Local Attractions

Welcome to the City of Gardner and the Kansas City Metro area!  The City of Gardner has a rich and vibrant history with many local attractions in the downtown district and throughout the City.  The list below is not comprehensive, but it does provide some highlights of local attractions within 20 miles of Gardner and some which are 20 or more miles outside of City limits.   Thank you for visiting the City of Gardner and we hope to see you again soon!

Attractions within 20 miles of Gardner

Museums:

Johnson County Museum of History/the 1950’s All-Electric House (913) 631-6709

Permanent and changing exhibits explore life in Johnson County

6305 Lackman Road - Shawnee, Kansas

Lanesfield School Historic Site (913) 893-6654

Experience turn-of-the-century school lessons from a costumed schoolteacher as she guides tours through the restored 1869 one-room schoolhouse

187th Street and Dillie road - Edgerton, Kansas

Legler Barn Museum Complex (913) 492-0038

It is believed that both Quantrill and Jesse James used this limestone barn near the Santa Fe Trail as a hideout during raids in Lawrence, Kansas. Also features the 1912 Lenexa, Kansas railroad depot and prairie schooner.

14907 W. 87th Street Pkwy. - Lenexa, Kansas

Area Attractions:

Arboretum & Botanical Gardens—Overland Park (913) 685-3604

The 300-acre arboretum is a serene and tranquil place to enjoy nature. It has more than 200 species of birds, 75 species of trees and miles of trails and several gardens. The Arboretum is open all year.

179th Street and Antioch - Overland Park, Kansas

Kansas Speedway (913) 328-RACE

First-class automobile racing facility offers NASCAR Busch Series, Grand National Division race and NASCAR Winston Cup Series race.

1501 N. 110th Street - Kansas City, Kansas

Mahaffie Farmstead and Stagecoach Stop (913) 971-5111

Three-story limestone house that offered a stagecoach dining stop on the Santa Fe trail

1100 Old Kansas City Road - Olathe, Kansas

Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site (913) 262-0867

Offers exhibits on missionaries and children they taught

3403 W. 53rd Street - Shawnee, Kansas

Shawnee Town (913) 248-0867

Pioneer town including first jail in the Kansas Territory

57th Street and Cod - Shawnee, Kansas

Family Fun:

Children’s Museum of Kansas City (913) 287-8888

Hands-on activities from kids and families

4601 State Ave. - Kansas City, Kansas

Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead (913) 897-2360

12-acres featuring farm animals, fish pond, wagon and pony rides

Overland Park, KS

20+ miles of Gardner

Area Attractions: 

• 18th and Vine Historic District (816)274-3613

Features museums, entertainment and a visitor’s center

18th & Vine Street - Kansas City, MO

• Hallmark Visitors Center

Crown Center - 2501 McGee Tfwy. - Kansas City, MO

• Kansas City Zoo and IMAX Theatre (816) 513-5700

Zoo expansion includes Australian and African areas

6800 Zoo Drive Swope Park - Kansas City, MO

• Oceans of Fun/ Worlds of Fun (816) 454-4545

Midwest’s largest tropical-theme water park and theme park

4545 World of Fun Ave. (I-435 & Parvin Road) - Kansas City, MO

• Harley-Davidson Factory Tour (877) 883-1450

Features factory tour of Vehicle & Powertrain Operations

11401 N. Congress Kansas City, MO

• Harry S. Truman Farm Home (816) 254-992

President Truman’s boyhood home

12301 Blue Ridge Blvd. Grandview, MO

• Harry S. Truman Home (816) 254-8929

Summer White House during Truman’s administration

219 N. Delaware Independence, MO

• Harry S. Truman Museum & Library (816) 268-8200

National Archives and Records presidential library

U.S. Hwy. 24 & Delaware Street Independence, MO

Museums:

• Airline History Museum at Kansas City (816) 421-3401 or (800) 513-9484

Photos, artifacts, uniforms, instrumentation, logbooks and personal mementos

201 N.W. Lou Holland Drive - Hangar 9 Kansas City, MO

 

• Arabia Steamboat Museum (816) 471-4030 (infoline) or (816) 471-1856

Excavation in 1988 uncovered the world’s largest collection of preserved 1856 frontier supplies

400 Grand Blvd. - Kansas City, MO

 

• Jesse James Bank Museum (816) 781-4458

Includes original vault, safe and James’ family memorabilia

103 N. Water - Liberty, MO

• John Wornall House Museum (816) 444-1858

Farmhouse used as a hospital after Civil War Battle of Westport in 1864

6115 Wornall - Kansas City, MO

 

• Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art - Kansas City Art Institute (816) 753-5784

Features innovative, challenging works in all media by artists from around the world

4420 Warwick Blvd. - Kansas City, MO

• Liberty Memorial National Monument and Museum of WWI (816) 784-1918

Acknowledged as the only public museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to the history of World War One

100 W. 26th Street - Kansas City, MO

• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (816) 221-1920

Preserves and highlights American history of Black baseball players

1616 E. 18th Street - Kansas City, MO

• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (816) 751-127

Unique collection of European and American art renowned for its Oriental Collection

4525 Oak Street - Kansas City, MO 8

• Union Station (860) 460-2020

Once the nation’s second largest train station, now restored with Theater District and interactive children’s museum

30 W Pershing Road - Kansas City, MO