The Science of Guinness World Records at Union Station
There’s something magical about uncovering new adventures in town or not far away. Whether you’re craving a creative reset or looking for a new way to spend a weekend, this season offers the perfect excuse to explore the vibrant arts and culture right here in our region.
Staycations
The Rabbit hOle
Step into a literary wonderland at The Rabbit hOle, where the pages of beloved children’s books inspire an immersive experience like no other.
The first museum of its kind in the United States, The Rabbit hOle is dedicated to bringing a century of American children’s literature to life. This immersive museum, located in North Kansas City’s Iron District, invites visitors to explore beloved books through multi-sensory, interactive environments that allow you to physically step into the stories.
Since its grand opening in March 2024, The Rabbit hOle has quickly established itself as a must-visit destination, an ever-growing array of exhibits that so far inhabit two stories of a four-story space.
The museum features exhibits based on more than 70 beloved children’s books, with new exhibits coming this summer. Step into the world of Last Stop on Market Street as you ride the bus with Nana and CJ, or enjoy the soothing darkness of Goodnight Moon in the great green room. Visitors can also journey into My Father’s Dragon, scale the cliffs with Sam and the Tigers or feed jum-jills to The Funny Thing. These interactive spaces allow you to become a part of the story, making it an experience for readers of all ages.
In addition to its exhibits, The Rabbit hOle offers several program spaces, including a Print Shop and its Tons of Fun room makerspace. It’s a hub for creativity, with hands-on art-making and book-related activities.
The Lucky Rabbit Bookstore will host events with nationally renowned authors and illustrators throughout this year.
Foodies can check out Max’s Kansas City, located on-site, where the menu is inspired by the books featured in the museum – try a Stinky Cheese Man grilled cheese for a tasty literary treat!
Timed tickets for The Rabbit hOle are strongly recommended. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit rabbitholekc.org.
Union Station – The Science of Guinness World Records
What does it take to become a world record holder? You can find out without ever leaving Kansas City.
Union Station is now home to The Science of Guinness World Records, a hands-on exhibition where visitors can explore what it takes to make history. Open through Sept. 2 in the Bank of America Gallery, this interactive experience goes behind the scenes of astonishing human feats – from the most drumbeats in 60 seconds to the tiniest handmade sculpture that fits inside the eye of a needle.
Developed by Science North in partnership with Ripley Entertainment Inc., the exhibition is designed for guests of all ages. Participants can explore the science behind mind-blowing records, challenge themselves with interactive installations and take selfies alongside some of the most unusual world record achievements ever documented.
One exhibit highlight is “Plane Loco,” a 20-foot-long steampunk locomotive made entirely of matchsticks by Iowa artist Patrick Acton. Constructed with more than a million matchsticks and 35 gallons of wood glue, the sculpture sets its own world record. Visitors can also experience the world of extreme miniatures, including the microscopic sculptures of Willard Wigan, who makes his own tiny tools – like a paintbrush made out of an eyelash. His creations are on view in Kansas City for the first time.
Tickets for The Science of Guinness World Records range from $15 to $17.50, with discounts available for seniors, groups and Union Station members. Children under 3 are free. Tickets and more information are available at UnionStation.org.
Exhibit hours:
- Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Last ticket sold daily at 4 p.m.
KCK Legacy Trail
Looking for a day trip that blends history, culture and incredible food? Head to Kansas City, Kan., and spend the day walking through stories that shaped the region – one neighborhood, one bite at a time.
The KCK Legacy Trail is a self-guided experience that invites visitors to explore the rich cultural tapestry of KCK through themed “journeys,” celebrating the city’s Latino, Black, Eastern European, Indigenous Peoples and modern immigrant communities. As you explore, you’ll uncover the people, stories and legacies that have shaped the city’s unique identity.
In addition to the Legacy Trail, food lovers can embark on the KCK Taco Trail. Featuring nearly 60 local taquerias, this food tour showcases a delicious variety of tacos, from street-style to Tex-Mex, and everything in between.
For more information or to sign up for either trail, with instructions delivered directly via text and email, visit www.visitkansascityks.com/kck-trails/.
Road Trips
The Museum of Art + Light
Step into a space where traditional fine art meets cutting-edge technology at The Museum of Art + Light in Manhattan, Kan.
Located just a couple of hours from Kansas City, this one-of-a-kind museum is redefining what a day at the museum can be – with a mix of immersive installations, an impressive permanent collection and dedicated digital art gallery all housed in a brand-new 100,000-square-foot campus.
A standout stop for fine art lovers is the museum’s third floor, home to the Fine Art Gallery and its current exhibition, Lasting Impressions: Shaping a Personal Collection, on display through Aug. 4. The exhibit features a rotating selection of artwork from the personal collections of the museum’s four founders, who have spent more than 40 years collecting works that span styles, eras and genres. The exhibition is more than a display of cherished pieces – it’s a story of passion, memory and the belief that art is meant to be shared.
Visitors can view works by major names like Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Anatole Krasnyansky and Max Papart. Adding to the experience is a new augmented reality (AR) feature that brings seven of these works to life. Just scan the QR code next to each designated piece and watch as animations created by the museum’s in-house motion graphics team transform your screen. The AR experience draws you into a deeper, more playful connection with the work.
The museum itself is a groundbreaking concept: the first museum in the world from inception designed to blend physical fine art with digital and immersive experiences. MoA+L’s mission is to blend 21st-century technology with the visual and performing arts to incite positive emotion, cultivate connection, encourage artistic exploration and spark innovation. From large-scale projections and sensory galleries to more traditional displays, it’s a place where lifelong art lovers and curious newcomers alike will find something to explore.
