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4420 Warwick Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64111

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Kemper Museum is a free art museum in Kansas City, Missouri that presents global contemporary art.

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art acknowledges it resides on the ancestral territory of the Osage, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria, among other tribal nations forcibly moved to the region such as the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) nations. We recognize and support the continued vibrancy of Native communities and cultures today who continue to thrive, as well as the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations. We are compelled to serve and advocate for these communities in accordance with our public mission.

Kemper Museum acknowledges and respects the diversity of Native people connected to this land today. Many recognize the land and all beings who live within it as relatives. We acknowledge the earth we inhabit, the waters of the Blue River, the Kansas River, the Missouri River, and the plants, animals, and people supported by them. 

We acknowledge our responsibility to be good caretakers of the land we occupy. 

Click here to learn more about our land acknowledgment process.

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is inviting the community to get closer to contemporary art with the launch of its new Free Membership program, an important next step in the museum’s long-standing commitment to open access and community engagement. 

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Launches Free Membership Program to Deepen Community Connection

Free Membership Press Release-11-25-25.pdf

Kansas City, MO – Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is inviting the community to get closer to contemporary art with the launch of its new Free Membership program, an important next step in the museum’s long-standing commitment to open access and community engagement. 

Since opening its doors in 1994, Kemper Museum has offered free admission, free special exhibitions, and free community programs to the public. The new Free Membership program builds upon that legacy by offering visitors new ways to engage with the museum while ensuring that contemporary art remains open and welcoming to all. 

“Our goal at the Kemper is always first and foremost to be a free and welcoming environment for all people,” explains Jessica May, Ph.D., Executive Director of Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. “To me, being a member means saying, ‘Yes! I belong here!’ I want as many people as possible to feel that way about our community’s free contemporary art museum.” 

Free Members receive exclusive benefits including: 

A welcome packet and membership card with a special welcome gift at the Front Desk 

A monthly E-newsletter with Member updates 

A quarterly calendar postcard highlighting upcoming exhibitions and Member gatherings 

For those who wish to engage even more deeply, the museum also offers Supporting Memberships starting at just $6.25 per month. Memberships at this level and more provide additional benefits such as free parking, invitations to Supporter events, access to Special Programs, and discounts at Oil on Linen Café and the Museum Shop.  

“Our new membership structure is our way of trying to meet all audiences where they are,” says May. “For some, this will offer a deeper connection through a Free Membership. For others, it will mean stepping up in support of the museum’s mission through paid membership. Wherever people are in their lives, we hope they see that there’s a place for everyone here.” 

Membership at any level helps sustain Kansas City’s only museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary art by keeping admission, special exhibitions, and community programs free for all. 

Sign up for Free Membership at kemperart.org/memberships or at the museum’s front desk. 

Kemper Museum is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, please visit kemperart.org. 

Image Credit: (left) Marissa Gencarelli hosts “Sobremesa” public talk and tasting, one in a series of In Community programming opportunities to gather at the museum and explore music, storytelling, art-making and food tied to Kemper Museum’s Atrium project: Lucia Vidales: Hambre. (top right) Studio Nights at Kemper Museum with provided materials and all experience levels welcome. (bottom right) Summer Camps feature creative activities based on current exhibitions, with all materials provided.

Bold. Inclusive. Contemporary. Since 1994, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art has been a creative force in Kansas City and beyond, championing today’s artists and sparking conversations that matter. As Missouri’s first contemporary art museum, Kemper has introduced generations of visitors to the most compelling global voices in modern and contemporary art. Admission is free, thanks to the generosity of supporting members. 

Home to a growing collection of nearly 1,500 works, the museum showcases both established and rising artists, with a strong emphasis on those from historically underrepresented communities. Housed in an iconic building designed by Gunnar Birkerts, Kemper Museum offers an ever-changing mix of exhibitions, installations, and bold new projects, presenting 8 to 10 major shows each year and a robust schedule of events. Its restaurant, Oil on Linen, features an art-inspired menu by Chef Ted Habiger, who is known for his commitment to local farmers and sustainable practices.

Kemper is more than a place to see art. It’s a place to engage. From hands-on family activities and artist talks to community partnerships and thought-provoking exhibitions, the museum’s free public programs invite people of all ages and backgrounds to connect, create, and be inspired. 

Kemper Museum is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, please visit kemperart.org.