Arabia Steamboat Museum

Kansas City has a talent for hiding its best stories in plain sight. In the River Market, the Arabia Steamboat Museum delivers one of the city’s most distinctive travel experiences: a sharply told tale of disaster and rediscovery, and a rare, tactile portrait of everyday life in the mid-19th-century American interior. On Sept. 5, 1856, the Arabia, a steamboat carrying freight to frontier towns, struck a submerged snag in the Missouri River and sank. Passengers and crew survived, but the cargo did not. Roughly 200 tons of merchandise, intended for general stores and households upriver, went down with the vessel. Over the decades, the river shifted course and the wreck ended up buried under mud and farmland, sealed away from air and light. That burial produced the museum’s central marvel. In the late 1980s, a Kansas City family and partners located the wreck and excavated it from underground, then built a museum around what was recovered. The experience is less about a romantic riverboat and more about the material reality of a growing nation: the economy of small towns, the logistics of settlement, the ordinary goods that made daily life possible. Inside, the exhibits unfold with the logic of a storeroom brought back to life. The preserved ribs of the hull anchor the space, while cases and displays present an astonishing volume of items, arranged with the blunt clarity of inventory rather than the preciousness of relics. The effect is cumulative. Tools, hardware, dishes, glassware and household necessities appear not as isolated artifacts but as a system, revealing the frontier as a place of commerce and consumption, not just mythology. For travelers, the museum’s appeal is its immediacy. Without requiring specialized knowledge, it makes the 1850s legible through objects that feel recognizable in purpose, if not in form. The narrative is cinematic, but the lasting impression comes from the details: goods meant to be bought, used and replaced, now serving as the most direct witnesses to a vanished moment. In a city that draws visitors for jazz, barbecue and sports, the Arabia Steamboat Museum offers a different kind of Kansas City signature: a vivid reminder that American history is not only made in capitols and battlefields, but also in shipping manifests, store shelves and the everyday desire to build a life.

Find yourself in Kansas City? The Arabia Steamboat Museum in the River Market is an absolute must-visit — a true hidden gem that left me completely awestruck. From the moment you walk in, you sense that this place is special. The curators have masterfully woven storytelling and preservation into a captivating experience. You begin with short, powerful videos about the steamboat’s tragic sinking in 1856 and its miraculous rediscovery in the 1980s. Then you’re led through exhibit rooms filled with artifacts that seem impossibly well preserved — from shoes and hat pins to tools, kitchenware, and even jars of pickles. The fact that these relics survived underground for over a century is in itself astonishing.  One of the highlights is walking along a full-scale replica of the Arabia’s main deck (171 ft long), complete with original boilers, anchors, the paddle wheel, and even a mule skeleton recovered from the wreck. It’s immersive, eerie, and wonderfully educational.  What I appreciated most was the balance between big “wow” artifacts and the tiny, everyday items — every jar, nail, or coin gives you a micro-glimpse into frontier life in 1856. The staff is knowledgeable and clearly passionate, and they make the science of preservation feel as exciting as the history itself. If you’re a history buff, a lover of oddities, or just someone who enjoys places that make you stop and think, the Arabia Steamboat Museum will deliver. And as a bonus, its setting in the River Market makes it easy to pair with strolling, local food, or nearby shops. I’m giving it five stars — I’ll be recommending this place to everyone I know.

I had so much fun with my dad! This was one of my favorite history experiences ever and I hosted a local history show for 5 years :) the videography is perfection, highly recommend the flick inside the theater & buying a Lawrence the donkey sticker to remember the fun!

This was one of my highlights of Kansas City! A real life insight into modern day treasure hunters! Everything from how it all started, how they found the boats and the incredible artifacts uncovered. This place is well worth a visit.

We visited the Arabia Steamboat Museum today, and it was awesome! The history, artifacts, and exhibits were all fascinating—and Josh made the experience even better. Definitely worth the visit. One tip: parking on one side of the building is free, but the other side is paid. We didn’t know that and ended up paying when we didn’t have to!

