Employing Egyptian Revival architecture, the Liberty Memorial Tower, overlooks the main courtyard of the Liberty Memorial and the north lawn. Providing breath-taking views of Kansas City, the Memorial Tower was designed in the early 1920s by H. Van Buren Magonigle. There's a Flame of Inspiration made of steam and lighting effects that is lit at night.
Grinter Place is ideally located on a hill overlooking the Kansas River. Built in the year 1857, the house is currently known as Grinter Place State Historic Site and was registered under the National Register of Historic Places in the year 1971. The house served as the residence of the Grinter family who built the Grinter ferry which was an important trade post and was also used by the military. It is one of the oldest remaining trade post in the county.The house is two storied and made of red brick. The first floor consists of a parlor, kitchen and a dining room with the bedrooms and the central hall on the second floor.
Opening in summer 2024, the historic Rock Island Railroad Bridge will be reinvented as the world’s first entertainment district over a river! With live music, dining, coffee shops and bars, pop-up shops, trailhead service, and more…there’s always something to experience on the bridge. This 1905 bridge that once carried freight and livestock into the historic West Bottoms is being reinvented as a keystone for the emerging Kansas waterfront. Recreational activities emerging around the bridge include hiking and biking trails, kayaking and canoeing, farmers markets, and art fairs – the Rock Island Bridge is like nothing you’ve ever seen or done. Longer than the St. Louis Arch is tall, the bridge offers open-air community spaces with viewing platforms—the perfect setting to catch a yoga class or grab a coffee. Enjoy lunch, dinner and drinks on the enclosed main deck. The top deck features a 50-foot bar with sweeping views of the river valley, as well as an indoor event space with seating for 250 people. Destined to be Kansas City’s newest icon, be among the first to experience the Rock Island Bridge. Scheduled to open in summer 2024.
Located right in front of Union Station, the Lamp Post Clock dates back to the 1880s, making it a relic of Kansas City's glorious past. Through it's more than 100 year life span, the grand clock has stood at numerous spots in the city, landing finally at the Union Station in 1936. Ironically, the clock fell prey to the rigors of time and was briefly out of service In 2015. Thankfully, the majestic clock was restored to its former glory through a private donation in the subsequent year and proudly stands now as an essential part of the station.
Closed now
Home and studio of local artist, Thomas Hart Benton, this site is a must-visit for those interested in the 'Regionalist' art movement. The house is now a museum that contains artifacts and other objects from Benton's daily life. The chief exhibits are his famed mural " A Social History of the State of Missouri" as well as a stretched canvas that the artist never touched. If you enjoy the art of Grant Wood or John Steuart Curry, then you will enjoy one of their brethren at the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio.
