Kansas City"s Union Station is top of the must-stop buildings in the city!
Kansas City's Union Station
 The series "Best Buildings" will explore all of the unique, beautiful architecture and history Kansas City has to offer through all the historic places around town! Today's stop is Union Station, the 100-year-old structure adjacent to the Liberty Memorial. This building has been around a long time and has seen changes as Kansas City has grown.
Trains, Trains, Trains
 Union Station was built in 1914 as an upgrade to the original Union Depot train station that opened in 1878. The building served as the major railway stop for several decades, ushering up to 670,000 passengers through its doors per year during peak operation time around World War II.
Traffic declined over the next few decades, leading the Station to close its doors in 1985. In 1999, Union Station reopened after extensive renovations, becoming home to restaurants, shops and attractions.
In 2002, Amtrak restored train service to the area and Union Station is currently Missouri's second-busiest train station.
Exhibits like the KC Rail Experience and the Model Railroad Experience explore the history and continued importance of railroads to Union Station.
Renovation and Architecture
Union Station underwent a $250 million dollar restoration project from 1997 to 1999 and restored the Station's original Beaux-Arts style architecture.
The Grand Hall is 95 feet tall and the clock hanging from the central arch is six feet wide - and don't forget the three 3,500 pound chandeliers! Overall, the building boasts 850,000 square feet of beauty.Â
Attractions
There is always something to explore in Union Station's event spaces. The permanent exhibit Science City offers interactive and educational experiences for kids and adults alike. There is also the Gottleib Planetarium, one of the largest planetariums in the Midwest, so everyone can enjoy the night sky without the glare from the city lights. Union Station also hosts travelling exhibits and has big screens for first-run movies and educational shows.
See the Events Calendar for all there is to see and do at any time.
The Irish Center of Kansas City also calls Union Station its home. It offers exhibits, workshops, activities and more to help locals learn about and preserve their Irish heritage.
Did you work up an appetite while doing all your exploring in Union Station? That's okay - the building has delicious options for you to choose from! Stop by Parisi Coffee for a caffeinated pick-me-up; the local artisan coffee maker's flagship cafe is inside.Â
Harvey's offers a great outdoor-dining-inside atmosphere in the middle of the Grand Hall. Stop by here for casual eats with fun ambiance. Pierpont's is the place to go for happy hour, with its 30-foot-tall mahogany bar!
Named after - what else? - a railroad baron, Pierpont's is the place to be for some of the finest steak and seafood in the city.
Pop by the Science City store for some awesome souvenirs from your adventures there, and don't miss out on The Kansas City Store for all things KC-related.
 Check out the Visitor's Page of the Union Station website to find out how to plan your visit today. See you there!
 The series "Best Buildings" will explore all of the unique, beautiful architecture and history Kansas City has to offer through all the historic places around town! Today's stop is Union Station, the 100-year-old structure adjacent to the Liberty Memorial. This building has been around a long time and has seen changes as Kansas City has grown.
Trains, Trains, Trains
 Union Station was built in 1914 as an upgrade to the original Union Depot train station that opened in 1878. The building served as the major railway stop for several decades, ushering up to 670,000 passengers through its doors per year during peak operation time around World War II.
Traffic declined over the next few decades, leading the Station to close its doors in 1985. In 1999, Union Station reopened after extensive renovations, becoming home to restaurants, shops and attractions.
In 2002, Amtrak restored train service to the area and Union Station is currently Missouri's second-busiest train station.
Exhibits like the KC Rail Experience and the Model Railroad Experience explore the history and continued importance of railroads to Union Station.
Renovation and Architecture
Union Station underwent a $250 million dollar restoration project from 1997 to 1999 and restored the Station's original Beaux-Arts style architecture.
The Grand Hall is 95 feet tall and the clock hanging from the central arch is six feet wide - and don't forget the three 3,500 pound chandeliers! Overall, the building boasts 850,000 square feet of beauty.Â
Attractions
There is always something to explore in Union Station's event spaces. The permanent exhibit Science City offers interactive and educational experiences for kids and adults alike. There is also the Gottleib Planetarium, one of the largest planetariums in the Midwest, so everyone can enjoy the night sky without the glare from the city lights. Union Station also hosts travelling exhibits and has big screens for first-run movies and educational shows.
See the Events Calendar for all there is to see and do at any time.
The Irish Center of Kansas City also calls Union Station its home. It offers exhibits, workshops, activities and more to help locals learn about and preserve their Irish heritage.
Did you work up an appetite while doing all your exploring in Union Station? That's okay - the building has delicious options for you to choose from! Stop by Parisi Coffee for a caffeinated pick-me-up; the local artisan coffee maker's flagship cafe is inside.Â
Harvey's offers a great outdoor-dining-inside atmosphere in the middle of the Grand Hall. Stop by here for casual eats with fun ambiance. Pierpont's is the place to go for happy hour, with its 30-foot-tall mahogany bar!
Named after - what else? - a railroad baron, Pierpont's is the place to be for some of the finest steak and seafood in the city.
Pop by the Science City store for some awesome souvenirs from your adventures there, and don't miss out on The Kansas City Store for all things KC-related.
 Check out the Visitor's Page of the Union Station website to find out how to plan your visit today. See you there!