The dinosaurs are back! Kansas City’s Union Station goes prehistoric with new exhibit
Dinosaurs will return this weekend to Union Station, where “Dinosaurs Revealed” was a big hit last year.
“Dinosaur Road Trip,” a walk-through prehistoric adventure that combines science, geography and history, will open July 3 as Union Station’s first exhibition since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March. It traces historic Route 66 with stops in 18 states featuring 26 life-size animatronic dinosaurs.
Hours will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, with admission $10 through July 31, then $8-$12 through Jan. 6.
For more information and to buy tickets, go to unionstation.org.
▪ Union Station, along with Crown Center, the National WWI Museum and Memorial and the Westin Crown Center, also will present Casi Joy in a free live online Independence Day concert from the historic train depot.
The local country singer, who was a sensation on “The Voice” in 2017, will perform at 7 p.m. July 4 at facebook.com.
In addition to area fireworks displays, here are five more in-person activities to consider for the next week:
▪ The band BQ Ocean Blu will perform 11 a.m.-3 p.m. July 3 and 4 under the 12th Street Bridge as part of the West Bottoms’ First Friday Weekend, which runs July 3-5. westbottoms.com.
▪ Blues man Mike Zito will bring his “Social Distancing Tour 2020” to Knuckleheads on July 3 (8 p.m., $20), when he and his trio will play in the Gospel Lounge, and July 4 (8:30 p.m., $15-$25), when Nick Schnebelen and his band will join Zito’s trio to celebrate the holiday on the outdoor stage. knuckleheadskc.com.
▪ Bullseye Brass, a group from the 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas Army National Guard based in Olathe, will put on a free concert in the Memorial Courtyard at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, 1 p.m. July 8. theworldwar.org.
▪ Although Independence Day 1850s style was canceled, Missouri Town 1855 in Fleming Park is open to the public, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday ($4-$7; mask required). makeyourdayhere.com.
▪ The area’s wineries are, for the most part, open for business. Some require reservations and limit the number of visitors. Three possibilities: Somerset Ridge (somersetridge.com) in Paola, Fence Stile (fencestile.com) in Excelsior Springs and Amigoni Urban Winery (amigoni.com) in the West Bottoms.
Here are five more online ways you and your family can spend your coronavirus-induced stay-at-home time:
▪ A virtual First Friday reception will mark Buttonwood Art Space’s opening of “Connection,” a benefit for Jewish Family Services, 6-9 p.m. July 3 (runs online through Sept. 24) at buttonwoodartspace.com.
▪ Participants can choose among a 5K, half-marathon and 24-hour ultra in the RunnerMania Virtual Running Festival-Kansas City, July 3-5 ($40-$60) at eventbrite.com.
▪ Lawrence author Sarah Henning will celebrate the launch of “The Princess Will Save You,” a young-adult fantasy adventure, 7 p.m. July 7 at crowdcast.io. More information at ravenbookstore.com.
▪ Horse trainer Shannon Krahenbuhl will present “All About Horses with Fired Up Ranch,” designed for children 8 and older, 2 p.m. July 8 through Mid-Continent Public Library, facebook.com/mcpl360. More information at mymcpl.org.
▪ Check out two online exhibitions from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: “Highlights From W. Eugene Smith’s ‘Nurse Midwife,’ 1951” (artsandculture.google.com/midwife) and “Generations: Women in the Early History of the Nelson-Atkins” (artsandculture.google.com/generations).
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
