Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM)
1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City, Missouri
From Hank Aaron to Jackie Robinson, some of mid-century’s best baseball players came from the Negro Leagues, when men of color weren’t allowed to play Major League Baseball. Today, we know their stories thanks to spots like Kansas City’s Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the only collection of its kind in the country.
Dating back to the 1880s, the Negro Leagues were a professional association of Black and Latino baseball players—the leagues were founded because only white men could play in the MLB. Kansas City, home to today’s Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, founded the Negro National League, where teams like the Kansas City Monarchs and the St. Louis Giants would make history.
By the 1920s, segregation started crumbling, and integration was afoot, but it was no walk in the park for these athletes. The NLBM tells this decades-long story—the Negro Leagues didn’t disband until the 1960s—through tours, photographs, artifacts, film exhibits, and more.
Tickets can be bought at the door or online up to 30 days before. Most visitors spend around two hours on a self-guided tour of the museum. The museum is both wheelchair- and stroller-accessible.
To get to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, you’ll probably want your own wheels. On-street parking is available near the museum, or you can use one of the public parking lots near the Gregg Community Center. Alternatively, nab a rideshare like Lyft or Uber, or bike. Unfortunately, the KC Streetcar does not go to the museum.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is typically open every day of the week except Mondays. There’s no bad time to visit, but if you’d like a quieter experience, aim for weekdays or in the morning. If you’re flexible, check the museum’s calendar of events to see if you should schedule a particular visit.
In 2023, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum announced that they’re launching a new 30,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility. It’ll be three times as large and include a baseball field and research center adjacent to the museum. If you’re planning a visit, check their website for notes on construction, closures, and updates.
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