A one-tank guide to summer fun: Art, culture and history from St. Louis to Dodge City

We have plenty of culture and history to check out this summer right here in Kansas City, with the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Truman Library, the National WWI Museum, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and much more.

In fact, Union Station’s “Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises” (July 13-Oct. 25) and Powell Gardens’ “Fortopia” (through Oct. 16) are can’t-miss local offerings.

But perhaps you want to get away.

And, given the waning pandemic and burgeoning inflation, perhaps you don’t want to fly, would rather avoid the mayhem of Branson with its many “museums” (wax, Titanic, dinosaurs, toys, cars, etc.) and don’t want to commit your life savings to paying for gas.

If you’re looking for interesting places to visit relatively close to Kansas City — say, within a five-hour drive or on one tank of gas (if you’re not behind the wheel of an RV) — they are plentiful.

By far the best bang for your buck is four hours away in St. Louis.

Imagine if Swope Park not only featured Starlight Theatre and the Kansas City Zoo, but also included the Nelson-Atkins, Science City and a much larger Kansas City Museum — with Powell Gardens a few blocks away. That describes Forest Park, site of the 1904 World’s Fair.

And most of those attractions are free. Of course, St. Louis has plenty more to offer, including the Gateway Arch.

In the other direction from Kansas City, Wichita is an hour closer than St. Louis and also has a bevy of interesting places to visit.

Here then is our one-tank guide to summer fun:

St. Louis

Missouri History Museum

Includes Library & Research Center and Soldiers Memorial Military Museum

Of note: “St. Louis Sound,” a 6,000-square-foot multimedia exhibit on artists ranging from Chuck Berry, Josephine Baker and Ike and Tina Turner to Jeff Tweedy and Nelly, through Jan. 22.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; free. mohistory.org.

More Forest Park

▪ St. Louis Art Museum, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; free. slam.org.

▪ St. Louis Science Center, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday-Monday; free (fees for some attractions). slsc.org.

▪ St. Louis Zoo, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Saturday (hours through Aug. 14, vary on holidays); free (fees for some attractions). stlzoo.org.

▪ The Muny outdoor theater, muny.org.

▪ Missouri Botanical Garden (several blocks away), 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, $14 ($6 for St. Louis or St. Louis County residents). missouribotanicalgarden.org.

Also in St. Louis

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site

Site of White Haven, family home of the president-to-be’s wife, where the Grants lived from 1854 to 1859.

Of note: Grant’s 200th birthday celebrations throughout year; Missouri Humanities’ touring exhibit, “Ulysses Grant’s Missouri,” on display at the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City throughout June.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; free. nps.gov/ulsg.

Plus:

▪ Gateway Arch, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily; tram to top, $11-$15; “Monument to the Dream” film, $3-$7. gatewayarch.com.

▪ Grant’s Farm (Budweiser Clydesdales and other animal experiences), 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; free ($25 for tours, $15 for parking). grantsfarm.com.

▪ National Museum of Transportation, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; $6-$15. tnmot.org.

▪ Missouri Civil War Museum (at Jefferson Barracks), 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; $7-$9. mcwm.org.

Wichita

Kansas Aviation Museum

Indoor and outdoor exhibits in the former Wichita Municipal Airport terminal include the Aviation Hall of Fame and many display aircraft.

Of note: “Women of Aviation” exhibit tentatively scheduled to open later this year.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; $6-$10. kansasaviationmuseum.org.

Wichita Art Museum

Eight-acre Art Garden features 13 sculptures for free viewing.

Of note: “Beth Lipman: All in Time,” June 24-Sept. 25.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; $5-$10. wichitaartmuseum.org.

Also in Wichita

▪ Old Cowtown, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; $6-$9. oldcowtown.org.

▪ Botanica (gardens), 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; $8-$10. botanica.org.

▪ Exploration Place (science center), 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; $8-$17.50. exploration.org.

Beyond Kansas-Missouri

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas

The pet project of Walmart heiress Alice Walton opened in 2011 and puts world-class art and architecture on 120 acres of the Ozarks.

Of note: “The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse,” through July 25 ($12 admission); “We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy,” July 4-Jan. 2 (free).

Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday; free. crystalbridges.org.

Des Moines Arts Center

Collection covers the 19th century to the present, with a major emphasis on contemporary art.

Of note: Photos the focus of two upcoming exhibitions, “Images Unbound” (June 25-Sept. 25) and “Hold Me Closer” (Aug. 5-Dec. 11).

Details: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; free. desmoinesartcenter.org.

The Durham Museum, Omaha

Facility inside Omaha’s Union Station provides a history of the region and a broad range of traveling exhibits.

Of note: “Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition,” through July 3; “Dinosaur Revolution,” through Sept. 4.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. $7-$13. durhammuseum.org.

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch, Iowa

Exhibits trace the life of Hoover, who was born in West Branch and elected the 31st president in 1928.

Of note: “Deliverance: America and the Famine in Soviet Russia, 1921-1923,” through end of the year.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; $3-$10. hoover.archives.gov.

John Wayne Birthplace & Museum, Winterset, Iowa

The only museum in the world dedicated to the acting legend includes artifacts such as movie posters, film wardrobe, scripts and a car.

Of note: The movie theater’s seats originally were in Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, March-November; $10-$20. johnwaynebirthplace.museum.

Woody Guthrie Center and Bob Dylan Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

With the recent opening of the Bob Dylan Center, now two musical legends are honored under one roof.

Of note: “Bruce Springsteen Live!” through Sept. 25.

Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; $10-$12, $20 for both. woodyguthriecenter.org and bobdylancenter.com.

