9:40 a.m. Meet in the hotel lobby prior to transferring by a ride-share service such as Uber or Lyft, or by taxi, to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

ADDRESS: 4525 Oak Street 

The Raphael to Nelson-Atkins: 5 min., 1 mile by Uber/Lyft; 19 min. on foot

10:00 a.m. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, known for its encyclopedic collection of art from nearly every continent and culture.

www.nelson-atkins.org

The museum is distinguished (and widely celebrated) for its extensive collection of Asian art, especially that of Imperial China. Most of it was purchased in the early 20th century by Laurence Sickman, then a Harvard fellow in China. The museum has one of the best collections of Chinese antique furniture in the country, including a group of glazed pottery luohans from Yixian (c. 1000). In addition to Chinese art, the collection includes pieces from Afghanistan, Japan, India, Iran, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, and Southeast and South Asia.

Our line-up today will include these curator-led tours:

Kimberly Masteller, Ph.D., Jeanne McCray Beals Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, will lead a tour of the Indian galleries, including two period rooms -- a “Persian Room” and the “Hindu Temple Room.” Sculpture is one of the great strengths of the collection, which features excellent examples of stone, bronze and metal sculpture from India, Nepal, Tibet, ancient Gandhara (modern Pakistan and Afghanistan) and peninsular Southeast Asia. The museum also is home to a small but significant collection of works on paper representing the Persian, Mughal and Rajput traditions.

She will also take us through the special exhibition:

Silver Splendor: Conserving the Royal Thrones of Dungarpur, India

In 1911 the Maharawal (ruler) of Dungarpur, a small kingdom in the western state of Rajasthan, commissioned these European-style thrones and related objects for use in a new royal palace. 1911 was also the year of the British King George V’s coronation as Emperor of India, an event celebrated by a grand Durbar (court assembly) and King-Emperor’s tour of India. Given the date, the thrones were likely created to receive dignitaries in Dungarpur during this year of tours and celebrations. A former Dungarpur king brought the thrones to Europe in 1969 and the Nelson-Atkins acquired them in 2013. Since then, the museum, with local and international partners, restored these objects, using a combination of advanced technologies and traditional Indian art forms to give a sense of their original appearance.

Ling-en Lu, PhD., Associate Curator, Chinese Art, will lead a tour of the Chinese galleries, as well as the special exhibition, Found in Translation: Explorations by 8 Contemporary Artists, which she co-curated. The art in Found in Translation is informed but not defined by artists’ individual experiences with immigration from places across Asia to the Kansas City region. It reflects their perspectives on the world and their places in it, shaped through a range of styles and media. These eight artists use their practices to explore evolving personal questions tied to place, memory, relationships, and other complex topics. Among local artists for this exhibition are Shreepad Joglekar, Hyeyoung Shin, and Hong Chun Zhang.

Yayoi Shinoda, Curator of Japanese Collections, will provide a tour of the special exhibition, Traditions of Japanese Art. It highlights distinct aspects of arts and culture cultivated in Japan through more than fifty objects of wide-ranging media from the museum’s permanent collection. Those works created in the last 1,300 years embody people’s spiritual practices and active engagements with theaters and the natural world. They also present how visual art traditions emerged and evolved through the people’s interactions domestically and globally. Light-sensitive objects, including works on paper and textiles, are rotated throughout the year.

Lunch No host lunch at the museum’s Rozelle Court Restaurant.

The restaurant offers self-service dining with signature salads, sandwiches, soups, breads and desserts changed seasonally to utilize the freshest ingredients. 

Tables have been reserved for this no host lunch.

Afternoon See the special exhibition: Alberto Giacometti: Toward the Ultimate Figure (runs March 18 – June 18, 2023). Tickets will be pre-purchased and included in the Tour Price.

Enter the mind of modernist sculptor Alberto Giacometti in his search for a new vision of the human form. Featuring more than 100 bronze portrait busts, towering statuettes, paintings, sketches, and prints, this exhibition documents the iconic explorations and visionary achievements of this internationally celebrated artist of the postwar era.  Visit Giacometti in his famed Paris studio in scenes captured by noted photographers including Richard Avedon, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Gordon Parks, and Irving Penn, offering glimpses into his life and tireless pursuit to reveal our fragile yet resilient humanness.

Return to the hotel on your own. The museum remains open until 5 p.m.

Dinner On your own. A List of Suggested Restaurants follows the Itinerary.

Consider a night of jazz at The Blue Room. Free Monday Night Jam Session from 7-10 p.m.

ADDRESS: 1600 E. 18th Street

9:00 a.m. Depart the hotel to the University of Kansas in Lawrence by private coach.

The Raphael to Spencer MoA: 48 min., 44 miles

10:00 a.m. Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, with Kris Ercums, Curator of Global Contemporary and Asian Art.  

