An infamous symbol of Cold War is coming to Kansas City. Here’s how to see it
The producers of “Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away,” which set attendance records at Union Station during 2021-22, are bringing a new exhibition to Kansas City. “The Berlin Wall. A World Divided” will open Friday, May 29, at Union Station’s 20,000-square-foot Bank of America Gallery, with tickets available online through Dec. 13.
“Auschwitz” wound up running for nine months because of the huge demand, ultimately attracting more than 315,000 visitors. Kansas City was one of only two North American stops — the other being New York City.
“The Berlin Wall” will make its North American premiere in KC. Six original segments of the wall arrived recently at Union Station after a trip of about 4,000 nautical miles from Barcelona, Spain. The Spanish traveling-exhibit company Musealia opened the exhibit in November 2023 in Madrid before taking it to Paris and Barcelona.
Each concrete segment from the wall, which divided free West Berlin and communist East Berlin from 1961 through 1989, is about 12 feet tall and weighs 2 1/2 tons. The wall was designed to prevent East Berlin’s residents from escaping into the West and became a symbol of the Cold War as it separated families and friends. The wall’s West Berlin side features colorful artwork while the East Berlin side is unpainted.
“These segments are more than concrete — they are witnesses to history,” George Guastello, president and CEO of Union Station, said in a news release. “Their presence in Kansas City provides a unique opportunity for our community to reflect on the enduring lessons of freedom, resilience and the consequences of division.”
In addition to the wall segments, the exhibition will feature artifacts such as barbed-wire barriers and spiked ground structures as well as tools, tunnel fragments, forged documents and other items East Berlin residents used in escape attempts.
“The Berlin Wall” will offer four galleries, taking visitors on a chronological journey: “A World Divided,” “Before the Wall,” “Division and Living with the Wall” and “Global Transformation and the End of the Cold War.”
‘The Berlin Wall. A World Divided’
When: Opens Friday, May 29; tickets are available online for dates through Dec. 13. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays (ticket sales stop two hours before closing).
Where: Bank of America Gallery, Union Station, 30 W. Pershing Road
What: North American premiere of exhibition featuring Berlin Wall segments and other artifacts.
Parking: West Yards Garage, free up to 30 minutes, $7 up to four hours, $16 four to eight hours, $24 more than eight hours (cash accepted). South Plaza and Triangle Lot, $15 (cash not accepted). Prices can vary during peak demand.
Tickets: Adults, $26; military and 65-and-over, $23; ages 4-12, $15; groups, $10-$15; members, $15. Anytime Collector’s Pass with flexible visit dates and piece of the Berlin Wall, $48.
Noteworthy
- Limited walk-up tickets might be available on some dates, depending on pre-sales.
- Organizers suggest allowing at least two hours to explore the exhibition.
- Audio guides and headphones are included with admission.
- The exhibition is recommended for ages 12 and older.
Information: unionstation.org
