Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

10/17/2026

Today’s the day! Kemper Museum is hosting ArtSmash Gala, our biggest fundraiser of the year. The museum and Oil on Linen are closed to the public today, Saturday, October 17. We’ll reopen with regular hours tomorrow, Sunday, October 18.

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

10/14/2026

Proof that ArtSmash Late-Night is where you’ll want to be this Saturday 📸

From 9pm-midnight enjoy dessert, dancing, BBQ food truck, karaoke, an open bar, and a photo booth that’s just as epic this year, all for less than half the price of a regular ticket to Moon Age Dreamscape!

The party is this Saturday, October 17, and you can grab a Late-Night ticket right up until the day of the event. Get yours at the link in our bio.

10/09/2026

What can you discover when you spend a little more time with a work of art?

In a recent feature, The Independent takes a closer look at two exhibitions currently on view at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art: Barbara Takenaga: Awestruck and Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still.

As the article puts it, “Together, these exhibitions offer a compelling snapshot of where the Kemper is headed: toward ambitious exhibitions, deep engagement with artists, and a willingness to make the museum a place not simply to see art, but to spend meaningful time with it.”

Thank you to The Independent: Kansas City's Journal of Note for this thoughtful feature.

Read the full article:

There is a lot happening at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art right now, and much of it seems designed to prompt something that feels radical in 2026: slowing down and actually looking. That idea runs through the museum’s current exhibition, Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still., which turns the Kemper.....

10/09/2026

When there’s nothing left to say, you just have to see it for yourself. Barbara Takenaga: Awestruck is on view now at Kemper Museum.

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Marshall Price
DC Moore Gallery
Robert Kushner
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10/07/2026

THIS WEEK | “Barbara Takenaga: Awestruck” opens this Friday, October 9.

Featuring 40 works from institutional and private collections across the nation, ‘Awestruck’ follows Takenaga's evolving relationship to abstraction from her early paintings through her newest pieces.

☁️ Like cloud watchers finding shifting shapes in the daytime sky, abstraction invites curiosity, encouraging viewers to open their imagination and actively engage with what they see.

Make time this weekend to stand in front of her paintings and watch them transform the longer you stay.

'Awestruck' is on view October 9, 2026-April 11, 2027 at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.

Image: Barbara Takenaga (b. 1949, North Platte, NE), 'Red Turnout', 2024. Acrylic on linen, 70 x 60 inches. Kathryn and Marc LeBaron Private Collection, Lincoln, NE. © Barbara Takenaga.

10/05/2026

This is not your average wallpaper.

Barbara Takenaga painted directly onto it in her studio, adding details that now welcome you into ‘Awestruck’ at Kemper Museum.

See it in person when the exhibition opens Friday, October 9!

Additional footage dawsonbatchelder

10/01/2026

Fall is finally here at Kemper Museum. Swipe to see what's in store this October ⏩️

09/30/2026

We like dancing and we look divine ✨

ArtSmash Moonage Dreamscape is just 18 days away so consider this your sign to get tickets!

Late night tickets are $125 and let you join the party from 9pm to midnight for drinks, food truck, photo booth, and of course dancing!

ArtSmash Moon Age Dreamscape | Saturday, October 17

LET’S DANCE 🕺🪩

09/29/2026

As we prepare for what’s next at Kemper, we’re looking back on “Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene,” which closed this month.

Alongside the exhibit we asked visitors to share a personal commitment to a healthier planet and were overwhelmed by the hundreds of amazing, thoughtful responses.

We wanted to share just a few unique and personal commitments visitors had to share. Your words moved us and it’s been inspiring to see how deeply this community engaged with the show. 🌎♥️

09/24/2026

Fall has officially arrived, but first, one last look back at summer at Kemper Museum ☀️

From Arterie Fest featuring Block Party to Silent Concert, we’re so glad you joined us. We had so much fun and hope you did too!

Our fall calendar is shaping up to be just as fun, so make sure to keep your eye out for upcoming events. Learn more on our website 👀🍁

Kemper Block Party - part of Arterie Fest!

Indigo Dye Workshop with artist Hùng Lê

Al Fresco Culinary Journey

“Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene” Member Preview

Freedom, Soul & Sound: A Juneteenth Celebration

Summer Break Family Day

Silent Concert: Sound & Nature

Dominoes Pop-Up with Kansas City Public Library