3 ways to get free or cheap admission to top KC area activities this summer
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sunflower Summer gives Kansas student families free access to dozens of museums.
- MCPL cardholders can borrow one-week museum passes for family group admission.
- ArtsKC offers $10 tickets to qualifying residents through The Drop discount program.
Families around Kansas City can enjoy free and cheap activities across the metro during the summer time. But if they’re looking to save a little more money while enjoying educational and artistic pasttimes, they can get free tickets to museums and other activity sites during the season.
Through the assistance of three programs, families can receive free or cheaper access to dozens of places around the Kansas City metro and within the state of Kansas. But some programs require residents to meet certain requirements to reap the benefits.
Here’s what you need to know and how to sign up.
Sunflower Summer for Kansas students
A program that’s only eligible for families with Kansas students from prekindergarten to 12th grade, Sunflower Summer offers residents free passes to many of the state’s attractions from Saturday, July 12, to Sunday, Aug. 3.
Families can visit sites like the Amelia Earhart Hanger Museum in Atchison, the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, Strawberry Hill Museum & Ethnic Cultural Center in KCK and the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in Overland Park for free through the program. You can search for all included attractions with an interactive map.
You can download the Sunflower Summer app on your phone and create an account before you gain access to dozens of free activities in Kansas, but families without smartphones can still participate in the program by working with attraction staff to fill out a paper voucher, according to Kansas Tourism.
The program allows for one free ticket for the student and a parent or guardian for each attraction. Any other adults present will have to pay out of pocket for admission, and once you visit a place, it’s “stamped” in the app.
Mid-Continent Public Library for library cardholders
The Mid-Continent Public Library, in partnership with Harry S. Truman Library & Museum and Wonderscope Children’s Museum, is offering a museum pass for visitors to check out and visit these museums with their families.
Library cardholders who are 18 years or older can check out a museum pass for up to one week to either museum. Each library in MCPL’s system will have one pass for visitors to check out for each attraction, and the passes can be returned to any library by the end of the day seven-day period.
Residents in Clay, Jackson, Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas can apply for a MCPL library card, along with the following Missouri counties:
- Andrew
- Buchanan
- Cass
- Henry
- Johnson
- Lafayette
- Ray
- City of Cameron
The museum pass for Harry S. Truman Library gets you a voucher for voucher valid for four adult, senior or child visitors. Each pass for Wonderscope includes basic admission for up to six people, ages 2 and up. Visitors under the age of 2 are free to enter Wonderscope.
Museum passes cannot be renewed, according to MCPL. Fines and fees will apply for late or lost museum passes like they would for books.
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum is at 500 W. U.S. Highway 24 in Independence, and Wonderscope Children’s Museum is at 433 E. Red Bridge Road in Kansas City.
The Drop for certain KC area neighborhoods
Nonprofit arts organization ArtsKC started The Drop, an arts and culture access program designed to reduce the cost of local events, according to a press release. The program is designed to help visitors go to arts events, shows and exhibits around the Kansas City area that they may not otherwise be able to afford.
You can sign up online and receive access to $10 tickets to venues like the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Unicorn Theatre and the arts golf course at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art or arts workshops at Cherry Pit Collective and Englewood Arts. Individuals qualify if they reside in areas where access to arts opportunities is limited or nonexistent within the Kansas City region, according to ArtsKC. The areas are not publicly listed on the website, but you can enter your ZIP code to check your eligibility.
Members can buy four discounted tickets to each event listed in “The Drop” tab on ArtsKCGo.com, and there is no limit on how many events you can attend. Each member will also receive a digital membership card sent to their email and can get a physical card from one of ArtsKC’s community ambassadors.
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
