Events

During the Civil War Missouri was a state divided, suffering from a fractured identity and caught up in a struggle of no quarter between its battling factions. That violent period of near-anarchy is examined in the traveling exhibit A State Divided: The Civil War in Missouri, a joint effort of the Missouri Humanities Council and the Missouri History Museum.

This colorful and informative exhibit follows the “bushwhackers” and “Jayhawkers” whose bitter enmity continues to color the relations between Missourians and Kansans.

Fred Geary (1894-1955) attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as a commercial artist for the Fred Harvey Company in Union Station. Geary became caught up in the wood engraving movement that became popular in the U.S. in the 1930s and in his spare time produced exquisite depictions of small-town life and Missouri landscapes and landmarks.

Easily and cheaply reproduced, woodcuts put art into the hands of working-class Americans.

A new exhibit based on the Kansas City Star Magazine series and book by Steve Paul. It features 22-by-28-inch reproductions of pages from the book, which celebrates Kansas City’s architectural scene one letter at a time.

This exhibit is on display in the Fifth Floor Exhibit Space.

The newest exhibition of the Orval Hixon Gallery, New Compositions: The Dance Portraiture of Orval Hixon, is on display from June 11, 2011 through 2013 at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St. The exhibit features a rich selection of Hixon’s portraits, including images of some of the best-known dancers of his time.

To most local landscape architects, Hare & Hare is a household name. The firm has left an indelible mark on some of the most iconic and often-visited areas of Kansas City—the Country Club Plaza, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Loose Park, Ward Parkway, and Mission Hills among them.

Every Monday there will be a dream big craft. Drop by anytime on Monday (while supplies last), complete the task and earn a prize.

Kids Cafe at Central Youth Services

Free Lunch served everyday, Monday thru Friday, Noon– 12:45 pm
Beginning June 4, 2012

All youth ages 0-18 welcome

*Meals served ONLY to those 18 years of age and younger.
*ALL food must be consumed during the program on the premises

Founded in 1993, the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival is dedicated to bringing the Bard’s great plays free of charge to Kansas City audiences.

The season kicks off on June 19 in Southmoreland Park with the magic-and-comedy-filled romance A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The next night, June 20, marks the opening of Antony and Cleopatra, a tragedy inspired by the famous romance between a Roman warrior and the Queen of Egypt.

Check out the following free presentations inspired by this year’s Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.

Teen Gaming has a Wii console, a PlayStation2 and a XBOX 360 plus an array of board games for you to enjoy. A chess board is always available for some great competitive games. Bring your own video games and share the joy of playing with all your mates.

Teen crafts are back for the summer! Visit the library on special days in June for a selected craft. All supplies and materials provided free of charge by the library.

Get in the mood for Kansas City’s hosting of the All-Star Game with this lineup of memorable baseball-themed movies. There’s something for everyone: fantasy, romance, comedy, melodrama, real-life stories, and a big-league musical. Hollywood hits homer after homer with these classics.