Rainy day · Kansas City · United States
8 things to do in Kansas City when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Brit By Birth, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with National WWI Museum and Memorial, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 13–16 hours across 5 areas; 2 are free. May is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 13–16 hours
- Areas
- Crown Center, Country Club Plaza and 18th & Vine Jazz District
Kansas City on a rainy day
Museum · Crown Center
1.National WWI Museum and Memorial
Walk out onto the memorial lawn at the top of the hill at sunset; it is free and gives the city's classic skyline view.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Country Club Plaza
2.Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Start in the Bloch Building and finish on the south lawn so you see the Shuttlecocks in late-afternoon light.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · 18th & Vine Jazz District
3.Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Buy the combined ticket with the American Jazz Museum, which shares the same building.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · 18th & Vine Jazz District
4.American Jazz Museum and the Blue Room
Check the Blue Room's calendar and plan the museum visit for late afternoon so you can stay for an evening set.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours, plus a show
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- After dark
- Art
- Rainy day
Architecture · Crown Center
5.Union Station and Science City
Walking through the Grand Hall is free; pair it with the WWI Museum across Pershing Road.
- Time needed
- 1 hour; 3 hours with Science City
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Museum · River Market
6.Arabia Steamboat Museum
Go on a weekend morning and combine it with the City Market stalls just outside.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Gallery · Country Club Plaza
7.Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
It is a ten-minute walk from the Nelson-Atkins; do both in one art-focused afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Westside
8.Boulevard Brewing Company
Book a tour slot online on weekends, then walk to the Mexican restaurants on Southwest Boulevard for dinner.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Crown Center | National WWI Museum and Memorial and Union Station and Science City | 3–4 hours + 1 hour; 3 hours with Science City |
| Country Club Plaza | Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art | 2–3 hours + 1 hour |
| 18th & Vine Jazz District | Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and American Jazz Museum and the Blue Room | 1.5–2 hours + 1–2 hours, plus a show |
| River Market | Arabia Steamboat Museum | 1.5 hours |
| Westside | Boulevard Brewing Company | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 4 low cost, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is National WWI Museum and Memorial; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Crown Center): National WWI Museum and Memorial → Union Station and Science City, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Country Club Plaza): Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art → Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (18th & Vine Jazz District): Negro Leagues Baseball Museum → American Jazz Museum and the Blue Room, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (River Market and Westside): Arabia Steamboat Museum → Boulevard Brewing Company, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- May: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds. Warm and green, but the stormiest month; keep an eye on weather alerts.
- April: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds. Trees bloom and the Royals' season begins; thunderstorms become more frequent.
- June: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 10 rainy days, busy crowds. Hot and humid with long evenings; outdoor festivals and summer baseball are in full swing.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Crossroads Arts District — Converted warehouses full of galleries, coffee roasters and restaurants south of downtown
- River Market — Weekend farmers' market, international grocers and lofts by the Missouri River
- Crown Center and Union Station — Hallmark's office-and-shopping complex beside the grand 1914 railway station
- Country Club Plaza — Spanish-style towers, fountains and outdoor shopping streets built in the 1920s
- Westport — Historic outfitting town turned bar district between the Plaza and midtown
More of Kansas City
All things to do in Kansas City · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Kansas City?
National WWI Museum and Memorial. Designated by Congress as America's official First World War museum, it opens with a glass bridge over a field of 9,000 poppies, each representing 1,000 combatant deaths.
+Which of these are free in Kansas City?
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.