One of the most fantastic places I have been to and it's hardly advertised. Wifey and I were recommended to go here by a couple we never met at a Subway sandwich shop he said yeah there's the steamboat Museum you might find interesting. WOW! WHAT A FRIGGAN UNDERSTATEMENT!! Google the Arabian steamboat sinking for additional information but this is a site not to be missed.

We paid $35.96 for two people in October 2025. It is a very interesting place that is at the deepest lower levels of the building. There's a big wheel that was pretty cool and you could see it rotating in the water. Though I could not locate the actual source of the energy which I'm assuming is a massive electric motor of some sort with a gearbox and it was hidden. The place is extremely dark for those with limited vision which hindered my ability to see a lot of the attractions. Electricity must be a factor in how they display things because it would be better fully lit to actually see a lot of it. Since it's a merchant ship most of the merchandise is what you would expect from a delivery vehicle or a massive container ship. The merchandise that was on said ship is quite interesting and I've had a number of those items over the years. I especially lock their lock collection. I lived in a farmhouse as a kid that had all those white ceramic locks and knobs. The fine China was really beautiful and you can find exact pieces online through eBay or other sources and the prices are pretty expensive. One basic white serving dish with lid was over $250. The price was about what you would expect from a place designed to bring in tourist and visitors. It's a bit more than other places at 16.50 per person.

A Kansas City history staple. The museum feels smaller than I remember it as a kid but I think its just me. It's a very different experience seeing it ~20 years later as an adult. Hopefully the museum finds a new home soon.

Wow! So much more than we expected. Fascinating combination of signage, video and artifacts. We even got to hear from the son/grandson/nephew of members of the discovering crew. A fabulous story unveiled.

Don't be scared away by the price of admission ($17 for an adult) -- this is a wonderful unique experience that is worth the cost! Purchase your tickets at the register in the gift shop, and then proceed into the museum. The first part of the experience is a series of 5 min long videos and then a longer video in a theater. Some of the information is repetitive, but you will learn a lot! I loved getting both the history of the Arabia Steamboat and the story of the excavation! What a unique and impressive story of a local family of adventurers! After the theater, you are treated to massive displays of all of the artifacts found on the ship! And one of the family members who owns the museum and did the excavation was even walking around to answer questions! It was so cool to get personal stories and specific details from him directly! There are two preservation areas where you can watch live as employees preserve clothing and other artifacts! It's not a huge museum, so you can get through it in probably 1-2 hours. You will have to make use of paid lots or limited River Market street parking.

During a long weekend getaway, I visited the Steamboat Arabia Museum inKansas City, Missouri (USA). In 1856, the Arabia was sailing in the Missouri River, but hit a log and sank. The passengers and crew survived, but the 200-ton frontier cargo disappeared in the river. Trade used to occur along the Missouri River, where Steamboats were critical to its success, supplying both domestic and foreign goods to the different companies. Sharing a few treasures recovered from the Arabia's cargo in 1988 that can be found in the museum. I actually did a self tour which was indeed rewarding and knowledgeable.

This museum was so fun and interesting. Much more of an experience than I expected. It's in an area with lots to do, especially on days where the market is active. Add this to your trip to Kansas City!

This is a very neat museum with some KC history. I would recommend! We enjoyed all of the artifacts and videos explaining everything. It doesn't take a long time to go through, maybe an hour. Admission prices are reasonable. Plus, it's located in the City Market, so other shops right there.

Here are two reasons to visit the "Arabia Steamboat Museum": (1) The Arabia was a steamboat that was loaded with merchant cargo when it sank. They didn't recover single specimens of artifacts; they recovered whole inventories of trade goods. And the presentation of recovered artifacts is very good; so is contextualization. (2) "Are the days of the museum at City Market numbered?" I read a couple of newspaper articles (online). The museum announced in 2019 that it planned to move when its lease expired in 2026. The museum had signed a letter of intent to move from Kansas City to St Charles--but that plan fell through (Dec-2022). The reason I would not visit this museum again--or suggest skipping this attraction: The entry fee for an adult was $17.98. I went through the museum in about 30 minutes. I had never been to Kansas City before. This was my first visit--maybe it's my last visit. I had a long list of things I wanted to do and places I wanted to visit: The National WWI Museum; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, etc. I do not regret visiting this museum. I just don't think a got a lot of bang for my buck. BTW .. "City Market" provides up to 2-hours of free parking. I believe that the parking lot uses a license plate reader to keep tabs on vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot, and that is how they keep track of how long you have been in the parking lot.

