Watch it Made in KC
From U.S. currency to buzzy bees and everything in between, you can watch it in action in KC. There are many places in the area where you can observe a product being made—both educational and fun! Be sure to check out some of these cool places and experiences:
Federal Reserve Bank: At the Money Museum inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, you can take a hands-on tour and discover more about how our economy works. You can even see what $40 million looks like at the wall of money! Free self-guided and group tours are available all year.
1 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, MO 64198
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:30-4:00. Closed on bank holidays
Phone: 816.881.2683
https://www.kansascityfed.org/moneymuseum/
Moon Marble Company: Mad about marbles? Classic toy lovers of all ages can watch live demonstrations of marble-making at the Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs, KS. Bruce Breslow opened for business in 1997 when he realized there weren’t many marbles on the market like those from his childhood. Now you can view glass artists creating special marbles, like the Alien Swirl, while learning all about marble history! This fun store also has a plethora of other popular old-fashioned toys for purchase.
600 E. Front St., Bonner Springs, KS 66012
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00-5:00
Demonstrations of the marble making process are given on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year, providing a glass artist is available.
Demos begin at approximately 10:00 or 10:30 and shut down at approximately 3:00.
Phone: 913.441.1432
Legoland: Did you know that kids can watch a real-life aster builder at work creating new and unique models at Legoland Kansas City? You can even get building tips from the master builder at the beginning of the Legoland experience, and a chance to build your own brick creation at the end! Now that is awesome!
2475 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64105
Hours: Monday-Thursday 10:00-3:00, Friday 10:00-5:00, Saturday 10:00-6:00, Sunday 10:00-5:00
Admission fees apply
Phone: 816.471.4386
https://kansascity.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/
Hallmark Visitors Center: After a creative session at Kaleidoscope, be sure to head next door and check out the Hallmark Visitors Center. There, you can take a free tour of the exhibits detailing the history of the famous Hallmark card and brand and see how a card is made from start to finish. You even can observe Hallmark artists at work! At the end of the tour, you get to see how a gift-wrapping bow is made—and then take it home.
2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9:30-4:00
Phone: 816.274.3613
https://corporate.hallmark.com/about/hallmark-cards-company/hallmark-visitors-center/
KU Natural History Museum and Hilltop Honey Apiary: Have you heard the buzz? Two places nearby offer you the opportunity to observe bees in action making hives and honey. The first is the Bee Tree at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum in Lawrence, KS. In this indoor exhibit, you can watch a live honey bee colony being built inside a man-made tree. The bees exit and return through a special opening in the building. You even can peer inside the tree and try to spot the queen! You also can go on a beekeeping tour at Hilltop Honey in Easton, KS. This family-owned and -operated apiary gives guided tours of their hives and the entire honey-making process. Be prepared to get up close and personal with the bees—they supply beekeeper suits for everyone!
KU Natural History Museum: 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9:00-5:00, Sunday Noon-4:00
Admission fees apply
Phone: 785.864.4450
https://biodiversity.ku.edu/exhibits/bee-tree
Hilltop Honey Apiary: 531 Dawson St., Easton, KS 66020
Hours: Seasonal (check website)
Phone: 913.773.0157
Dino Lab at Science City: Come observe paleontologists clean, restore and piece together the fossil bones of a Camarasaurus at the Dino Lab at Science City inside Union Station. Then you can hunt for your own prehistoric fossils in the dig site!
30 W. Pershing Rd., Kansas City, MO 64108
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-5:00, Sunday Noon-5:00
Phone: 816.460.2020
https://www.unionstation.org/sciencecity
And that’s not all! Kansas City has some great places where you can watch your food being made … and then eat it, too! At Chip’s Chocolate Factory inside Crown Center, you can watch the candy artisans at work making their mouthwatering fudge and even get a free sample. At Strawberry Hill Povitica, you can view the artisan bakers hand-making each loaf of the delicious Eastern European sweet bread, or take a tour and enjoy coffee and free samples. At the Roasterie, you can take a free guided tour and watch the fascinating process of how coffee beans become the very popular local coffee beverages. While eating your donut at Krispy Kreme, you can stoke your craving for another by watching the famous donuts being made through a viewing window. At Shatto Milk Company in Osborne, MO, you can take special tours of the farm and observe the milk production process from start to finish. Shatto Milk tours are especially great for families—so many educational, but fun, activities for the kids to experience! At Buca di Beppo on the Plaza, did you know you can eat in the kitchen at a special table while watching the chefs make your delectable dinner? At an old-fashioned soda fountain, treat yourself to a phosphate and see how it’s made. There are several in the Kansas City area: Georgetown Pharmacy in Merriam, KS, Fox’s in Raytown, MO, and Clinton’s in Independence, MO. Or enjoy a Hibachi chef dinner at one of the area’s Japanese restaurants, like Toro Hibachi Sushi & Asian. The chef prepares your food right at your table—with flair! And in the fall, don’t miss watching cider and cider donuts being made from freshly picked apples at the Louisburg Cider Mill in Louisburg, KS. Remember to take some home!
Margaret Bristow is a Kansas City mom who enjoys sharing her hometown with her children.