ADDRESS: 1301 Mississippi Street, Lawrence, KS 66045

https://spencerart.ku.edu/

Kris will show selections from the collection in the Lee Study Center.  (Search the online catalogue to make requests no less than one month in advance for particular objects.) 

Then see the newly renovated and reinstalled collection galleries: Intersections, Empowerment, Displacement, and Illumination. Also on view are two Asian-focused installations: As You Wish, which is taken from the ceremonial ruyi scepter; and Shifting Terrain: Korean Painting from the Spencer Museum of Art Collection, 1800–2010.

12 noon Depart by coach.

Spencer MoA to Free State Brewing: 5 min. / 1.3 miles

12:15 p.m. No host lunch at Free State Brewing Co. in a private room.

Established in 1989, Free State Brewing Company takes pride in being the first legal brewery in Kansas in the 20th century. Located in the heart of Lawrence, this brewery may be a small scale one, but flavors of the brews crafted are so powerful, that they have bagged awards at popular events like the Great American Beer Festival. The brewery has a brewpub on site, where you can pair delicious food with freshly brewed drinks. 

https://www.freestatebrewing.com/ 

ADDRESS: 636 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence

TEL:  785-843-4555

1:45 p.m. Depart by coach.

Lawrence, KS to Weston, MO: 1 hour, 53 miles

2:45 p.m. Arrive at the private home of Marc and Elizabeth Wilson. 

He retired as Director and CEO of the Nelson-Atkins in 2010 (prior to that he was its Asian Art curator). She trained as an art historian and taught Chinese and Japanese art before opening Asiatica, a shop specializing in garments created from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics and offering unique antiques and fashion items gathered during her regular trips to Japan. The contemporary house the couple built in rural Platte County, MO, is a restful repository of objects collected over a shared lifetime of global travel and study. A delight in the beautiful and unusual and an eye for the aesthetics of the commonplace unifies widely disparate treasures, including Pre-Columbian textiles, Chinese furniture, Japanese folk art, rocks and minerals, antique tools, Modern painting and sculpture, contemporary prints and photography.

4:00 p.m. Depart Weston.

Weston to Raphael Hotel: 48 min., 36 miles

5:00 p.m. Arrive back at the hotel.

Dinner On your own. A List of Suggested Restaurants follows the Itinerary.

9:30 a.m. Transfer independently by Uber / Lyft / taxi to the Arabia Steamboat Museum.

ADDRESS: 400 Grand Blvd.

The Raphael to Arabia Steamboat Museum: 16 min., 6 miles

10 a.m. Self-guided visit at the Arabia Steamboat Museum (allow 90 minutes).

www.1856.com

Located in the historic City Market, the Arabia Steamboat Museum houses artifacts salvaged from the Arabia, a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856. It is said to be the largest single collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world.  From clothing, fine china and carpentry tools to guns, dishes and children’s toys to the world’s oldest pickles—the collection is a veritable time capsule.

When visitors enter the museum, a series of four 5-minute videos recount the history of the Arabia's sinking and excavation. An additional 14-minute film called The Fall and Rise of the Steamboat Arabia, may also be viewed in the theater. Next, guests view the artifacts on display, as well as an open preservation lab where staff members work on cleaning the many artifacts in storage.  Finally, visitors walk a 171-foot-long full-scale reproduction of the Arabia's main deck, where they can see archival footage of the excavation process and more information about its history, along with the original boilers, engine, anchor, and the skeleton of a mule. Also on display are the 6-ton stern and a reconstructed paddle wheel. 

11:30 a.m. Continue by ride-share service.

Arabia to Kemper: 18 min., 5 miles

12 noon No host lunch at Café Sebastienne at The Kemper.

Tables have been reserved for this no host lunch.

1:30 p.m. Docent-led tour at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. 

The permanent collection often shows works by artists of Asian heritage — Hung Liu, Roger Shimomura and Gajin Fujita, among them, and Genie (Peonie) 2019 by Jiha Moon is currently on display.

ADDRESS: 4420 Warwick Blvd.

3:00 p.m. Continue by ride-share service.

Kemper to Jazz Museum: 11 min., 4.6 miles

Kemper to Raphael Hotel: 4 min., .7 miles

3:15 p.m. Visit the American Jazz Museum in the historic 18th and Vine district, recognized as one of the cradles of jazz music. 

The museum preserves the history of American jazz music, with exhibits on Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and others. Nested within the museum is a fully functioning jazz club, The Blue Room, which holds live performances multiple nights a week. 

https://www.americanjazzmuseum.org/

ADDRESS: 1616 E. 18th Street

HOURS: 10a-5p; closed Mondays

Return to the hotel (15 min., 5.3 miles).