I enjoyed the visit here- if you are into history from this period, it is an hour well spent. While they don't have too much of the ship itself on display, they have a great collection of 19th century goods they excavated that was really interesting, and they do a good job of telling the story of what happened. My 10 year old enjoyed it as well.

We loved our visit! Kids ages 6, 9 and 11 - there was something for everyone. Lots of videos kept their attention. Plenty of pictures to look at, not to mention the artifacts to see! The story of the Arabia Steamboat, and the American spirit at that time, is beautiful. There are shops and restaurants all around for after your museum experience.

I wasn't sure what to expect but man what a treat! Don't let the admission price scare you. It's totally worth it, made even better by Andrew, a docent that works there. Make sure to connect with him; he's amazing: passionate about the Arabia, and a swell guy to talk to.

This your will take between 1 or 2 hours depending on your museum pace. I read the signs and blow through everything so I banged it out in about 45 minutes. I probably missed a lot of fascinating information because I skipped the documentary film in the movie hall. I'm a fast reader so it didn't take long to see everything. Definitely worth the stop if you're into this kind of history.

It's amazing. It's a stirring view of ordinary and fancy products people from those days needed and wanted.

I am not a big museum type of guy but I had a free day at a medical conference I was attending and decided to go learn about the steamboat era. In my opinion this is a must visit attraction while in Kansas City, especially for those that want to see what the settlers used to build their new homes and protect themselves pre-Civil War. To top it all off David Hawley was sharing his stories to any of the visitors that wanted to listen. Fascinating how they discovered this steamboat 150 years after it was lost in the great Missouri River.

I drove by this place 3 times before I finally saw it. It's in the city market area and I was too busy looking at all the shops and restaurants to see the big sign! I think parking is free, at least I parked right on front and didn't see anything telling me to pay. The museum is on the lower level. I paid upstairs and walked down the ramp. There are 4 video stations along the way telling the story of the ship and the guys that excavated it. The displays were pretty basic, even when I got to the lower level and saw the skeleton of the stern. You then go in to a small theater and watch a 14 minute movie that was a little redundant. Then you exit the theater and WOW! They have display room after display room of all the stuff they recovered. I've never seen anything like it. It is like they have all of the in tact inventory of a large department store from 150 years ago. Just about everything families in the west would need was well displayed. I can't imagine there is a collection like this anywhere else in the country. An employee told me that less than half of the collection is displayed. After the display they have the restoration area and you can see what some of the items look like before they are restored. There are more displays about the people who excavated the ship, the snag that sunk the ship, the boiler, the paddle wheel and the skeleton of the only casualty of the sinking. All in all a marvelously complete story is told. I was very impressed.

Great information and people to share their knowledge with you. The exhibits are amazing. Unbelievable how much was salvaged.

This is a terrific museum about the recovery of a mid 19th century steamboat. The storytelling is great, and there is an amazing collection of artifacts, due to the fact that the ship was perfectly preserved in 45 feet of mud for 150 years. It represents the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts anywhere. Highly recommended.

