Kansas City’s Grand Architecture: Liberty Memorial to Union Station

Kansas City’s skyline tells a story of architectural ambition, cultural pride, and historical significance.

On this walking tour, you’ll discover the city’s most impressive landmarks, hearing how each of them shaped KC’s identity. You’ll also see firsthand how these monuments have served as gathering places for celebration, commemoration, and community for generations.

The tour starts at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, where the towering Liberty Memorial honors those who served. You’ll explore its Egyptian Revival elements including the Sphinx sculptures, and ascend to a panoramic viewing platform overlooking the city. Along the way, you’ll find out how Kansas City raised millions of dollars in just ten days to build this impressive monument.

You’ll cross to the magnificent Union Station, a masterpiece of French Beaux-Arts design that once welcomed over 670,000 passengers annually. As you continue to the Federal Reserve Bank, you’ll pass the choreographed Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain, reminiscent of the famous Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas. The tour ends at the Money Museum.

During this 90-minute walking tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• View the 148-foot-long Great Frieze, a sculptural relief telling the story of World War I
• Learn how Kansas City earned its nickname as the City of Fountains
• See bullet holes from the infamous 1933 Kansas City Massacre, a gangster shootout that changed FBI protocols
• Find the platform locations of the free KC Streetcar that connects the River Market to the Country Club Plaza
• See the original lamp post clock that’s stood in Kansas City since the 1880s, predating the surrounding landmarks
• Explore the interactive Money Museum, where you’ll learn about this vital institution’s role in managing our economy, and you can take home a bag of shredded currency

Whether you’re a history buff, architecture enthusiast, or simply looking to understand what makes Kansas City unique, this tour is an unforgettable journey through the city’s most impressive monuments and their stories.