The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is Kansas City’s dedicated contemporary-art museum — free admission, a rotating collection of 20th and 21st-century works, a sculpture-filled outdoor courtyard, and one of the city’s best museum restaurants in Café Sebastienne. For visitors who want a focused art experience without the half-day commitment of the Nelson-Atkins, the Kemper is the right scale. A mobility scooter rental makes the visit comfortable across the galleries, outdoor courtyard, and dining.
How We Serve Kemper Museum Visitors
Scooter delivery lands at your Plaza-area or downtown Kansas City hotel ahead of your check-in. The Kemper is centrally located between the Plaza (short roll south) and the Crossroads (short roll north), so nearly any central-KC hotel works as a base. Accessible parking at the museum is available for day-trip visitors; call 913-775-1098 for direct parking-lot delivery.
About the Museum
Founded in 1994 by R. Crosby Kemper Jr. and designed by architect Gunnar Birkerts, the museum occupies a distinctive building at 4420 Warwick Boulevard. Collection highlights:
- Permanent collection — rotating selections from 20th and 21st-century American and international artists, including works by Louise Bourgeois, Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Deborah Butterfield, and many others
- Sculpture Courtyard — outdoor installations visible from the galleries and accessible from the lower level
- Frederick James Brown’s “The History of Art” — the mural installation covering Café Sebastienne’s dining-room walls
- Rotating special exhibitions — typically 3-4 per year, often focused on single artists or themes
Plan 1-2 hours for galleries. Add another 60-90 minutes for lunch at Café Sebastienne if you’re timing the visit around a meal.
Accessibility
The Gunnar Birkerts-designed building includes full ADA accessibility:
- Accessible parking in the main lot
- Ramped main entrance with automatic doors
- Elevator access to all gallery levels
- Accessible galleries throughout with wide pathways
- Accessible sculpture courtyard
- Accessible Café Sebastienne seating
- Accessible restrooms
Pairing the Visit
With the Nelson-Atkins — 1 mile south. For visitors doing a full KC art-museum day, pair the two in either order (Kemper first if you want lighter, Nelson-Atkins first if you want the larger destination upfront).
With the Plaza — short roll south from the Kemper into the Plaza shopping district. Museum morning, Plaza afternoon.
With Crossroads — short roll north into the Crossroads Arts District for evening gallery visits and dinner.
With Café Sebastienne as the lunch — a popular standalone destination even for visitors not touring the galleries.