A group of students ascend the grand staircase to Brandmeyer Great Hall. (photo by True to Form Media)
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts began as a sketch on the back of a napkin by renowned architect Moshe Safdie and is now an iconic part of the Kansas City skyline. Groups can book a guided private tour of the Kauffman Center to take in the history of its construction, impressive engineering feats and architectural attributes.
Knowledgeable volunteer tour guides will lead visitors through Brandmeyer Great Hall, the grand atrium lobby with a four-level curtain wall of glass and a stunning panoramic view of the Crossroads Arts District. It serves as the principal gathering space for patrons attending the Kauffman Center’s diverse performing arts experiences.
Visitors will experience Helzberg Hall, the 1,600-seat venue that features the custom-built Julia Irene Dennie – Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875. Helzberg Hall serves as the performance home of the Kansas City Symphony and hosts a variety of local, national and international artists. This incredible concert hall boasts design elements that were carefully chosen by esteemed acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota for their acoustical qualities and ability to bring musicians together as a unified instrument.
“I wanted to share a note of appreciation for the incredible educational tour of the Kauffman Center. Our tour guide defied expectations and was incredibly knowledgeable! We were amazed at how many facts and numbers she had memorized … It was a wonderful day! It was one of the best tours we’ve ever been on.” – Tour attendee
Tour attendees will take in the splendor of Muriel Kauffman Theatre, the performance home of the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. The 1,800-seat venue is designed to be visually striking yet retain an intimate experience for both audiences and performers. Inspired by the grand opera houses of Europe, the visually stunning theater is designed to accommodate diverse forms of performing arts and entertainment and features a 5,000-square-foot proscenium stage.
“Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to tour the Kauffman [Center]. Many of us had been to events but the tour gave us a new appreciation for the venue. We so admire and appreciate the gift of the Kauffman Center to the Kansas City area.” – Tour attendee
Private guided tours
The Kauffman Center welcomes private tour requests for groups of all types and sizes. Tours are approximately 60 minutes in length, led by knowledgeable volunteer tour guides and only available with reservations. Private tours must be requested through the form at kauffmancenter.org/tours at least three weeks before the requested tour date. Private tours cost $100 for groups of 35 attendees or fewer and $150 for more than 35. The Kauffman Center is pleased to cover the cost of a private tour on behalf of K-12 school groups or other educational institutions if the group is affiliated with a nonprofit organization with a tax ID number.
Public access hours
On many Fridays, the Kauffman Center facilitates complimentary public access hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., during which visitors can explore performance spaces with the guidance of a volunteer greeter. Occasionally, event preparations do not allow for this experience, or visits may be limited to Brandmeyer Great Hall. Visitors may refer to the public access hours section of kauffmancenter.org/tours, or call the ticket office at 816.994.7222 to confirm available times.
Take a virtual tour
Those wanting to explore the building from afar are invited to visit kauffmancenter.org/architecture to get a 360-degree view of the performance halls and delve into insights behind their unique design.
