Skip to content
visitorfun
MuseumsIconicHistory Buff

National WWI Museum and Memorial

2 Memorial Dr · Kansas City, MO

Why you should go…

Cross a glass bridge over a field of 9,000 poppies into the nation's most comprehensive World War I collection. Then ride to the top of the 217-foot Liberty Memorial Tower for the single best panoramic view of the Kansas City skyline. Moving, world-class, and unforgettable.

  • #history
  • #memorial
  • #skyline-views
  • #observation-deck

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to National WWI Museum and Memorial, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Family favorite

    Crown Center

    Free

    Hallmark's 85-acre downtown campus packs an aquarium, LEGOLAND, free kids' art studio, and a winter ice rink into one walkable complex.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Legoland Discovery Center Kansas City

    $25–$50

    Indoor LEGO-themed family attraction with rides, play zones and a 4D cinema at Crown Center.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Union Station Kansas City

    Free

    A gloriously restored 1914 rail palace packed with Science City, blockbuster exhibits and a planetarium.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    The Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

    Free

    A free downtown Kansas City museum where visitors can see a working cash vault and lift a real gold bar.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    College Basketball Experience

    Under $25

    Interactive downtown Kansas City attraction with basketball skill games and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

    1.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    American Jazz Museum

    Under $25

    In the historic 18th & Vine district, hands-on exhibits trace Charlie Parker, Ella, and Duke, with live sets in the museum's own Blue Room club.

    1.5 mi awayMore like this