Maybe some historical knowledge will help. I know it did when i learned that the Arabian steamboat museum is the 2nd most popular museum in Kansas City. I didn't know this. I'm sort of a US history buff in some ways and want to know as much as I can. Come to find out that I didn't know about an Arabian Steamboat that sank near present day Kansas City in the pre Civil War days had me interested for sure. It just happened to be Kansas City's 2nd most popular museum in the metro, according to TripAdvisor. With that said, I had nothing planned other than lounging around the hotel, so I figured I'd get something meaningful on this stay in Kansas City. They said to take 2 hours but I ended up seeing everything in about 90 minutes or so, which included the short film and the lecture on preservation I stumbled upon. Upon arrival via Uber, I entered the gift shop which was basically where you paid for admissions into the Arabian steamboat museum. I lucked out and was in a small group of people / tourists who happened to be there when I was. So, we ended up doing the short video presentations before we split up into the larger displays that dominated the lower level. Majority of the museum is basically in the basement and the gift shop is on the street level. I learned alot from coming here and even the some of the original discovers who founded the Arabian Steamboat in the 1980's was on hand to answer any questions we have on the history and the labor intensive salvage effort back then. Truly remarkable really! The Arabian Steamboat wasn't a military vessel, I don't think, but it was a part of the pre Civil war era that required to be preserved for future generations. It ferried people up and down the Missouri River until it crashed into something and sank. Over the decades, the river diverted and the remains of the ship basically sat undisturbed under someone's farmland that developed due to the river diversion. We learned all about it thru the displays And the original parts of the Arabian steamboat were already on display, like the engine and other things that were recovered and preserved. It was neat to see them recover civil war era period clothing, including shoes and other goods that went down with the ship. Such meticulous work is always appreciated for sure. The admission fee wasn't terribly high but it helps to patronize them to help them as much as possible. I don't think there was a guided program, but I went as I go and learned as much as I can about this vessel called the Arabian steamboat. The overall experience here at the Arabian steamboat museum here in Kansas City was quite educational and enjoyable. For the most part though, it was interesting and a remarkable story how 5 people made it possible to unearth it from its resting place. If you are in the metro Kansas City area, consider spending 1/2 of your day here to learn something cool. Just may be the best thing that can happen to you in a museum. The Arabian Steamboat museum is located at 400 Grand Blvd in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. They charge admission fee, as mentioned above and accept major credit cards, as well as cash. The service here was good, quick, and friendly. As far as parking goes, I noticed that there is a good amount of parking here for the museum, as i pulled up in my Uber ride. Best bet would be to grab a rental car for convenience, but if you can't, there's the Kansas City bus system and of course Uber and Lyft can assist you as well. Best thing to do is to consult the KC Transit Authority to make sure you confirm your routes before making the trip here. While the Arabian steamboat isn't as famous as a warship or other famous ship disasters, it's discovery and preservation takes a look into the pre Civil War era and what they was like back then. A glimpse into history is what they say and the artifacts that these travelers on the il fated Arabian steamboat left behind tells the story of what life was like back in the day. If you are in the area, consider coming down. Just May change your perspective on things and reconsider other things as well. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

I first came across this place on Atlas Obscura. It sounded somewhat interesting so I checked it out. The museum is much more impressive than what I expected. Basically, a group of people on the roost a sock in steamboat from the 1850s. When they did so, they removed all of the things that were on the boat - everything from dishes, tools, clothing, and even food- and these things are on display in the museum. Hearing the story of the steamboat was interesting, but seeing all the artifacts was incredible. Adding to our experience, we got to meet one of the people who discovered the steamboat. We also saw one of the people working to preserve some of the unearthed artifacts, in this case, a leather boot. Going in I thought this would just be something to do, but it was very well done and was definitely worth checking out.

Wonderful museum to visit for the history , the story, and for what it is and how they preserved all the artifacts for everyone to enjoy! A must see when visiting Kansas City, missouri! Has the regular fees to visit a museum but worth it, if you appreciate the history and antiques from the 1800s!

The museum and its history is really cool!! I think they did a good job showing it all and the AMOUNT of stuff was amazing. Historically fantastic and influential. I also appreciated the history of steam boats and how it influenced the USA being included so it definitely goes beyond this boat alone. It was also super neat learning so much about how they excavated it and got all these items and currently how they are still preserving these finds. My one star off is for the tiny sign barely covering slavery and just the very 90s phrasing of "child slave." It's not just semantics, our language matters and it's the same as saying "child prostitute." No, they're enslaved children and sex trafficked children. The language matters and they could've covered this part of history a bit more modernly and sensitively, just need to update it and expand that area a bit.

Took my kids here because it was raining and cold, and we needed something indoors. I'm so glad I did! Both my 12yr old and my 7yr old really enjoyed listening, seeing, and learning about the history of trading and steamboats in American history. They talked about this place for a couple days after we left, so I know it made a nice educational impression on them, which as a homeschooling mom, I live for!

