Arabia Steamboat Museum Looking for New Home

[HalcyonKC]

I thought the owner and inspiration for the river boat exhumation died in 2019? Is this a son that is being difficult?

So, what is the problem with the River Market location from the city's perspective? Do they actually have vendors that would take over the space if the museum left? I rather think the museum fits in well there at its current size. If they want a larger space the former Star printing building is vacant and should be easily adaptable. Perhaps they can get McClatchey to donate the property if they still own it. It's the very least they could do for KC.

Yeah, it's a family thing. They've always clashed with the city market and were told the lease wouldn't be renewed when it's up. They pay well below market rate.

The fact that no one is fighting for it tells you everything you need to know.

For years they've been begging anyone that will listen to build them a museum. There are issues with control as St Charles found out. The Missouri legislature sniffed around too. It's like we want you to build us a world class museum and pay our family to keep doing this and we keep control.

If you've been there recently, the museum shows its age. I think anyone paying would want the collection transferred to a trust with independent directors. And while cool, it's not worth that much.

St. Charles is onto something. The entire collection doesn't really need to be displayed. I can't think of a single museum on my top 10 list that is displaying anything remotely close to their entire collection.

Either lease out the rest of the artifacts or sell them. Not a very business-minded treasure hunter!

Worst case, I think even just rotating the collection in and out of storage would help keep the exhibit interesting and draw return visits. I went to Steamboat Arabia exactly once, and it was years ago soon after I moved downtown. Why would I go again unless a friend/family member who had never seen it wanted to go? After all, I have already seen the whole thing. Museums have to rotate their exhibits a bit to keep things interesting.

[moderne]

I have never heard of any special exhibitions there. Need to cooperate with other museums and collections for special exhibits that would concentrate on certain aspects of what they found as cargo. Such as mid 19th century fashions, agriculture, steamboats of the era in general, glassware and porcelain production, etc. Really would like to see collections folded into KC Museum collections in a new history museum.

[alejandro46]

I like the idea of moving it to Riverport campus for the Arabia. Plenty of parking, right by the river, probably would be relatively cheap to acquire compared to a new build. Really wouldn't need that much updating as it's not a complete shell. Obviously more difficult to access.

74,881-square-foot multipurpose building with a 1,299-space parking garage connected by a skywalk. Additionally, the site contains a 12,000-square-foot warehouse and a 2,500-square-foot office building.

https://www.colliers.com/en/properties/ ... usa1089650

[Highlander]

I like the idea of moving it to Riverport campus for the Arabia. Plenty of parking, right by the river, probably would be relatively cheap to acquire compared to a new build. Really wouldn't need that much updating as it's not a complete shell. Obviously more difficult to access.

74,881-square-foot multipurpose building with a 1,299-space parking garage connected by a skywalk. Additionally, the site contains a 12,000-square-foot warehouse and a 2,500-square-foot office building.

https://www.colliers.com/en/properties/ ... usa1089650

I've only been to the museum once. It's an interesting place but I kind of doubt if I would have gone had it been anywhere I had to make a special trip to go to. It was just very convenient to visit because it was at the City Market. Not sure how that museum would do if isolated away from other things that will draw people into the area. I kind of like it at the city market. I realize it's not ideal for either party but I think that type of environment will be necessary for it's success.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

I like the idea of moving it to Riverport campus for the Arabia. Plenty of parking, right by the river, probably would be relatively cheap to acquire compared to a new build. Really wouldn't need that much updating as it's not a complete shell. Obviously more difficult to access.

74,881-square-foot multipurpose building with a 1,299-space parking garage connected by a skywalk. Additionally, the site contains a 12,000-square-foot warehouse and a 2,500-square-foot office building.

https://www.colliers.com/en/properties/ ... usa1089650

I've only been to the museum once. It's an interesting place but I kind of doubt if I would have gone had it been in anywhere where I had to make a special trip to go to. It was just very convenient to visit because it was at the City Market. Not sure how that museum would do if isolated away from other things that will draw people into the area. I kind of like it at the city market. I realize it's not ideal for either party but I think that type of environment will be necessary for it's success.