MoA+L is located at 316 Pierre St. in Manhattan and is closed on Tuesdays. Timed entry reservations are recommended and can be booked online at artlightmuseum.org.
The Joslyn
Step onto the Joslyn Art Museum campus in Omaha, Neb. and you’ll discover more than just galleries – you’ll enter a beautifully designed space where architecture, art and community converge.
After a three-year renovation, The Joslyn reopened in fall 2024 with a bold new expansion: the 42,000-square-foot Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion, designed by internationally renowned firm Snøhetta. The new pavilion connects seamlessly with the museum’s historic building, using matching rose-colored marble and maximizing natural light. It is now part of a campus of three architecturally distinct and connected buildings, surrounded by sculpture gardens featuring native Nebraska plants.
The expansion introduces a redesigned entrance sequence with a new main entrance, welcome desk and community room. Inside the pavilion, visitors can explore 10 new galleries, enjoy a rooftop terrace and take in views from overlook areas designed to enhance the experience.
With more than 12,000 works spanning 5,000 years of creativity, the Joslyn’s permanent collection is the largest in Nebraska – and general admission remains free to all. The museum also offers interactive fun in Art Works: A Place for Curiosity, a hands-on space open during all regular hours.
This summer, several temporary exhibitions are on view and included in free admission:
- Henry Payer: Appliqué sur le Terrain (through Sept. 4, 2025)
- The Floating World and Beyond: 200 Years of Japanese Prints (through Aug. 24, 2025)
- Bill Viola: The Raft (through Aug. 24, 2025)
Families and art lovers alike can also enjoy dining at the on-site café (with a full-service coffee bar, snacks and kid-friendly meals), plus shopping at the museum store.
For those looking to go deeper, the special ticketed exhibition Made in the Plains opens June 7 and runs through Sept. 21, highlighting new work by 20 contemporary artists from Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. Tickets are $10 for ages 13 and up; free for children 12 and under and museum members.
Joslyn Art Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays until 8 p.m. Located at 2200 Dodge St. in Omaha. Visit www.joslyn.org for details.
Opera in the Ozarks
A sweeping view of Beaver Lake, the soaring voices of rising stars and a brand-new, state-of-the-art theater – Opera in the Ozarks is ready to begin the 2025 season on a high note.
The summer music festival and opera training program based in Eureka Springs, Ark., marks its 75th anniversary with the grand opening of a brand-new theater and a full lineup of performances across Northwest Arkansas.
The 2025 summer season runs from June 27 to July 25 at Opera in the Ozarks’ longtime home, Inspiration Point Center for the Arts. Located five miles west of Eureka Springs, the venue overlooks Beaver Lake and now includes a state-of-the-art, 300-seat theater supported by a $34 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation. New rehearsal halls, practice rooms, production shops and faculty housing are also part of the expansion.
The new facility will be introduced to the public during a sold-out Gala Celebration on May 31, featuring performances by alumni and a first look at the completed space.
This summer’s MainStage season includes 21 fully staged performances of three operas:
- Carmen: June 27; July 2, 6, 11, 14, 19, 25
- Into the Woods: June 28; July 3, 7, 9, 13, 18, 23
- The Merry Widow: July 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 20, 24
Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.
The 2025 company includes about three dozen singers and a 25-piece orchestra.
“We have assembled a company of many wonderful singers from across the nation who will convene on our mountain this summer, and the always wonderful orchestra will be at full strength with 25-plus instrumentalists, ready to thrill you with their beautiful music making,” said Nancy Preis, Opera in the Ozarks General Director.
In addition to MainStage operas, more than a dozen community performances are planned at schools, libraries and senior centers. These outreach events, featuring Studio Artists, are free and open to the public.
Other highlights include a Chamber Music Concert at Inspiration Point on July 21, and two Broadway Cabarets:
- July 17 at The Medium in Springdale (7 p.m., with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar)
- July 22 at Inspiration Point (6 p.m., with buffet dinner and cash bar)
Tickets are now on sale. MainStage performances range from $30 to $50, with $10 tickets for students and children under 18.
For tickets and more information, visit opera.org.
Kansas African American Museum in Wichita
What do a jazz club, a civil rights lawyer and the first African American Academy Award winner have in common? You’ll find their stories and more at The Kansas African American Museum in Wichita, Kan.
Located at 601 N. Water St., the museum – once the historic Calvary Baptist Church – is a hub for art, history and culture rooted in the African American experience in Kansas. With regular hours Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., it’s an ideal day trip for anyone seeking a meaningful and educational getaway.
Built in 1917, the original church stood as the heart of a vibrant Black neighborhood. Today, its red brick walls hold curated exhibits, art collections and archival materials that highlight both local and statewide trailblazers. The building itself is a powerful artifact – preserved thanks to community leaders like Doris Kerr Larkins, who helped protect it from demolition in the 1970s.
Since becoming a museum in 1998, TKAAM has expanded its reach. It plays a central role in projects like the Kansas Black History Trail and the Kansas Trailblazer Hall of Fame. Its mission: to make the African American experience resonate with every Kansan.
Big changes are on the horizon. The museum’s capital campaign – launched during its 25th anniversary celebration in 2023 – recently surpassed the $6 million mark, including a significant gift from Bank of America. Those funds are helping bring to life a new museum and cultural center in downtown Wichita.
Work began in February on the former Sunflower Bank building at 201 N. Main. The remodeled facility will more than double the size of the current space and allow the museum to expand its exhibitions, programming and educational outreach. With upgraded amenities and more room to grow, the new location will position the museum as a statewide destination and an even more dynamic resource for the community.
To plan your visit or learn more, call 316-262-7651 or go to tkaamuseum.org.
