Science City at Union Station

Science City at Union Station is Kansas City's hands-on science museum, and the setting inside the historic Union Station building elevates what would already be a strong children's museum into something genuinely special. The soaring ceilings and Beaux-Arts architecture of Union Station provide a dramatic backdrop for exhibits that have nothing in common with the grandeur of the building — and that contrast is actually part of the appeal.

The exhibits themselves follow a true hands-on philosophy: kids don't look at science, they do it. The exhibit zones cover physics, biology, weather, engineering, and space through activities designed to put concepts in children's hands. A giant climbable model of the human body gives kids a visceral sense of scale that no diagram can replicate.

The weather station exhibits let kids operate equipment and understand how meteorological data gets collected. The engineering design zone gives children open-ended building challenges with real materials.

For the 6-12 age range, Science City hits the sweet spot between educational rigor and genuine fun — the kind of place that triggers the 'wait, but HOW does that work?' question that leads to real curiosity. Younger kids (3-5) can engage with many exhibits at a sensory level even without the conceptual framework.

The Union Station building itself deserves time. The grand hall is one of the most beautiful interior spaces in Kansas City and is worth a slow walk before or after Science City. The Train Experience in the station is a separate admission but makes a logical pairing for families with train-loving kids.

Parking at the Union Station garage is validated — take advantage of this to avoid the full garage rate on a longer visit.