The Kansas City Museum is excited to announce additions to board leadership, new funding & exciting next steps.
Nearly three months after reopening the restored and renovated Corinthian Hall on October 21, 2021, the Kansas City Museum Foundation (KCMF) has announced new officers to the Board of Directors, new funding, and next steps for the Kansas City Museum.
New officers for the Kansas City Museum Foundation include Allen Dillingham, Chair; Sonié Joi Thompson-Ruffin, Vice Chair; Shomari Benton, Treasurer; and Alex Bergman, Secretary. Dillingham is the Government Relations Director for The Builders’ Association. Thompson-Ruffin is the founder of the African American Artists Collective, an Independent Curator, and a Fiber Artist. Benton is a Partner at Benton Lloyd & Chung. Bergman is the Manager of Midwest Winelands.
The new leadership comes after the death of Dr. Mary Davidson on December 6, 2021, who served as the Foundation’s Chair. Davidson was a one-of-a-kind, generous, and fearless woman who led the Kansas City Museum at a critical time of transition, growth, and transformation. The Foundation expressed profound loss and enormous gratitude for Davidson, whose immense legacy and contributions in Missouri and Kansas are far-reaching, meaningful and lasting.
The KCMF Board and staff also announced two new funders to the Corinthian Hall project. Both the Hall Family Foundation and the Sosland Foundation are providing support for the creation of digital interactives for the core history exhibits in Corinthian Hall. These interactives will build additional layers of learning that expand the exhibit content, making it even more accessible, dynamic, participatory, and engaging. The Kansas City Museum is working with museum design firm Gallagher & Associates to develop the interactives. Gallagher & Associates designed all the exhibits for Corinthian Hall.
In addition to completing the interactives for Corinthian Hall, the Board and staff are focused on finalizing the master plan and overall timeline for the restoration and renovation of the rest of the property, and they have started architectural design with International Architects Atelier for the Carriage House, Conservatory, and the James Turrell Skyspace. More details will be announced about these projects in Spring 2022.
The public may visit the Kansas City Museum by making advanced reservations for timed tickets at kansascitymuseum.org. General admission is free, and the Museum is open Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Wisteria, the Museum’s boutique, is open during regular open hours Thursday through Sunday.
Group tours and school field trips may be booked Monday through Wednesday. The Kansas City Museum will launch its event rental program in March 2022 and its food and beverage program at Café at 3218 and Elixir (soda fountain) in early summer 2022. Visit kansascitymuseum.org for information about upcoming monthly public and education programs.
Located at 3218 Gladstone Boulevard in the Historic Northeast community of Kansas City, Mo., the Kansas City Museum is comprised of five original buildings, including the mansion Corinthian Hall, which was built in 1910 by Robert Alexander Long. The estate became a public museum in 1940.
The buildings and grounds of the Kansas City Museum are owned by the City of Kansas City, Mo., and fully governed, operated, and managed by the Kansas City Museum Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, through a cooperative agreement with the City of Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department.
The mission of the Kansas City Museum is to preserve, interpret, and celebrate Kansas City through collections, exhibitions, and bold programs that reflect the City’s evolution and spirit, and engage visitors in unfolding stories about Kansas City’s vibrant history, cultural heritage, and pride. The vision is to be a hub of learning, creativity, and collaboration where individuals and communities innovate and inspire engagement and civic unity.