The North KC location that was mentioned earlier would make sense if a streetcar extension across the river ever happens. Foot traffic to tourism destinations is important, and not developing a car dependent destination should be it’s priority, otherwise it’ll crash and burn

[FangKC]

That's why I think Bally's Casino would be a good location. It would be a side attraction for the casino and something out-of-towners might drop in to see. The Casino already has that faux-steamboat design.

[normalthings]

That's why I think Bally's Casino would be a good location. It would be a side attraction for the casino and something out-of-towners might drop in to see. The Casino already has that faux-steamboat design.

The casino is shedding that design as we speak and rebranding to a modern luxury feel.

[GRID]

I've only been to the museum once. It's an interesting place but I kind of doubt if I would have gone had it been anywhere I had to make a special trip to go to. It was just very convenient to visit because it was at the City Market. Not sure how that museum would do if isolated away from other things that will draw people into the area. I kind of like it at the city market. I realize it's not ideal for either party but I think that type of environment will be necessary for it's success.

Totally agree with this. It's a great museum although it needs something new or needs to be expanded since it has not changed in well decades. I like it at the River Market. It's too bad it's not working well there. It's the only tourist attraction down there and it compliments the city market well. I guess they are just terrible neighbors?

Would be nice if it were part of a larger KC regional history museum, but that's probably not a priority right now.

Is there no way to keep the museum at the City Market location or is everybody done with them there?

[FangKC]

The owner wants more space, and the City Market wants another tenant.

[TheLastGentleman]

If we want to keep arabia in RM, maybe it’s time to redevelop the whole block (minus the Brown and Loe building) and bury the museum in the foundation of a new set of more urban buildings

[KCDowntownLoop]

Full disclosure: I'm personal friends with the Hawleys, owners of the Arabia. To answer a previous question: Greg Hawley, one of the brothers who helped dig up the boat with their late father and their friends, was killed on I-70 several years ago by a reckless, speeding driver who crashed into Greg's truck. His brother David runs the museum.

I may post some thoughts here soon about the museum itself.

[dukuboy1]

Utilizing the old Sam’s Town/Riverport Campus is a good idea to reuse that existing space. A lot of room with existing structures & room to within the parcel to add more or tweak things. The access would put it out a little but along a highway to 2 other casinos, WOF, & relatively close to downtown. Plus city of NKC might have dollars to kick in to improve the street scape, highway aesthetics, etc . Around the area leading in. Not idea foot traffic location like RM location but not a bad alternative

[moderne]

That site is not in NKC.

[FangKC]

After Being Lost for 134 Years, Steamboat Arabia, Was Found 45 Feet Under a Field

https://belmonth.com/2023/01/05/after-b ... r-a-field/

[Major KC Fan]

I have no idea how it would be funded but an available short excursion ride on a steamboat replica from a Main St wharf to a refurbished Steamboat Arabia/Malta at the Sam’s Town/Cerner Campus that ran during seasonal weather from April to October would be a tourist draw from the River Market. This could solve the issues of both the current Arabia museum location and the vacant Sam’s Town. It’s a short ride that the steamboat ride in the past used to approximate.
Maybe pair it with another ride from the Main St wharf to the refurbished railroad bridge in the West bottoms. Make tickets available online for advance purchase as another KC tourist amenity.
There was talk of a Viking River Cruise type operator up the MO River that could tie in nicely. This would certainly liven up the KC riverfront. I believe there was talk of marina type facilities on the KS River at the railroad bridge development.

Possible financing could involve the KC Port Authority as their name describes the type of activity you would think they would oversee.

[moderne]

Any excursion boats calling at the RR bridge development on the Kaw probably could not be a steamboat replica. The clearance under the L&C, James St. and Central Ave bridges are very low. This year the low levels of the Mississippi wreaked havoc with barge and cruise boats. I cannot imagine the shallow Missouri and its unattractive shoreline ever supporting a cruise route.

[grovester]

Maybe not cruise boats, but I would think ferries would be viable most times.

We'll take the ferry from New Orleans to Algiers and also Alexandria VA. to either Georgetown or National Harbor. Seems like a good idea to try and connect RM to other potential visitor sites as they become realities.

Maybe Parkville? Do they have a dock?