Other presidents and famous people

Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, Atchison, Kansas

Famed aviator was born and grew up in 160-year-old Gothic Revival cottage overlooking the Missouri River.

Of note: Amelia Earhart Festival, July 16.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; $4-$8. ameliaearhartmuseum.org.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, Abilene, Kansas

Includes a museum, gift shop and Place of Meditation; boyhood home is closed for preservation project.

Of note: Traveling exhibit “Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & The Art of War,” through Nov. 27.

Details: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; $10-$15. eisenhowerlibrary.gov.

Evel Knievel Museum, Topeka

Motorcycles and other artifacts, documents and photographs from the late-20th century’s most famous daredevil fill 13,000 square feet of exhibition space.

Of note: Exhibits include a virtual reality jump experience.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; $7-$12. evelknievelmuseum.com.

George Washington Carver National Monument, Diamond, Missouri

A 2,100-acre park featuring the boyhood home of the agricultural scientist and inventor.

Of note: Carver Day Celebration, July 9.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; free. nps.gov/gwca.

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, Lawrence

Includes world’s largest stained-glass American flag, Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall and exhibit on the life of Sen. Bob Dole.

Of note: Offers tours, lectures and discussions; exhibit “Missing, Then Action: An Army Wife Speaks Out,” June 14-Sept. 30.

Details: Noon-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; free. doleinstitute.org.

More history

Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum, Lawrence

Four floors of exhibits, from microbes to 45-foot-long mosasaur.

Of note: The Panorama, a 360-degree exhibit depicting North American mammals in their natural surroundings, was part of the Kansas Pavilion at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday; free, suggested donation $4-$7. biodiversity.ku.edu.

Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City

Hearken back to perhaps the most famous Wild West town; Dodge City celebrates 150 years as an incorporated municipality this year, and Boot Hill Museum turns 75.

Of note: Dodge City Days, July 28-Aug. 7.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday; $10-$16. boothill.org and dodgecity150.com.

History Museum on the Square, Springfield

Galleries on Route 66, Native Americans, the Civil War, Wild Bill Hickock and more.

Of note: Readers of 10Best, a travel website from USA Today, voted this the country’s Best New Attraction for 2019.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday; $10-$16. historymuseumonthesquare.org.

Kansas Museum of History, Topeka

The state’s story from the native peoples to Bleeding Kansas to the recent past.

Of note: The oldest surviving Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe locomotive, Carry Nation’s hammer and George Armstrong Custer’s boots are among the artifacts.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; $5-$10. kshs.org.

State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia

Research center with recurring exhibitions.

Of note: “Show Me a Bicentennial!” through July 1; “Domesticated Animals & American Identity: A Selection of Artworks by George Caleb Bingham & Thomas Hart Benton,” through Dec. 23; “In Their Own Words: Celebrating the National Women and Media Collection,” July 6-Dec. 23.

Details: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; free. shsmo.org.

Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays

Exhibits examine the Earth’s natural history, with an emphasis on the Great Plains.

Of note: “Sahara Sea Monsters,” through Sept. 18.

Details: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday; $6-$10. sternberg.fhsu.edu.

Other Kansas-Missouri places to see

Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; $5-$10. flinthillsdiscovery.org.

Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium, Springfield

9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; $21.50-$48. wondersofwildlife.org.

Missouri State Penitentiary Jefferson City

Check website for days and hours of tours; $25-$45 ($75-$100 for overnight ghost tours). missouripentours.com.

Oz Museum, Wamego, Kansas

9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday; $6-$10. ozmuseum.com.

Strataca: Kansas Underground Salt Museum, Hutchinson

9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-3 p.m. Sunday; $14-$21. underkansas.org.

Truman State Office Building, Jefferson City

The Missouri Bicentennial Mural painted by 16,116 people, June 23 (on permanent display). Dedication at 2:30 p.m. June 23. facebook.com.

Warm Springs Ranch, Boonville

Breeding facility of Budweiser Clydesdales. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily except Wednesday; $15 and up. warmspringsranch.com.

More day trips

Hamilton, Missouri

▪ J.C. Penney Museum, cityofhamiltonmo.com.

▪ Missouri Quilt Museum, missouriquiltmuseum.com.

Lawson

▪ Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site, mostateparks.com.

Leavenworth

▪ Leavenworth Historical Museum Association: C.W. Parker Carousel Museum, First City Museum and National Fred Harvey Museum, firstcitymuseumslhma.com.

▪ Frontier Army Museum, history.army.mil/museums.

Lexington

▪ Battle of Lexington State Historic Site. mostateparks.com.

Nevada, Missouri

▪ Bushwhacker Museum, bushwhacker.org.

Osawatomie, Kansas

▪ John Brown Museum State Historic Site, kshs.org.

Sedalia

▪ Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site, mostateparks.com.

▪ Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, daummuseum.org.

St. Joseph

▪ Museum Complex: Glore Psychtriac Museum, Black Archives Museum, Doll Museum and Native American Galleries, stjosephmuseum.org.

▪ Patee House Museum and Jesse James Home, ponyexpressjessejames.com.

▪ Pony Express National Museum, ponyexpress.org.

▪ Walter Cronkite Memorial, wcm.missouriwestern.edu.

MeLinda Schnyder of The Wichita Eagle contributed to this report.

This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM.

Dan Kelly

The Kansas City Star

Dan Kelly has been covering entertainment and arts news at The Star since 2009. He previously worked at the Columbia Daily Tribune, The Miami Herald and The Louisville Courier-Journal. He also was on the University of Missouri School of Journalism faculty for six years, and he has written two books, most recently “The Girl with the Agate Eyes: The Untold Story of Mattie Howard, Kansas City’s Queen of the Underworld.”