By JOSHUA PHILLIPS
Northeast News
June 26, 2013

The Kansas City Museum has been busy this summer providing fun activities for people of all ages to enjoy. From outdoor concerts to exhibits to children’s activities to Hard Hat Tours, you can find it all at the museum.

One of the highlights of the summer is the museum’s Summer Concert Series, which the museum has held for several years to highlight both the museum and local musicians.

“These local musicians get the opportunity to play in front of a family environment,” said Andrew Mouzin, Kansas City Museum community relations specialist. “People can bring picnic baskets, enjoy the stars and enjoy these local Kansas City musicians.”

Attendees also get the chance to converse with the local musicians, he said.

Kevin Hiatt with guest percussionist Pat Conway kicked off the Summer Concert Series June 14. Next up will be psychedelic pop band Gentleman Savage on July 12 and The Wires will play Aug. 9.

The museum is continuing its free Summer Drop Ins program where children can participate in activities Wednesdays and Fridays in July and August from noon to 3 p.m. The museum’s Drop Ins activities will include themes like “Follow the Map” July 10 and 12; “Inventions” July 17 and 19; “Transportation” July 24 and 26; and the final drop in activity is “Cultures of the Northeast” July 31 and August 2.

The “Inventions” activity coincides with the museum’s current exhibit, “That’s the Idea! Patents and Inventions from the Kansas City Museum Collection,” which started June 1 and ends Sept. 8 The exhibit will be open to the public Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.

“There are a lot of unique pieces that people will see,” Mouzin said. “Like the 24-hour insurance policy vending machine, Samuel Kaufman’s perfume vending machine, self-starting hair clippers among other inventions.”

The museum will continue to host its free Hard Hat Tours on Wednesdays through Saturdays at 2 p.m. For a more detailed glimpse of the renovations at Corinthian Hall, Kansas City Museum’s Historic House Director Christopher Leitch will lead attendees on an extended hard hat tour, the “Director’s Hard Hat Tour,” on Aug. 17 at 12:30 p.m. Cost is $5.

“This will be an opportunity for folks to learn about the history of the Long family and see the beautiful interior architecture being renovated,” Mouzin said. “What people enjoy about the director’s tours is that he has an extensive knowledge about the museum. People enjoy that the director is giving the tour and people get to go into areas that you normally do not get to see.”

Another summer event is the “Trolley Tour: The Life of Fred Harvey” which will be held Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. The tour will give attendees a glimpse into the 1880s as they visit the Harvey home in Leavenworth and Mount Muncie Cemetery and learn more about the dishwasher turned restaurateur. Following the tour, attendees will eat at Harvey’s inside Union Station. Tour and lunch cost $40.

The Community Curator Series will continue at Corinthian Hall with the Aug. 27 lecture by Luis Rodriguez titled “Patent Models and the Maker Faire Movement.” Visitors will be able to also check out the That’s the Idea! exhibit prior to the 6:30 p.m. presentation.

For more information about the museum’s summer events and activities, go to www.kansascitymuseum.org.