Don't miss this gem! I was surprised at the entrance fee ($17) but ultimately felt it was worth it. The Hawley family, who found and unearthed the Arabia is there, working at the museum everyday, just hanging out, taking to guests, etc. The museum is laid out really well and will make you want to be a treasure hunter too. Go during a Chiefs game and you'll have the place to yourself!

Our friend gave a tip to visit this museum which is a hidden gem in Kansas City. The group of friends spent a lot of money to bring the incredible history of this steamboat of 150 years old. You will love this treasure. The ticket is not expensive, my sister in law payed for e everybody. You will love it!

Wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it was a mostly interesting, self guided tour. On the smaller side, but the things available were really neat. The way they tell the store of the Arabia Steamboat is really well done. I brought my toddler and it is not the place for that haha. He was welcomed, but there's not a ton that's interesting to younger kiddos. One thing that was really great was there were no stairs, so it was easy for our stroller (or would be easy for a wheelchair) to get around! The staff were are really knowledgeable and friendly! Probably a one and done for my family, but I don't regret going!

Wow what a cool museum! Its done so well and such an impressive presentation of all the treasures, and there are hundreds of them, when the ship was found. To make our tour through this place it just was our luck that one of the men who found the ship (Jerry Mackey) was at the museum that day and gave us a personal tour of the artifacts they found. Worth the $14.00. Took us about 2.5 hrs to go through it all.

I attended the museum because I was in the area and had some time to kill. Personally. knowing what the experience and story is now, I would recommend planning on visiting this place if you are heading into town. Ideally located just off of the FREE tram stop by Market Place, the museum provides you with a play by play walk through the story of the Arabia, her demise in 1858 and the family's treasure hunt to dig up the sunken boat from over 45ft inside of the earth Highlight of the trip was to meet the grandson of the original crew who dug for the Arabia. This museum is a true family legacy of treasure hunting. Walk through relics from the 150+ year old steamboat and most of the astounding 100 tonnes of new cargo which was destined to make it's way west to fill the shelves of the old time hardware stores in the new towns being founded. Check out the photos of the 100s of dug up, restored pieces of general merchandise which is on display in the many humidors for all to see. Do not forget to hear the story of Lawrence Of The Arabia (the donkey) and meet him on the way out.

What an amazing museum. A few weeks ago,, I came here on a whim with my wife and her family as we were having a little family reunion and had thought up a couple of things to do in the area and this was a place someone had recommended us go to visit. I'm glad we did. I didn't know what to expect but it far exceeded even my wildest expectations. There were several short videos to watch along the way, and so much to see, you almost can't do it in one visit. The gift shop was pretty neat as well. I can definitely see us returning if we find ourselves in the area ever again. The only downside we had was that it was extremely hot. I'm not sure if they had air conditioning or if it wasn't working right, but it was just far too warm to pay attention to everything.

The museum is pretty rad! The whole story is inspiring and awesome. We arrived at opening, which I thought would be a good idea. I was nice enough to ask if I could bring my coffee inside, which was a bad idea- as my liquid gold was refused entry and they had no other method of caffeine delivery which is a HUGE bummer. The gatekeeper lady who disallowed the coffee had a bitter attitude too. At the end of our tour- she didnt even bother to project her voice enough for me to hear how much my gift purchase was, so I was *gifted* that same bitter attitude all over again I seriously hope she isnt family of the folks who discovered the Arabia because if so- she would fare better scoopin' the schmutz in the animal cages at the zoo and not front facing paying customers. Honestly for these reasons I should have given a three star review, but it's just such an awesome place otherwise!

As you walk in you are greeted by a large, wooden Paddle Wheel! (A huge wheel the spins to help the boat move) as you walk further into the museum you will find 4 TVs that have videos that explain the story of how the Steamboat Arabia was found! After watching the videos there's all of the stuff that the explorers found (the videos explain everything). Let me just say there was a lot of items, I was surprised how much they found that was intact! Everything was so well displayed in the museum! I loved it so much, I had a great time.

This museum is fantastic!!! This is such a fascinating story and there are a ton of interesting things to see. The pricing is a bit steep and they don't really have interactive items for kids, which are the two downfalls. That said, kids are going to love the working steamship wheel, science people will love the open air conservation studios, and engineers will love the explanations of the steamship.

