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New and Improved KC

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2024 promises to be a year of firsts and the reimagining and celebrating of our city’s icons.

Everything’s up-to-date in Kansas City, as the old song goes. This year, our city celebrates brand new landmarks bedazzling the city skyline, a one-of-a-kind museum dedicated to children’s literature, a landmark exhibit celebrating the legacy of our city’s most famous citizen, and an updated home for the zoo’s resident sea lions. Additionally, the city will have new exhibits and shows to enjoy and new memories to make.

Here are the most anticipated things to enjoy in KC in 2024!

Disney100: The Exhibition. Union Station’s newest exhibit, celebrates Kansas City’s most legendary citizen.

Union Station is known for bringing world-class exhibits for visitors to experience firsthand. This year, brings the most magical exhibit yet. Disney100 features 250 treasures from the Walt Disney Company, 14 interactive installations in 10 immersive galleries and magical memories for all ages. Walt Disney began his career as a cartoonist and entrepreneur in Kansas City, and this 20,000-square-foot exhibit tells his story. Walt Disney created his first commercial film and met Kansas City native and Disney legend Ub Iwerks while he lived here. Now, his story returns to Kansas City with an incredible exhibition showcasing treasures from the Disney archives, including art, costumes, movie props and more.  The exhibit will tell the story of a century of Disney like never before. Tickets to Disney100: The Exhibition are available ahead of the opening on May 24. UnionStation.org

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium is making a splash with an improved Sea Lion exhibit.

In 2023, the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium made a splash with the opening of the new 650,000-gallon Sobela Ocean Aquarium, increasing the number of animals at the zoo from 1,700 to nearly 10,000! This year, they’re making a splash again with the anticipated opening of a fully renovated Sea Lion Splash exhibit. Since the 1950s, the sea lions have been guest favorites, delighting visitors with their playful antics and educational shows. This year, the new facility will open with increased seating capacity, improved ADA accessibility and added behind-the-scenes space for the animals. The four California sea lions that call Kansas City home, Luna, 9, Pepper, 9, Tamale, 11, and Delilah, 13, reside behind the scenes on zoo grounds away from the construction as they await their new home. KansasCityZoo.org

America’s first entertainment district built over a river, the Rock Island Bridge, opens this year.

Mike Zeller was boating up the Kansas River with friends who noticed the distinctive Rock Island Railroad Bridge, which was abandoned but still strong. Mike said to his pals, “Someone ought to do something with that—put a restaurant out there and call it Chicken ona Bridge.”  Originally a joke, the idea is now coming to fruition. Zeller and his friends and business partners are bringing the Rock Island Bridge to life as America’s very first entertainment district over a river. The bridge spans 40 feet over the Kansas River connecting our two KCs and bridges the past, utilizing a structure that has been part of our city’s history for more than a century, with the future. The new Kansas waterfront entertainment district, dubbed the Rock Island Bridge, is the metro’s newest icon. The urban bridge will be home to live music, dining, coffee shops, bars and paths for biking and hiking. Visitors may walk or bike the trail to the bridge and cross from one state to another. The bridge is expected to open summer 2024. RockIslandKC.om

Pennway Point is changing Kansas City’s skyline with a new urban playground.

Right in the heart of Kansas City, the new Pennway Point 6-acre family-friendly entertainment and experiential district boasts a 50-meter-tall Ferris wheel with heated and cooled gondolas, miniature golf, two stages for live performances, a winter outdoor ice-skating rink, outdoor volleyball and many great eateries. A fan favorite will be Neon Alley, showcasing neon signs from vintage Kansas City businesses including the beloved Katz drugs. The unique family-friendly entertainment district will support local creativity and fun like never before. Pennway Point promises to be unexpected, interesting, creative and always new. While reclaiming the city’s past and celebrating its future, this will be a unique fun place to gather and celebrate community. Walkable access will connect Pennway Point to Union Station and the Crossroads via a proposed future Greenline trailhead. This new gathering place is a vibrant addition to Downtown KC. KC Wheel and Pennway Point Putt miniature golf are open to the public with additional attractions coming soon. PennwayPoint.com

The Rabbit hOle is a literary wonderland bringing childhood memories to life.

