The American Jazz Museum, located in Kansas City’s 18th & Vine District, is celebrating its 20-year anniversary.
In 1997, the city broke ground on a redevelopment project and the museum opened its doors, though museum staffers say the idea originated long before.
1994 marks the start of the museum project, but Director of Digital Engagement Jess Rezac said then-City Council member (and now Congressman) Emanuel Cleaver had the idea long before then.
Today, the museum is home to several exhibitions with a mission to “celebrate and exhibit the experience of jazz.”
Visitors can learn about the music and the surrounding culture through visual arts exhibits, films and other collections.
They can also attend classes at the Kansas City Jazz Academy in the Gem Theater for the performing arts to learn how to play for themselves.
The American Jazz Museum is also home to The Blue Room, a jazz and blues club that hosts local, national and even international jazz musicians.
Twenty years after its grand opening, the museum is continuing to grow its collections.
Right now, it has the John H. Baker Film collection, documents, photographs, books, sheet music and visual art.
It’s also working to expand its collection of sound recordings, including those on phonograph cylinders, reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes and CDs.
These collections are available by appointment to anyone who is interested in taking a deeper dive into the history of jazz.
Each year, the American Jazz Museum (in partnership with the city) shuts down the 18th & Vine District for the KC Jazz & Heritage Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors.
As the genre of jazz continues to undergo change, Kansas City, with the help of the American Jazz Museum, continues to be one of the foremost curators of the music and its culture.
