Tours of the American Jazz Museum are catered to meet the needs of students and classrooms. You can request that the tour focus on elements of jazz music, the role of jazz and jazz musicians in the Civil Rights movement, Kansas City's role in the development of jazz, etc. We are happy to give a tour that fits the subjects you are currently studying in your classrooms! All tours are given at an age appropriate level. Tour fees reflect admission to one or both Museums at 18th & Vine. Please let us know when you schedule your tour if you would like to tour the American Jazz Museum only or if we should schedule the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum as well. You can tour the entire permanent exhibition and Changing Gallery or you can specify areas based on the descriptions below:

Acclaimed as an “interactive paradise” by the NY Times, the permanent exhibits at the American Jazz Museum bring to life the great American art form of jazz. Listening stations, touch screen interactives, and custom mixing boards complement displays of artifacts, graphics, and commissioned artwork in a sculpturally dynamic space that makes this sophisticated musical style accessible and engaging for visitors of different ages and musical backgrounds.

Throughout the exhibits, collections of photos, sheet music, and posters from the heyday of jazz create context for historic artifacts such as Charlie Parker’s Grafton saxophone, one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets, and a sequined gown worn by Ella Fitzgerald.

Keeping jazz alive is the Blue Room, a new nightclub built within the museum and named after a once famous nightclub across the street. Featuring photos and memorabilia from Kansas City’s finest bands and a video jukebox for viewing classic jazz performances, the Blue Room pays homage to its jazz heritage by offering live music five nights a week.

The young can try their hand at making their own instruments in the Jazz Discovery area, while the aficionado can listen to selections from over one hundred jazz recordings in Jazz Central, the museum’s musical library.

Collections | The American Jazz Museum’s department of collections & exhibitions specializes in several areas, including the history of the 18th & Vine area, jazz masters, jazz on film, new acquisitions & artifacts for the permanent collections and a variety of changing exhibits tied to the jazz experience and aesthetic. Each of the following spaces has its own unique perspective:

The Changing Gallery | This space showcases both local and national artists, traveling exhibits and other displays of fine art, film, photography & other media inspired by jazz and African-American life, culture & history.

Horace M. Peterson III Visitors Center | Named for one of Kansas City’s experts in African-American history and a key figure in the redevelopment of 18th & Vine and the Black Archives of Mid-America, the Visitors Center includes a variety of artifacts and the film “18th & Vine: A People’s Journey,” which features a brief history of the African-American experience on 18th & Vine and its contributions to the cultural, social and economic development of Kansas City.

Album Art | This exhibit showcases the classic album art from many of the greatest jazz recordings, highlighting the unique progression in graphic design & illustration that developed along with the music.

“Jazz Is…” Theater | One of the central components of the American Jazz Museum, the film “Jazz Is…” introduces visitors to jazz through film footage and testimonials from several influential musicians.

Jazz Masters Exhibit | This area highlights the development of jazz music through the lives and music of four seminal jazz masters: Louis Armstrong, Charlie “Bird” Parker, Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald. Through a combination of artifacts, rare photos, album covers, listening kiosks and a plethora of other materials, visitors experience the creativity of these artists and their contributions to music.

Jazz and Technology | Music and sound technology grew up together. The first recording devices appeared in the late 19th century as African-American sacred and secular music merged to create jazz & blues. Here, visitors can view various relics of sound technology through which jazz reached a nationwide audience and became a central fixture in popular culture.The American Jazz Museum’s department of collections & exhibitions specializes in several areas, including the history of the 18th & Vine area, jazz masters, jazz on film, new acquisitions & artifacts for the permanent collections and a variety of changing exhibits tied to the jazz experience and aesthetic.

The Blue Room | Designed to resemble a nightclub from the 1930s, the Blue Room is not only a jazz club featuring live music four nights a week, but also a part of the permanent exhibit at the American Jazz Museum. Each of the nine tables on the lower level are display cases of rare artifacts of Kansas City jazz, including photos, ticket stubs and musicians contracts. On the upper level, a “wall of fame” showcases images of dozens of musicians who helped craft the “Kansas City sound,” and shadow boxes display guitars, saxophones, clarinets, sheet music, records, programs and other artifacts. The Massenburg Mural celebrates the history of jazz and the African-American experience through compelling interpretations of jazz legends and inspiring quotes.

With the help of Google, we're able to offer a digital tour of the Museum facility. You can view the tour at Google Maps.