Think of your favorite childhood picture book and, chances are, you’ll find it magically recreated in a life-size exhibit at The Rabbit hOle. Conceived by Deb Pettid and Pete Cowdin (former owners of Kansas City’s beloved Reading Reptile bookstore, a Brookside staple for years), The Rabbit hOle truly brings your favorite stories to life. Housed in a 99-year-old renovated warehouse in North Kansas City, this immersive museum featuring more than 30 exhibits, will help families fall in love again with beloved classic children’s books like Caps for Sale, Madeline, Goodnight Moon and more. The museum opens March 12. In addition to the museum, The Rabbit hOle will also include a full-service bookstore, print shop, story lab, maker space, resource library and discovery gallery and will host teacher workshops, author and illustrator events and field trips. RabbitHoleKC.org

The first stadium for a women’s professional sports team, CPKC will host Kansas City Current’s first home game in March.

On the east end of Berkley Riverfront Park, Kansas City Current, our professional women’s soccer team, will come home to the brand new 11,500-seat CPKC stadium this year. The 17-acre Berkley Riverfront Park is a gem of Downtown Kansas City along the Missouri River, and the new stadium will be the crown jewel—one that sets the record for first stadium for a women’s professional sports team! A new outdoor gathering space outside the stadium, known as CPKC Plaza, will feature a fan store, eateries and places to meet up. By 2025, the KC Streetcar route will extend from Downtown KC to Berkley Riverfront Park, connecting the city. CPKCStadium.com

Even MORE in 2024:

Journey to Oz at Crown Center.

Crown Center brings their newest FREE family exhibit to the shops on Level 1, Feb. 10-May 5. One of the world’s beloved movies turns 85 this year, and Crown Center is celebrating by bringing the magic of the big screen to you!  Families can tour the enchanting world of the Munchkins, follow Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion down the Yellow Brick Road, sneak into the Wicked Witch’s castle and much more. CrownCenter.com

Starlight launches performances for young audiences.

Next summer, Starlight Theatre will host another summer of outdoor Broadway theater with three family-friendly shows in the lineup. Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and Shrek all appeal to families. The good news is you don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy a family-friendly show, though. This spring, enjoy The Boy Who Cried Wolf on March 2 and GRIMMZ Fairy Tales on April 13 on Starlight’s indoor stage. KCStarlight.com

Coterie brings the work of favorite children’s author Rick Riordan to stage.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical will be on stage Jan. 30-March 10. This promises to be one of the best family shows of the season. The Lightning Thief is a dynamic new musical adaptation featuring a thrilling original rock score and creating an action-packed mythical adventure. When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods. As the half-blood son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, Percy has newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. TheCoterie.org

Midwest Trust Center offers many family-friendly shows in 2024.

“We have a great season lined up including a new production by StoneLion Puppet Theatre,” says Kara Armstrong, arts education program director at MTC. “We are also thrilled to continue our free concert series, Kids Jam. The Midwest Trust Center is proud to provide engaging performances and activities for our youngest audience members.” Puppet shows, acrobats, live music and Alice: Dreaming of Wonderland are a few of the must-see shows this year. JCCC.edu/midwest-trust-center

New exhibits open at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

The Nelson-Atkins will be welcoming several new exhibits this year. From March 9 to Aug. 4, the Melissa Shook exhibition will feature a singular body of work, comprising approximately 200 self-portraits, by the American photographer Shook (1939-2020).  From April 27 to July 21, the Niki de Saint Phalle exhibit features works in both two and three dimensions, delighting visitors of all ages and levels of sophistication with their bold forms, bright colors and whimsical imagery. And Sept 21-Jan. 5, 2025, Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence—from the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will take a new approach to the art of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) by focusing on his role as a teacher and an influencer in the art world in Japan. Nelson-Atkins.org

Celebrate our history with the pioneer trails.

The National Frontier Trails Museum is a history museum telling the story of the Oregon, Santa Fe and California trails and the rich history of America’s pioneers. The museum is undergoing many changes is excited to be open in a new temporary space this year as it works on more changes. IndependenceMo.gov

Kristina Light writes about the best of Kansas City for families all year long on KCParent.com.

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