. The woman who gave the tour was extremely friendly and enthusiastic about answering questions and talking about the history of the place. It made us want to further explore the James sites in the area, in Kearney and around Clay County. Having read about Jesse James and his terrorist gangs and how he came of age participating in the hatred, violence and strife during the Civil War and the period following, it's really interesting to physically be in the area and see some of these landmarks with your own eyes. Jesse James was not a hero, even though he's now somewhat romanticized as such. There is a lot of information in the back room of the museum, which displays some really great photos, documents and trinkets from the era. Up front is a gift shop and then there is the main bank room, with its vault open. You can really get a sense of place when you're here, and it's easy to imagine two bushwackers coming in and threatening the lives of the unarmed bankers. Bank robberies are a dime a dozen in movies, but when you see something like this in person it's very arresting. It's a cool experience. I would recommend the Jesse James Bank Museum to anyone with an interest in Missouri or American history. It's very affordable ($6 for adults, $3.50 for kids) and a pleasant and informative way to spend an hour or two. This location is a nationally registered historic place, so pitch in and help keep it going.

Visited the National WWI Museum and Memorial with my family and had a great time, 5 stars all…read morearound. The exhibits were really informative and engaging for all ages, and the whole place was in great condition and super clean. Definitely worth the visit if you're in Kansas City. 10/10, would recommend!

Three of us decided this would be our destination on the first day of our KC trip. We read online…read morereviews and all of us like history, so we thought this would be a neat place for a "quick" visit. Well it turned into more than just a quick visit. The reviews don't give this place enough justice. It was AWESOME! We spent over four hours here and we could have spent more if we didn't have to leave for lunch and a ballgame. The tower and "original" memorial halls were very neat, but the newly built museum is the main attraction. Three levels of outstanding visuals, interactive displays, multiple movies, and of course tons of WWI artifacts. I am a former U.S. History teacher and I learned a lot of new information!This is a MUST visit if in the area. It ranks as one of the best museums I've ever visited.

We had the incredible opportunity to experience the Glore Psychiatric Museum in two completely…read moredifferent ways! First, we came at night for a paranormal investigation. Our museum host was absolutely wonderful--super nice and helpful. They gave our team a great introductory tour of the key areas and then handed over the reins, giving us the freedom to investigate independently for the rest of the night. The very next morning, we returned with a larger group for a regular daytime visit. The museum is fascinating! The exhibits are deeply interesting and do an excellent job covering the extensive history of the asylum and the evolution of mental health care. There is an entire second building that houses other great collections, including The Black Archives, which is easily accessible via a walkway on the 2nd floor. Highly recommend a visit whether you're a history buff or a paranormal investigator!

The Glore Psychiatric Museum is located 51miles NW of Kansas City in St. Joseph Missouri. It has…read morebeen called one of the fifty most unusual museums in the United States. The museum illustrates how the treatment of mental illness has progressed through time which was first located in a ward of the original "State Lunatic Asylum No. 2" Besides the artifacts of the instruments used for lobotomies, hydrotherapy and Bath of Surprise floors two and three have art work of the patients. Besides this museum St Jo was established in 1821 and became a principal channel of distribution for the building of the west also the Pony Express started here in 1860; visit Pony Express Museum which is a must see. The massive mansions reflect the prosperity of the 1880s. It's a fun day trip.

Thank you for this piece of history! My kids were fascinated by everything. I appreciate the work…read morein keeping it all up.

This is a lovely location and it was completely empty and deserted so I had the spot to myself on a…read moreTuesday morning. It's not staffed, at least not that I can see. There are no amenities, so be sure to bring your own beverages or snacks if you will need them. There is something on their website that suggests that this spot is accessible, implying handicap accessible. This is probably an optimistic assessment. From the parking lot to get to the long driveway to get to the buildings, you have to navigate a curb immediately. The driveway is all rough gravel, so it's maybe 150 meters to get from the parking lot to the buildings, and then the walkway between all the buildings is also gravel covered. So it may accommodate a rugged wheelchair, but I tried to push a wheelchair with smaller wheels and it was completely impossible, so I had to abandon the trip. I returned on my own a few days later. The buildings are lovely and quaint, and I can see it being a very interesting visit on a day when the buildings are open and there are people in period dress. It's free on the empty days and I seem to remember there is something like a $5 charge on the event days.

*Missing Review(s)?…read more In my opinion this is one of the best museums in the world. No doubt,pound for pound I would put the Nelson Akins up against any museum anywhere. I love art so, traveling to Kansas City regularly in the early to mid 2000s,I naturally visited the Nelson Adkins. Walking into the building was not particularly interesting as the entrance had been modernized and different from the exterior. However,once you walk into the galleries,you are stunned. The overall building design,galleries and quality of art seems almost out of place in Kansas City. Not that they don't deserve it,every city should be so lucky,it just seems a surprise. One special thing they had, that is just wonderful, is the cafeteria style cafe in a significantly beautiful atrium. I took many pictures and posted them of the entire facility including the marvelous food over several years. I have been trying to come up with a good excuse to go to KC for a Nelson-Adkins fix! Seriously,maybe an UYE! Now for "The"truly significant impact this museum had on my life.On the second floor you could walk out doors, taking you into the large atrium that holds the cafe. Around this walkway were many Rodin sculpture. I must have past these sculpture a dozen times on my walk to the descending stairs in order to eat During one visit as I exited the doors,passed the sculptures,I noticed a large photographic presentation. Stopping to look closer,I learned it was regarding details of Rodin's Hell Gates. If you have the slightest interest in art,look it up, amazing. After lunch,I returned to this exhibit reading all about the Hells Gates. Finding out there are only two bronze cast of this magnificent sculpture,I felt I just had to see one if not both. One is at the Rodin museum in Paris. If I needed a reason to go to Paris( you don't) this was as good as any. I'm proud to report a few months later I was standing in front of the Gates Of Hell at the Rodin museum Paris. All because of a visual display at Nelson Atkins... Go!

