Jacob Loose Memorial Park  

Ready to enjoy the great outdoors?  Need some quiet time and fresh air?  We invite you to visit Jacob Loose Park, located just 1.5 miles from the museum or 0.5 miles south of the Intercontinental Hotel.  Consisting of seventy-five acres, it is one of the largest parks in Kansas City featuring several walking/jogging paths, tennis courts, playground, specialty gardens, arboretum, garden center, civil war history, picnic spots and sparkling fountains.

Harry S Truman Presidential Library and Museum

“I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.” Harry Truman

Unique among American Presidents, Harry Truman took office after Franklin Roosevelt’s sudden death in 1945 and within months had to make decisions that few people in history have had to make.  His popularity was at a low point after he left office, but his death in 1972 brought new attention to his political career.  He emerged as a political folk hero, exemplifying integrity and accountability.

The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum opened in 1957, the first Presidential Library to be created under the 1955 Presidential Libraries Act. Docents visiting the Truman Library will have an opportunity to see the newly reimagined facility, opening in 2021 after a $30 million renovation.

Posh and Pizzazz

Country Club Plaza

• The Country Club Plaza brings a touch of European shopping to Kansas City.  One of the region’s most vibrant landmarks, the Country Club Plaza was designed in 1922 as the country’s first suburban shopping district.  This 1 million square foot dining and retail neighborhood was inspired by Spanish architectural styles, such as stately towers, landscaped courtyards, grand and small fountains and stucco facades.
• Distance from the InterContinental Hotel:  0.3 miles (easier to walk than to drive)
•  https://countryclubplaza.com/

Ewing and Muriel Kauffmann Memorial Gardens

Embrace the beauty of nature in an exquisite garden inspired by the world travels of its founders, Ewing and Muriel Kauffmann.  Framed by a stately stone wall, the two- acre botanic garden features 7,000 plants including annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees arranged in five unique areas.  Open year-round, lush and diverse plant beds are constantly cycling so there are surprises with each visit. The garden is located just a ten-minute walk from the museum or one mile from the Intercontinental Hotel.

Before you plan your visit, imagine strolling Camille Pisarro’s The Garden of Les Mathurins at Pontoise (Gallery P-27, Bloch Galleries, Plaza Level at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.).  Then meander the pathways of Kaufmann Gardens which connect five distinctive areas.

Kansas City Barbecue – The Barbeque Capital of the World

Ask any two docents for their favorite barbecue restaurant and you’ll get three answers.  With a worldwide reputation for delicious barbecue, Kansas City has over 100 BBQ restaurants to choose from. Kansas Citians are passionate about their barbecue and we all have our favorites.

The rich culinary tradition started in the 1920’s with Henry Perry, who started barbecuing in an outdoor pit at his streetcar barn in the 18th and Vine area.  His slabs of meat were served on newspaper and were priced at 25 cents a slab.  In addition to pork and beef, Henry offered opossum, woodchuck and raccoon.

When Henry died in 1940, he left the business to one of his cooks, Charlie Bryant. Charlie brought in his brother Arthur who took over the business in 1946, renaming the restaurant Arthur Bryant’s.

Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio 

Thomas Hart Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri, on April 15, 1889. He became one of America’s most renowned painter, sculptor, lecturer and writer. 

After pursuing art instruction in Chicago and Paris, teaching in New York City, and a brief stint in the navy, Benton moved to Kansas City in 1935.  

History Comes Alive

At the very heart of Kansas City, you’ll find two historic monuments at one stop. 

Museum of Deaf History, Arts and Culture

If you are curious about Deaf people or want to learn about our rich heritage, you have come to the right place!

Learn about De’VIA, Deaf View/Image Art, with a visit to the Chuck Baird Gallery. De’VIA is an art that examines and expresses the Deaf Experience from a cultural, linguistic and intersectional point of view. (Sign language interpreters will be available for the tour of the Chuck Baird Gallery.)

The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures

The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures, located one mile south of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, is the world's largest collection of fine-scale miniatures and one of the nation's largest collections of historic toys. The collection has more than 84,000 objects.

Country Club Plaza

Located within steps of the Intercontinental Hotel and Docent Symposium, the Country Club Plaza is 15 blocks of art, shopping, and dining in the heart of Kansas City.  With 100 stores, 30 restaurants, and amazing Spanish style architecture, "The Plaza" is the first planned suburban shopping center in the country, developed in 1923.  Be sure to take a stroll around this area, which is loved by all Kansas Citians.  Don’t miss the Giralda Tower, which is a half-size replica of the original in Seville, Spain.  There are over 40 lovely fountains, wrought iron pieces and sculptures around The Plaza, brought to the US especially for this area.