It very expensive for what is basically walking around your grandparents basement. Two people is going to coast you almost 40 dollars. It's about 10 minutes of looking around, and it just some old dishes and boots behind glass.

I love to visit to see all the goods recovered. I wish adult tickets were more affordable.

You don't want to miss this unique museum. The story behind the discovery of the Arabia Steamboat is fascinating for anyone who has an interest in treasure hunting. They have done a painstaking job preserving their finds and have an unparalleled collection of pre-Civil War dry goods. We were lucky enough to come on a day when David,one of the treasure hunters,was there. He was very personable and provided a plethora of information on their preservation efforts.

Might be a fine museum, but I will never know. The moldy smell was overwhelming. I have asthma, so it was literally overwhelming my breathing and made it impossible to stay. I've never been to a museum with such poor air quality. And I very much wanted to see this place. I've spent several years in the tourism industry, both in destination marketing and travel writing, specializing in historic transportation. So this would have been right up my alley. My son even drove down from Omaha to join my Hubby and me on this special trek. I hear they're moving the museum to St. Louis, and I hope they find a venue that has better air quality. The mold may not matter to everyone, but for many of us, it is a deal-breaker.

Arabia Steamboat Museum has nothing to do with Arabia. It is an exhibit of the contents of a paddle wheel steam boat which sunk in the Missouri River in 1856. Think 200 tons of general merchandise! As the steamer rested on the sandy bottom, river currents undermined the sand supporting the hull and the steamer sunk down some 60 feet as if in quicksand. Lucky for us, not so lucky for the steamboat owner who recovered next to nothing. The array of merchandise is astonishing! Clothes, footwear, hardware, hats, kitchenware, food, guns, eyeglasses, knives, machinery; all manner of things that was destined to go up the river. All of this is tastefully displayed. The items increase each year as the booty from the wreck continues to be cleaned and displayed. This museum is unique in that it is privately owned and operated at a profit! The story of how the Arabia was discovered and unearthed is as interesting as the merchandise. I was skeptical that this museum might be something like a wax museum or a "believe it or not" cheesy experience, but it is not! It's a first rate museum! A docent will explain how the steamer sunk, how it was recently found and the preservation process of all the items. Think about it: felt hats from 1856 submerged and buried for well over 100 years - restored and presented as if brand new!

Stopped by the museum as we were passing through. We were blown away with the immense collection of recovered artifacts, and the great displays they have arranged. A compelling story to boot. Spent two hours, could have spent three. Great glimpse into life on the frontier.

We were here for a tour during the Thanksgiving Holiday and it was a great experience. You start out with a guide who gives you a great story about the riverboat era and you then start the tour. He/she will explain how the ship was found and a little about the founders of it. The artifacts are amazing and you might get to meet one of the guys who did the actual recovery like we did. It's a great place for the family and you can tour the whole museum in probably an hour or no more than 1.5 hours, so bring the family and enjoy yourself.

What a jewel! Best walk through history I've had in a long time. Such a great museum. Well done exhibits and very interesting.

Great exhibits. Jerry was there to answer questions about their finds. Good information. You have to pay for parking.

LOVED IT! This was worth every penny. Really really cool. Can you imagine using a metal detector and old maps to uncover shipwreck treasures in someone's backyard? I'm not talking nickles and dimes here. This story is just plain INCREDIBLE. That and you gotta love your HVAC peeps. Hahahahaaa...leave it to them and their handy equipment to unearth this awesome finding. Just...AWESOME! Awesome because someone from the original crew always comes out after the video and personally talks to the group and answers questions. Awesome because they haven't sold a single thing and they run their museum 'well' so they can continue sharing their story. Awesome because at first you think there's maybe a handful of some old hats and shoes or something. Then they open the doors and you cannot BELIEVE how much was discovered. Awesome because they've done such a good job preserving and restoring to mint condition. Awesome because they've made history FUN and INSPIRING. I also think it's awesome that they kept this 'secular' and the church portion didn't overshadow historical narratives. Textbooks rejoice. Thank you.

This was a surprising delight! It was an inexpensive out of the ordinary museum. The vast artifacts they've recovered and placed on display was impressive. We learned a lot and quite enjoyed ourselves.