My visit to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art was extremely disappointing. While the museum itself…read morewas beautiful the behavior of several staff members completely ruined the experience. Throughout our visit we were repeatedly followed and monitored. At one point, as we were leaving through a doorway a staff member who was entering saw us exiting and immediately turned around after looking directly at us. Another staff member approached us in a very confrontational manner under the guise of "guiding" us and even laughed after I responded with "yikes." The micro-aggressions were impossible to ignore. They didn't even seem "micro." The behavior from staff was excessive, unwelcoming, and deeply uncomfortable. It's unfortunate that such a culturally significant and visually appealing place is staffed by people who ruin the experience. I genuinely hope the museum addresses and provides better training on how staff members interact with guests.

The outlaw Jesse James is sewn into the fabric of American history. Whether you learned about his…read moreexploits in school or by watching The Brady Bunch you'll you'll feel a closer connection to his story as you stand there looking at the bullet hole in the wall where Robert Ford shot Tom Howard (fake name Jesse James was using) in 1882. (Technically it's no longer exactly THE bullet hole since over the years, before becoming a museum, people have picked at it taking pieces as souvenirs. It's still more or less the hole though.) Moved from its original location it now sits beside the Patee House Museum . . . . which is also worth seeing. There's also an interesting (macabre) exhibit detailing the exhumation of Jesse's grave to once and for all lay to rest (see what I did there?) the rumors that this wasn't Jesse James and he lived for many more years eventually dying of old age. I love traveling America stoping at places like this.

Neat museum, but it could be so much better! I first visited the Jesse James Home Museum more than…read more20 years ago when passing through St. Joseph. It's just like I remember it - small and touristy. They've got several artifacts from the era, and you can see the hole in the wall where Jesse James was shot. That part's neat. In my opinion, they could do better to restore the house to how it looked at the time and move the articles, artifacts, pictures, clutter, etc. off the walls and place them in a separate facility (if they had one available). I think that would make it a little more authentic. For $4, though, it's not a bad place to stop and link in to a small part of St. Joseph and U.S. history.

This is an absolute gem in St. Joseph!!…read more What made our visit even more special was learning just how much Gary Chilcote -- the man who created this incredible collection and continues to invest in it -- cherishes this community and its history. We spent four hours there and still didn't see everything! Did you know Abraham Lincoln came to St. Joseph -- not just once, but twice?! From the fascinating interviews with famous figures like Walter Cronkite, to the incredible collections, to an entire floor preserved to showcase the original hotel rooms in all their historic glory, there is truly something here for everyone. And what struck me most was realizing how much of this incredible museum represents the love and generosity of generations of St. Joseph families who understood the importance of preserving their community's history. Everywhere you turn, there is another story, another treasure, another piece of history that draws you in and makes you stop and wonder. Halfway through our visit, I found myself wondering about Gary and what he was doing today. So, naturally, I Googled him -- and was amazed to discover just how much this museum truly is a family affair... really, a family love affair. As someone who has always loved history, I have an enormous appreciation for the commitment Gary and his family have made -- and continue to make -- to preserving this remarkable piece of St. Joseph. And then came the most unexpected and wonderful moment of our entire visit. We literally closed the place down and still hadn't seen everything! As we were leaving, we commented to the woman at the front desk about how magnificent the collection was. As we turned to walk out, there was a gentleman sitting near the door who smiled at me. I smiled back, walked outside... and then suddenly realized: OMG -- THAT WAS GARY CHILCOTE!! I immediately turned around, walked back inside and approached him. "Are you Gary?" He responded with the kindest smile and a nod. I asked if I could shake his hand, and in that moment I was honestly overcome with chills, pride and admiration. I could hardly find the words to tell him how much I appreciated and admired the work and dedication that he and his family have poured -- and continue to pour -- into this extraordinary place. As we talked, I asked him questions about some of the history we had seen and learned, and he graciously shared even more stories with us. WOW. Just WOW. Mr. Chilcote, the honor was truly ours to meet you. Your willingness to share your knowledge, your passion for history, and your love for St. Joseph made this visit so much more than an awesome day. It was magical. Thank you for preserving these stories, these treasures and this history for generations to come. Keep up the incredible work!! And thank you for reminding us why preserving our history matters so much.

First - the employee DID ask if we wanted to ride. we said "yes". instead of walking behind the…read morecounter at the carousel, he followed us a short while, then left. IF I volunteered, there still wouldn't be anyone because we ALL GO TO LUNCH AT 1030! As far as the length of our visit, it doesn't take that long to recognize your terrible attitude!

Great place to visit I was surprised they didn't have the Indians they use to have Car show was…read moregreat

We went on national museum day, so admission was free. Very cool museum. Surprisingly, it is full…read moreof conservation information. A beautiful mansion. We also went to a fire-dancing performance in the yard there this summer. Love the community events!