Kansas City Attractions

Ameristar Casino
Interstate 435 at Highway 210, Kansas City.
Phone 816-414-7000. Toll-free 888-440-7700.
Probably the most popular casino in town, this two-boat operation offers poker, roulette, craps, blackjack and slot machines. A luxury hotel, a live-entertainment venue, restaurants, child-care facilities and a movie theater are also on the premises. Monday-Thursday 8 am-5 am, Friday and Saturday 24 hours, Sunday 9 am-4 am. No admission charge.

Argosy Casino
777 N.W. Argosy Parkway, Riverside.
Toll-free 800-270-7711.
In a Mediterranean-inspired riverboat, Kansas City's newest casino features coinless slot machines, blackjack, roulette and various forms of poker. Entertainment and restaurant facilities are also available. Theme parties are often offered. Sunday-Thursday 8 am-5 pm, Friday and Saturday open 24 hours. No admission charge.
City Hall and Observation Deck
414 E. 12th St., Kansas City. Phone 816-513-1313.
City Hall is one of many lovely art-deco buildings around town. At 30 stories up, the observation deck affords a grand, panoramic view of downtown and beyond. (Note: Visitors must walk up the last two flights of stairs.) Parking is limited--grab a spot on the street if you can. Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm (weather permitting). Free.

Community Christian Church
4601 Main St., Kansas City.
Phone 816-561-6531.
Located just east of Country Club Plaza, the original church was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1940s. The spectacular "Steeple of Light," visible for miles on weekend nights, was part of Wright's original vision for the church, but the necessary technology wasn't available until about 50 years later. Monday-Friday 9 am-4:30 pm (the steeple is only lit Friday-Sunday nights). Donations welcomed.

Fountains
Phone 816-842-2299 for more information.
The basis for the town's reputation as the City of Fountains, Kansas City's waterworks range from classical pieces to more modern designs. A fountain even graces the outfield of Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. Others include: the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain at 47th and Main, the Barney Allis Plaza Fountain at 12th and Wyandotte (beautifully lit at night), the Crown Center Fountains on the square at Grand and Pershing (an elaborate spectacle of lights) and the reflecting pools and fountains at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Most of the fountains are turned off during winter.

Harry S. Truman Home
223 N. Main St., Independence.
Phone 816-254-2720.
Located 1 mile from the Truman Library, this is the house where Bess Wallace was raised. When she married a young fellow named Harry, he moved into the house as well. After Truman's term in office, he and Bess lived in the beautiful 14-room Victorian mansion. Tours available. Daily 8:30 am-5 pm. Closed on Monday from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

Liberty Memorial
100 W. 26th St. (near Union Station), Kansas City.
Phone 816-784-1918.
This World War I museum and monument, dedicated in 1926, contains extensive exhibits about a number of European and American individuals who fought and perished in the Great War. The collection includes photos, artwork and personal effects. The soaring memorial, with its observation tower and "Great Frieze" is a must-see for first-time visitors to Kansas City. Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm.,

Union Cemetery
227 E. 28th St., Kansas City.
Phone 816-472-4990.
The historic graveyard is the city's oldest cemetery and the final resting place for many Civil War soldiers. Several of Kansas City's founding fathers are buried there, too. (You'll recognize their names from driving the city's streets.) Tuesday-Saturday 8 am-3:30 pm. Free

Union Station
30 W. Pershing Road, Kansas City.
Phone 816-460-2020
Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. Free.
City taxpayers contributed millions to return this historic 1914 beaux-arts structure to its former beauty and grandeur. The expansive Grand Hall is the most impressive part of the building, filled with dozens of shops and restaurants. Stop by the Old Town exhibit to see memorabilia from the 1800s to the present. Kids and adults will enjoy the Science City interactive exhibits. Call for current parking information as the surrounding area is part of a long-term construction project.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial
43rd Street and Broadway, Kansas City.
Phone 816-561-8387.
Dedicated in 1986, this somber memorial to all Vietnam veterans includes a wall bearing the names of those from the Kansas City area listed as missing in action or killed in action. The remarkable fountain and park benches surrounding the memorial make it a popular resting spot. Free.
American Jazz Museum
1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City. Phone 816-474-8463.
Tuesday-Saturday 9 am-6 pm, Sunday noon-6 pm.
Located in the historic 18th and Vine District, the heart of Kansas City's early jazz scene, the museum has a video jukebox, more than 100 recordings, artifacts and other exhibits devoted to such greats as Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

Arabia Steamboat Museum
400 Grand Ave., Kansas City.
Phone 816-471-4030.
The Arabia sank in the Missouri River in 1856. The river eventually changed course, and the vessel was left buried in a farm field. More than a century later the site was excavated, and steamboat enthusiasts found the boat and its cargo remarkably well preserved. The museum includes many of the ship's original parts and its cargo, including European glassware, firearms and tools. Monday-Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm.

Hallmark Visitors Center
2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City.
Phone 816-274-3613.
Displays examine the 90+ years of history of Hallmark greeting cards. You'll find a variety of interactive exhibits and movies. One exhibit features the popular Keepsake Ornaments. Tuesday-Friday 9 am-5 pm, Saturday 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Free.

Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum
500 W. U.S. Highway 24 (at Delaware Street, about 10 miles from downtown Kansas City), Independence.
Toll-free 800-833-1225
One of the permanent exhibits reproduces Truman's Oval Office, including a Dumont television (Truman was the first president to have a TV in the White House). Truman's original "The Buck Stops Here" sign, given to him in 1945, is also on display. The library contains some 10 million papers, books and other historical documents relating to his life and administration. Monday-Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Thursday 9 am-9 pm..

Kansas City Museum
3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City.
Phone 816-483-8300.
Located in a beaux-arts mansion from the early 1900s, the museum focuses on regional and natural history, including hands-on exhibits and dioramas about the city's history and climate. There's also a 1910 soda fountain and a planetarium. Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 am-4:30 pm, Sunday noon-4:30 pm. Sky shows Friday at 1:30 pm, Saturday every 45 minutes 1-3:15 pm, Sunday at 2:30 pm.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
4420 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City.
Phone 816-561-3737.
A wonderful modern building with contemporary sculpture, prints, paintings and multimedia works. The food served in the museum restaurant is often as creative and inspiring as the art on exhibit (and is usually easier to digest). Look for the leggy spider sculptures outside the museum. Tuesday-Thursday 10 am-4 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am-9 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm. Free.