City: Kansas City, MO

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (816) 753-5784

Address: 4420 Warwick Blvd.

Description: When locals describe Kansas City’s “other” art museum, they simply say, “It’s the one with the spider.” This one could be the model for a sci-fi thriller. The sculpture by Louise Bourgeois weighs 1,600 pounds and is roughly the size of a New York apartment. A much smaller crawler can be seen on the building’s exterior wall.Opened in 1994, the museum is a gift from R. Crosby Kemper, recently retired as head of UMB Financial Corporation. At its core is the stunning collection of Kemper and his wife, Bebe, that includes works by Jasper Johns, David Hockney, Robert Motherwell, Georgia O’Keeffe, Willem de Kooning, and Frank Stella. A Dale Chihuly blown-glass chandelier is one of the most stunning displays. If Wayne Thiebaud’s Cakes and Pies painting makes you hungry, you’ll find relief in Cafe Sebastienne. Consider this delightful restaurant part of the art tour because the walls are filled floor to ceiling with 110 canvases by Frederick James Brown. The works, commissioned by the Kempers, tell “The History of Art,” and it’s fun to pick out references to masters such as Picasso, Matisse, and Van Gogh. Along with permanent displays, the museum hosts exhibits throughout the year, usually by cutting-edge artists. Want one more reason to thank the Kempers? Admission is free. The museum is open every day except Mon, and the cafe serves lunch Tues through Sat, Sunday brunch, and dinner Fri and Sat. When you visit, take time to walk around the grounds of the Kansas City Art Institute next door; several of the students’ sculptures are good enough to be in the museum.