Museum of BBQ to Open in Kansas City

Dive into the world of barbecue and all the variations that America has to offer.
Museum of BBQ to Open in Kansas City
The Museum of BBQ is located in the shops at Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Courtesy Museum of BBQ/TNS
Tribune News Service
Updated:
0:00
By Noreen Kompanik From TravelPulse

The world’s first museum dedicated to barbeque will open to the public in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 12.

The Museum of BBQ, located in the shops at Crown Center, was recently named one of Time Out’s best things to do in the world as the immersive experience walks guests through the elements of barbecue highlighting the top U.S. barbeque regions.

Tickets are now on sale, priced at $10 (plus taxes and fees), with 30-minute availability times. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

“The Museum of BBQ is a feast for your senses,” says founder Jonathan Bender. “Get ready to immerse yourself in the smoke and sizzle of the world of barbecue.”

Guests enter the Museum of BBQ through an oversized door resembling a Southern Pride smoker door to begin their journey into ’cue.

Five installations (Meat, Rub, Wood & Fire, Smoke, Sauce) show visitors how meat becomes barbecue through interactive activities and exhibits:
  • Identify butcher cuts by putting together the pig puzzle in the Meat Room, pose with a butcher’s apron and (plushy) meat, or get tips and tricks at a listening station..
  • A sensory experience with a spice guessing game in the Rub room before checking out different types of smokers and wood in the Wood & Fire room.
  • Play the smoke ring toss in the Smoke room before getting ‘Lost in the Sauce.’
Five final installations (Carolinas, Memphis, Bean Pit, Texas, and Kansas City) invite visitors to travel across America to experience the world of barbecue variations. Each regional room offers information about the history, culture and barbecue style that define a given destination.

The Museum of BBQ takes its place in the Kansas City metro alongside more than 100 local BBQ restaurants and countless competitions, including the world’s biggest BBQ contest, the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, attracting thousands of attendees and more than 500 barbecue teams from across the globe.

“Kansas City has such a rich history of barbecue,” says Bender. “This is the perfect place to bring the world’s first barbecue museum to life.”

Sponsors and partners include Bush’s Beans, Prairie Fresh, Southern Pride, Visit KC, and the National Barbecue & Grilling Association.

A view of the retail store at the Museum of BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri. (Courtesy Museum of BBQ/TNS)
A view of the retail store at the Museum of BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri. Courtesy Museum of BBQ/TNS
Copyright 2025 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to [email protected].
Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Author