The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

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The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Free Kansas City art museum | Dynamic art experiences for all | Plan your visit: nelson-atkins.org This includes personal photos and pictures of artwork.

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Happy trees a-plenty 💛Yellow is often associated with happiness and joy, which might explain the magic of spending time ...
10/21/2026

Happy trees a-plenty 💛

Yellow is often associated with happiness and joy, which might explain the magic of spending time among the golden ginkgo trees in the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park in the fall.

Free positive vibes await!

🪷 A goddess. A demon. A legendary battle.Today marks Dussehra, a major Hindu holiday celebrating the triumph of good ove...
10/20/2026

🪷 A goddess. A demon. A legendary battle.

Today marks Dussehra, a major Hindu holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Across India and around the world, the holiday is observed in a variety of ways, including celebrations of the god Rama’s defeat of the evil king Ravana and celebrations of the goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura.

Durga’s story comes to life in this sculpture from our collection: Mahishasuramardini, Durga as the Slayer of the Buffalo-demon. Wielding an array of weapons and multiple arms, Durga stands triumphant over Mahishasura, embodying divine power and glorious triumph.

For many, Dussehra is a time of celebration, reflection, and renewal — a moment to honor tradition, gather with loved ones, and look toward the future with hope.

Happy Dussehra!

Mahishasuramardini, Durga as the Slayer of the Buffalo-demon, Indian, 16th century. Greenstone, 48 inches. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust. 34-3.

Step into the spotlight 😊 On Sunday, Oct. 18, join us from 1–3 pm for Stories in the Spotlight from Turn the Page KC, a ...
10/16/2026

Step into the spotlight 😊

On Sunday, Oct. 18, join us from 1–3 pm for Stories in the Spotlight from Turn the Page KC, a local organization focused on building early literacy skills. This session explores art and storytelling in South and Southeast Asian countries, with interactive conversations, gallery exploration, and family artmaking.

Here’s how to make the most of your afternoon:
1️⃣ Visit any Kansas City Public Library branch to pick up family books connected to the theme before the event. Ask a librarian to direct you to Stories in the Spotlight resources.
2️⃣ Join us on Oct. 18 for drop-in conversations with docents in the Hindu Temple Room and other galleries.
3️⃣ After exploring the galleries, head to Classrooms 4 and 5 for three family artmaking activities.

And while you’re here, keep the fun going with Free Weekend Fun: Bach to Nature in Bloch Lobby, where families can explore the connections between music and art in the exhibition Farhad Ostovani: Goldberg Variations.

🔗 Prepare for an afternoon of free artistic fun: turnthepagekc.org

A few Día de los Mu***os highlights💀We’re excited to welcome you to our free Día de los Mu***os Festival on Sunday, Nov....
10/15/2026

A few Día de los Mu***os highlights💀

We’re excited to welcome you to our free Día de los Mu***os Festival on Sunday, Nov. 1! From 10 am–4 pm, celebrate with music, dance, artmaking, and traditional cuisine as we honor our ancestors and celebrate Latin American cultures.

Here’s a peek at what’s in store:
🖌️ Create colorful artwork to take home
🌮 Savor authentic cuisine from and
🎨 Win an exclusive mini print from

And so much more. Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring your celebratory spirit. See the full schedule and get registered: nelson-atkins.org/dia-de-los-muertos

Color me autumnal 🍂Fall is a whole mood. Which landscape has you reaching for a sweater?Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903)...
10/14/2026

Color me autumnal 🍂

Fall is a whole mood. Which landscape has you reaching for a sweater?

Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903), Autumn in Brittany (The Willow Tree), 1889. Oil on canvas, 36 1/4 x 28 7/8 inches. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Gift of Henry W. and Marion H. Bloch. 2015.13.9

The Four Seasons: Bright Moonlight on the Autumn Stream, Chinese, 18th-19th century. Dali marble from Yunnan Province, 20 1/2 × 27 inches. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. William Rockhill Nelson Trust. 59-76/3.

Marsden Hartley (American, 1877-1943), Mt. Katahdin—November Afternoon, 1942. Oil on Masonite, 30 × 40 inches. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Gift of Mrs. James A. Reed in memory of Senator James A. Reed through the Friends of Art. 46-3.

