American Jazz Museum

Attended as part of a group. We had a very thorough tour guide. She was a little gruff in places, but certainly quite knowledgeable.The museum itself is nice, but I didn't find most of the exhibits to be all that exciting. I enjoyed the room where I was able to watch a lot of old recordings the most.I appreciate the plentiful seating in the lobby and even throughout the museum as I do like to kind of sit and take in the surroundings in places like this.

As an avid jazz lover, I knew visiting this place in the historic jazz district when I came to town was a must do. It did not disappoint. It's small but very informative. It has some interactive parts where you can actually hear some of the Jazz greats playing. I enjoyed every minute there. There is an attached Jazz lounge called the Blue room that had a free jazz show at 5:30 that I stuck around for. It was awesome and a great vibe.

Now this is a museum that probably isn't for everyone. Some people hate jazz, but for those that don't, there is the American Jazz Museum off 18th and Vine. Admittedly, the museum doesn't offer a ton to see when you think of the size of most museums, but there is just enough here to whet the appetite in relation to jazz music. You can learn some of the history of not only the genre, but the instruments and artists that played them. The best part though is hearing some of the live tracks at all the listening stations because before you know it, you'll be booking your seat to a live jazz show at the The Blue Room, which is attached to the museum.I will say this isn't something I'd visit more than once every few years, but for a couple hours of learning about these great artists and hearing their music for only $10, I'd say it was worth it.You can see more of our experience on our YouTube travel channel: https://youtu.be/6X_5cDClGus

It was a great representation of the wonderful rich history of in KC and around the world. The exhibits were well put together and tastefully done.

Okay so this is a tough one for me. First of all, I want to make it clear that I am so grateful that this museum exists and I think their mission and the story they are telling is paramount to not only the medium of jazz, but also the complex history of jazz within the context of American history, and within the context of Kansas City history. The American Jazz Museum is perfectly situated in the 18th and Vine neighborhood in Kansas City, MO and shares a space with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. You walk in and can choose which you'd like to patron during your visit. The folks that work here are incredible. Every person I've ever engaged with knows a lot about the subject matter and seems to care deeply about the history. I love that most of the folks working here seem to have a personal connection to the neighborhood or the community in general. Once you have your ticket, they will direct you to watch a short introduction video. To me, this video was the highlight of the visit. It really introduced the neighborhood and placed both the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum within the context of jim crow America and Kansas City during segregation, which is so important to the story of this place. I loved hearing from people that lived through that time and learning what the experience was like for them. I loved even more that as you watched it you're seated smack dab in the middle of where all of this happened. It really grounds you in the history and sets you up for what you're about to experience. The sad thing about all of this is that after that you are ushered through a pretty small museum with sparse artifacts and very dated displays. I think the part of the museum where you can learn to mix your own jazz soundtrack is pretty cool, but I left feeling like there was just so much more that could be done here to celebrate the black history of Kansas City and teach folks about the importance of this place. I think it's doing a fine job with what it has but I couldn't help but be distracted by what this place could be while I was walking through. I will always recommend this as a stop for tourists, especially those that are really invested in learning more about the history, but I think on it's own it could do more to connect the history of the neighborhood throughout the exhibits, make it more local, and eventually update the space. Massive thanks to the amazing people that keep this place going, you'll always have my support!

Studying Jazz in college, I learned about the significance of its presence in KC. So visiting for a wedding, I knew we had to check out the museum. We were greeted by a jazzy greeter guy (who we didn't see later - maybe he was a ghost?) upon entering. Purchased tickets (the jazzy ghost took our stubs) and we were off!Lots of really cool artifacts, and if you have time, plenty to read. We were with two small children, so we spent less time than perhaps I would have. Nice gift shop (bought a shirt) and friendly people. A must visit for any jazz fan. Support the arts!

Exceptional service! The gentleman greeting guests went above and beyond providing key details about the exhibit and the surrounding community. If you plan on visiting you cant miss him, he will be sharp as a tact with a welcoming smile.

The museum is alright. I'm not much of a jazz person, but it's always interesting to learn more about different genres of music. Especially the old-school style that was made famous in Kansas City. Of course, the museum showcases the legends such as Billie Holliday, Louis Armstrong and many others. Overall, I felt like the museum just was missing a lot of things. It was a cool and bright looking on the inside, but there weren't very many artifacts or real memorabilia items on display. There are listening stations where headphones are required (I can't remember if you had to bring your own...). I was just irritated that they only had information/text on the artists, plus a picture of the artist...which I find weak when museums do this. I mean, I could look up information on Count Basie at home or at the library. But they do spotlight their local jazz scene, past and present - and they had a big section devoted to their arguably #1 jazz guy: Charlie "Bird" Parker. I'm sure the museum offers a lot of great programs for those who live in the KC area. There is also an old-fashioned club (I didn't go in) called the Blue Note that is attached to the building. Be sure to bring $ for souvenirs as they do have a decent gift shop. The American Jazz Museum shares a building with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which I found to be convenient. I highly recommend getting the combo pack admission to both!

We just ran thru this museum, as we bought the combined Negro League/Jazz Museum tix. Looked like a cool space with good info. Loved the idea of the Blue Room jazz club attached.The 2 museums are in the same complex and I would recommend the combined tix. It is not that much more $ and you never know what is going to spark your interest. We really enjoyed the 18th/Vine history movie, located in a small theatre btwn the two museums.

What a great walk into our country's history of jazz. It was really cool to read about these jazz icons' personal lives, passions and what they brought to the jazz community.Just come ready to read!! It's organized by individual artists. It was really cool to learn about how so many of their lives overlapped with each other. People like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and more. A lot of rich KC history as well!I would say this is NOT suitable for kids in any way. There is lots of reading at each station with a few stations to listen to a variety of music.Loved it myself!