Sight guide · Kansas City · United States
Visiting Arabia Steamboat Museum
The steamboat Arabia sank in the Missouri River in 1856 carrying 200 tons of frontier supplies.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
Arabia Steamboat Museum is a museum in River Market, Kansas City. Allow 1.5 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- River Market
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, kids and rainy day
- Best months
- April–June
About Arabia Steamboat Museum
The steamboat Arabia sank in the Missouri River in 1856 carrying 200 tons of frontier supplies. The river moved, and in 1988 a family dug the wreck out of a Kansas cornfield; the museum displays what they found — boots, dishes, tools and preserved pickles — and the restoration lab where conservation continues.
Tip: Go on a weekend morning and combine it with the City Market stalls just outside.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 1.5 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: River Market, weekend farmers' market, international grocers and lofts by the Missouri River.
Best time to visit Arabia Steamboat Museum
Arabia Steamboat Museum is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- May: 24°C (75°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- April: 19°C (66°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- June: 29°C (84°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, busy crowds.
When to visit Kansas City has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Kansas City itinerary visits Arabia Steamboat Museum on day 3, together with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, City Market and Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
- No. 8 of the 17 sights in our Kansas City things-to-do list.
- Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
- One of the picks in museums in Kansas City.
- One of the picks in kansas City on a rainy day.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Kansas City.
- A family favourite in Kansas City with kids.
Near Arabia Steamboat Museum
Also in River Market, so you can walk between them:
- City Market — 1–2 hours, free
If you like Arabia Steamboat Museum
- National WWI Museum and Memorial — Crown Center, 3–4 hours
- Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art — Country Club Plaza, 2–3 hours
- Negro Leagues Baseball Museum — 18th & Vine Jazz District, 1.5–2 hours
- American Jazz Museum and the Blue Room — 18th & Vine Jazz District, 1–2 hours, plus a show
Staying near Arabia Steamboat Museum
Stay in River Market ($$) to walk here: weekend farmers' market, international grocers and lofts by the Missouri River. All areas to stay in Kansas City.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Arabia Steamboat Museum?
Plan 1.5 hours. With City Market nearby, it fits a half-day in River Market.
+Is Arabia Steamboat Museum free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Arabia Steamboat Museum?
April–June, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Go on a weekend morning and combine it with the City Market stalls just outside.
+Do I need to book Arabia Steamboat Museum in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Arabia Steamboat Museum good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Kansas City. Kansas City works well with children: Science City and the Legoland and Sea Life attractions are under one connected roof at Crown Center, the zoo has a new aquarium, and barbecue restaurants are casual and noisy.