So awesome!! This was such a great find- my husband and I loved it and our kids were fully engaged the whole time!!

I enjoy museums and All history. I would recommend this to anyone and guarantee you would enjoy it. This is an amazing story about the finding of a sunken steam boat. The vignettes are so professionally done and the treasures so well presented impressed me. The thing that amazed me the most was the family and friends that took this venture and put in this wonderful place to display. You have to see it.

Wow! Such a cool presentation of fabulous artifacts. So proud of the team that discovered this and the fact that they are sharing it with us.

This was a complete surprise. We knew nothing going in and were amazed coming our The story of the treasure hunters and what they found is fascinating and something we all aspire to. A great use of time and money for the visit.

This place was really stunning; although I didn't have the highest of expectations going into it because it's easy to think "oh... neat, an old boat... exciting". HOWEVER! It is not just a boat. In fact, the boat is the least of the attraction. Our tour guide, Hib, was fantastic. There were only two of us on the tour, so it was a much more intimate experience I'm sure than if there were a large group. Hib is very interested, and very much a part of the subject. He lives and breathes history, which makes him the perfect guide. Although the tour is self guided after the video, Mr. Kline stuck around and educated us about nearly every piece in the museum. Had it not been for him I think we would have just walked out and figured we wasted money. The Steamboat museum staff cares about the unearthed artifacts, and takes care to protect and preserve them, very dedicated. It's so eye opening to see so much history so perfectly preserved, highly recommend anyone give it a go.

Epic Fail: It's *CLOSED* the second week of January, and there was no notice on their web site. Here's the sign on the door: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/arabia-steamboat-museum-kansas-city?select=Bn5dIoRB17LBVv-8sJr91A#Bn5dIoRB17LBVv-8sJr91A There were a lot of disappointed people showing up expecting it to be open. Did I mention EPIC FAIL?

This is a not a bad museum but it's honestly such a terrible value - especially when compared to all the other amazing things to do in Kansas City at a equal or lesser price. You could probably do the entire museum in about half an hour if you went through it self-guided like we did. I believe the tour takes longer since they tell you more about the family and their discovery which is something we weren't interested in. It includes a (loose) recreation of the steamboat, lots of recovered artifacts, and a recreation of a general store. It's cool to see, sure, but is it worth $15? Not in my opinion. Not when the WWI museum is next door for the same price. Or when the Nelson Atkins is free. However, if you have a strong interest in looking at recovered artifacts, this may be worth your while. There were several people there so clearly I'm in the minority. I just don't understand how one floor (maybe 4-5 rooms of stuff) is worth $15 per person.

How cool is this place?! Though I grew up in Mid-MO, I never made it here until a recent trip to visit family in KC. My parents and I were looking something fun to do on a chilly day and decided to head on over. I HAD NO IDEA! The Arabia museum features a massive collection of pre-civil war artifacts, perfectly preserved when they sunk to the bottom of the mighty MO in the late 1850's. The story of the ship is just as fascinating as the tale of the "diggers" - the crew of everyday folks who worked together to locate and uncover the ship and all the amazing artifacts on-board. We were lucky to meet one of the gentlemen who dug up the ship while at the museum - they are very hands-on with the project and museum, and the work is STILL ongoing to clean up and preserve all of the pieces from the wreck. (It's been 30 years, and they're still going - gives you a great sense of just HOW MUCH they found.) Totally worth the trip for a history nerd like me, and I'd highly recommend a visit. Pro Tip: you're not far from some great BBQ spots here - how about some Q39 or Joe's KC after?

Unexpected day trip to downtown led us to this museum. It was an interesting place with knowledgeable staff and I learned a surprising amount about treasure hunting and Missouri/Kansas travel hazards in 1856. The tour group was large, about 30 people, and it was difficult to hear and see on "guided" portion of tour. She did make herself available for questions during the self guided portion but she only knew information specifically about wreck and recovery but nothing about time period or other ancillary questions. Building was a bit dated and gift shop full of crap that had nothing to do with museum or recovered artifacts. I would have bought a replica or period piece but not interested in dusty random scarf or cheap knick knacks