Join us for a new AIA Kansas City program that takes a more in-depth look at Design Excellence Award winning projects. This Show Your Work will look at International Architects Atelier's project, Kansas City Museum.
Originally constructed in 1910 as the home of a lumber magnate, the mansion was later used as a museum and was drastically altered over the years to fit exhibit requirements. In 2015, the museum initiated a master planning process which culminated with the renovation and restoration of Corinthian Hall to accommodate new exhibit galleries, program spaces for events, a cafe, museum store, meeting rooms, and a theater. The rooms on the first floor where the majority of the original architectural fabric remained intact were restored to their historic 1910 appearance. Architectural items in these rooms that had been removed from the museum over the years were reintroduced in simplified forms with a reduced color palette to give the impression of the original architecture while remaining honest about which materials are original to the mansion. On the second and third floors where most of the original architectural elements had been removed, a more contemporary renovation strategy was used to create clean spaces for the exhibits. The construction began in November 2017 and was completed by JE Dunn in May 2019. The exhibit design, in collaboration with Gallagher and Associates, was completed in May 2020 with all exhibits fabricated and installed by Kubik Maltbie for the October 2021 grand reopening of the museum, whose mission is to preserve, interpret, and celebrate Kansas City through collections, exhibitions, and bold programs that reflect the City’s evolution and spirit, engaging visitors in unfolding stories about Kansas City’s vibrant history, cultural heritage, and pride.
Limited Spots Available
Photo Credit: Gayle Babcock, Architectural Imageworks