Kansas City, Missouri: Arabia Steamboat Museum
A merchant goods-loaded vessel sank on the Missouri River in 1856. The river shifted, became farm fields, and the farm family dug up the Arabia and built a museum around it. Still run by the Hawley family.
- Address:
- 400 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO
- Directions:
- Grand Blvd and E. 4th St., in the city market area.
- Hours:
- M-Sa 10-5, Su 12-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 816-471-1856
- Admission:
- Adults $14.50
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
Results 1 to 5 of 5...
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Stopped here a couple of times. Very interesting story of discovery of a sunken ship in the Missouri River from the mid-1800s. Much of the cargo was amazingly preserved in the mud for 150 years. Unique display.
[Clint, 04/29/2019]
Small but very interesting museum, which give you a great outlook on what was happening in the movement West and what was sold in the general stores in the 1850s.
[Wray Gabelmann, 05/13/2017]This is worth every minute. Five friends invested on a treasure hunt that involved a four month excavation of an 1850s steamship that still had all of its cargo. Their investment and zest lead to the attraction--which is still a work in progress. Over 200 tons of cargo recovered.
Tour included one of the five appearing in person and answering questions.
[Masten Williams, 06/29/2011]
The wide variety of goods recovered from the site of the Arabia's wreckage is a wonderful education on mid-19th-Century live in Frontier America.
[Kyr-Roger St. Denis, 05/22/2011]Boat carrying products for sale to small general stores sunk in the Missouri River on an oxbow. The oxbow dried up about 2 miles from the main channel, where the boat was found in a farmer's field. The ships contents were recovered in good shape and it is a museum to the times -- 1856.
[Stan Spector, 02/01/2010]Nearby Offbeat Places



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The steamboat Arabia, with all of its supplies, sunk in the Missouri River in 1856 and wasn't discovered until 1988.