Arabia Steamboat Museum

Arabia Steamboat Museum has been a popular attraction in Kansas City 64055 for more than 25 years. The Arabia was a side-wheeler steamboat that was built in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania at the boatyard of John S. Pringle in 1853. The Arabia traveled the Missouri river and transported passengers as well as cargo. However, the Missouri River was a difficult and dangerous river due to fallen trees hidden from sight. The Arabia sank in the Missouri River near KC on September 5, 1856, carrying 200 tons of mystery cargo intended for general stores and pioneer settlements. The boat sank after hitting a tree snag submerged in the river. The boat was considered lost for 132 years until it was discovered by a team of local researchers in 1988. Their find has been referred to as King Tut’s Tomb of the Missouri River. The artifacts recovered are now housed in the Arabia Steamboat Museum. 

The 30,000 square-foot Arabia Steamboat Museum opened on November 13, 1991, in the Kansas City River Market. The museum offers a self-guided tour that starts with a series of videos that recount the history of Arabia’s sinking and excavation, as well as a 14-minute film called The Fall and Rise of the Steamboat Arabia that can be viewed in the theater. The artifacts retrieved from Arabia are preserved and displayed for visitors to view, including clothes, fine china and carpentry tools to guns, dishes and children’s toys. The museum even features the world’s oldest pickles. Guests can also watch preservationists restoring artifacts in the lab. Museum staff and members of the original dig team will be there to answer any questions that you may have during your visit. It takes about 90 minutes to view the entire museum. Make sure to visit the gift shop after the self-guided tour to purchase gifts or collectables. 

The Arabia Steamboat Museum is like a time capsule of frontier life in the 1800s. If you are looking for an adventure for the whole family, this is the perfect place for you. 

Kauffman Stadium

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