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day 🌎Today, we honor the histories, cultures, knowledge, and creativity of Indigenous Peop...
10/12/2026

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day 🌎

Today, we honor the histories, cultures, knowledge, and creativity of Indigenous Peoples — and recognize the living traditions and perspectives that continue to shape our world.

Roxanne Swentzell’s Kosa Appreciating Anything offers a fitting invitation to pause and look with fresh eyes. The Pueblo Kosha, a sacred clown who appears in religious dances, often teaches through action. Here, he stares intently at his hand, seemingly discovering its complexity for the first time and contemplating the mystery of life.

That sense of wonder can begin reflection, understanding, and wisdom. Today, we celebrate the Indigenous knowledge and traditions that continue to teach, inspire, and invite us to see the world in new ways.

Roxanne Swentzell (North American Indian, Santa Clara, New Mexico, born 1962), Kosa Appreciating Anything, 1997. Clay and pigment, 16 × 13 × 17 inches (40.64 × 33.02 × 43.18 cm). Purchase: Donald D. Jones Fund for American Indian Art. 2003.22, Gallery 207.

Take a break. Take a breath. Take in some art 🧡This year, for World Mental Health Day, we want to highlight all the diff...
10/10/2026

Take a break. Take a breath. Take in some art 🧡

This year, for World Mental Health Day, we want to highlight all the different ways in which art can encourage us to reflect, connect, create and find joy.

Maybe your me time looks like a quiet moment with a favorite painting. A stroll through the sculpture park. Making something with your own hands. Sharing a laugh at a community festival. Or simply taking a few minutes to slow down and look around.

However you choose to engage, there’s room for you at the Nelson-Atkins. Explore at your own pace and follow your curiosity. Because sometimes, a moment with art is just what you need to enrich the day –– and your life.

Art + music = inspiration 🤩Experience the connection of sight and sound at Between Image and Sound: Farhad Ostovani (), ...
10/09/2026

Art + music = inspiration 🤩

Experience the connection of sight and sound at Between Image and Sound: Farhad Ostovani (), an event inspired by Farhad Ostovani: Goldberg Variations, on view through Feb. 28, 2027.

Hear a new work by composer Yunfei Li (), performed by pianist Dr. Yi-Yang Chen () and inspired by J. S. Bach’s iconic Goldberg Variations and Ostovani’s mixed-media works.

After the performance, Ostovani will join his editor, Robert Bemis, and Nelson-Atkins Director and CEO Julián Zugazagoitia for a conversation about his life and career — and his enduring connection to art, music, and nature.

📅 Oct. 29 | 6–7:30 pm
🎟️ Members: $10 | Public: $12 | Students: $6
📍 Atkins Auditorium
🔗 nelson-atkins.org/ostovani

Celebrate Día de los Mu***os with us 🌸On Sunday, Nov.1, join us for a free day of music, dance, artmaking, traditional c...
10/07/2026

Celebrate Día de los Mu***os with us 🌸

On Sunday, Nov.1, join us for a free day of music, dance, artmaking, traditional cuisine, and more as we honor the lives of our ancestors and celebrate Latin American cultures.

Bring your family and friends to enjoy a day of festivities at the museum, including an immersive altar installation featuring a pathway lined with towering flowers, colorful hummingbirds, and spirit dogs.

📅 Sunday, Nov. 1 | 10 am–4 pm
🎟️ Free

See the full schedule of events and get registered: nelson-atkins.org/dia-de-los-muertos

10/06/2026

Pour a cup, raise it up 🍷

There’s nothing more fitting to adorn an intricately detailed, foot-tall glass than the Roman god of w**e himself, Bacchus. Called Dionysus by the Greeks, Bacchus is also associated with fertility, festivities, and joy.

This glass has brought joy to many collections before ours, including that of media mogul William Randolph Hearst. Watch this Smartify video to learn about The Bacchus Goblet, its former owner, and the mysterious significance it may have held in Hearst’s life.

See The Bacchus Goblet’s jovial magnificence in the exhibition Glorious Glass in Gallery 110.

Address

4525 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO
64111

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

(816)7511278

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