Dinner  On your own. Some suggested barbecue restaurants:

Near the National Jazz Museum, downtown or midtown:

Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue (.4 mile on foot from the Jazz Museum, or 1 min. by car)

Celebrated spot for smoked meats served with Wonder bread & fries in plain self-service/cafeteria-style digs.

https://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/

ADDRESS: 1727 Brooklyn Avenue

TEL.: 816-231-1123

Jack Stack Barbecue at the Freight House (7 min. by car from the Jazz Museum)

Bustling local chain known for its vast barbecue menu encompassing steak & seafood.

https://www.jackstackbbq.com/locations/freight-house

ADDRESS: 101 W. 22nd Street

TEL.: 816-472-7427

Q39 Midtown (13 min. by car from the Jazz Museum; 7 min. from the hotel)

Set in a cozy and slightly upscale environment, Q39 is a great addition to the Kansas City BBQ scene.

https://q39kc.com/

ADDRESS: 1000 W. 39th Street

TEL.: 816-255-3753

… and near the hotel:

Jack Stack Barbecue in Country Club Plaza (5 min. on foot from the hotel)

A Kansas City institution since 1957, Jack Stack excels at world-class, hickory-smoked barbecue.

https://www.jackstackbbq.com/locations/country-club-plaza

ADDRESS: 474 Wyandotte St.

TEL.: 816-531-7427

9:45 a.m. Transfer independently by Uber / Lyft / taxi to the Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio.

The Raphael to Benton Home & Studio: 8 min., 2.2 miles

10:00 a.m. Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio State Historic Site, home of Missouri’s most renowned 20th century artist. 

See Benton’s studio in the old carriage house and tour the two main floors of his home, during which you will see 16 pieces of original art as well as some reproductions. The buildings are also completely furnished with the Bentons’ belongings, which really adds to the overall experience and understanding of their lives here. 

Guided tours are at 11 a.m., and 1, 2 and 3 p.m., and run 45 to 60 minutes. 

https://mostateparks.com/park/thomas-hart-benton-home-and-studio-state-historic-site

ADDRESS: 3616 Belleview

HOURS: 10 a.m. -4 p.m.

The balance of the day is free for independent pursuits. Consider:

A return visit to The Nelson-Atkins.

Asiatica, a boutique which sells artisanal clothing from Japanese textiles, all made locally. Owner Elizabeth Wilson travels regularly to Japan to source materials and designs.

https://www.asiaticakc.com/

ADDRESS: 4824 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood

HOURS: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; 12-4p Saturday

TEL.: 913-831-0831

Kansas City Museum, a recently re-opened house museum that reflects the story of Kansas City. 

In 1910, the site was built by lumber baron and civic leader Robert A. Long as his private family estate, with the four-story historic Beaux-Arts style mansion named Corinthian Hall.  In 1940, the site was donated by Long's heirs to become a public museum. Corinthian Hall opened to the public following its restoration in October 2021, and displays some 400 artifacts plus numerous images from the museum’s archives, exhibits, media, and site-specific art installations by Kansas City-based artists. The Museum is embarking on restoration of the conservatory and carriage house, slated to open in 2024 and 2026, respectively.

www.kansascitymuseum.org

ADDRESS: 3218 Gladstone Blvd.

HOURS: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Thursday

COST: Free entrance for a self-guided tour

National World War I Museum and Memorial

The museum focuses on global events from the causes of World War I before 1914 through the 1918 armistice and 1919 Paris Peace Conference. Visitors enter the exhibit space within the 32,000-square-foot (3,000 m2) facility across a glass bridge above a field of 9,000 red poppies, each representing 1,000 combatant deaths. 

NOTE: The combo ticket includes General Admission (access to the Main Gallery and Exhibit Hall) and admission to the Liberty Memorial Tower, the best view in Kansas City.  Guests can take an elevator, followed by 45 stairs, to the open-air observation deck at the top of the Liberty Memorial Tower for a breathtaking 360° view of the Kansas City skyline.

https://www.theworldwar.org/

ADDRESS: 2 Memorial Drive 

HOURS: Tue.-Sun., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

COST: Entrance @ $18 adults, $14 seniors 65+; add $3 for combo ticket for entry to the Wylie Gallery; add $2 more for entry to the Liberty Memorial Tower

Groups of 15 or more @ $16 adults, $12 seniors 65+

NOTE: Café on-site

5:45 p.m. Transfer independently from the hotel to Farina for our farewell dinner.

Hotel to Farina: 13 min., 3.9 miles from hotel

6:00 p.m. Farewell Dinner in the private Wine Room at Farina, an Italian restaurant under the helm of James Beard Award chef Michael Smith, and co-owned with wife and wine manager Nancy Smith. It is located in the Crossroads Art District. A three-course dinner and beverage package that includes prosecco, red and white house wine and beer are included in the Tour Price. 

https://farinakc.com/private-dining/

ADDRESS: 19 W. 19th Street // 1901 Baltimore Avenue 

TEL.: 816-768-6600

Our tour ends after breakfast. Check out of the hotel and transfer independently to the airport.