The first night we descended upon Kansas City for the 2008 Travel Media Showcase we and the other attendees had the fabulous opportunity to experience the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

When we pulled up to this museum I instantly recognized a scene I had only seen in photos (see left). The museum grounds are home to the 22-acre Kansas City Sculpture Park, designed by architects Dan Kiley and Jaquelin Robertson. Over 30 sculptures are on display, but I have to admit the kid in me adores the over-sized badminton birdies. (What is it with my fascination of tiny towns and over-sized art? Does Alice in Wonderland come to mind?) It ends up that I am not the only one fascinated by the sculptures. You can see some of Sheila Scarborough’s stunning sculpture photos at Perceptive Travel.

Once we were inside the museum, the evening started out with a wine tasting of local Missouri wines (did you know Missouri has a thriving wine industry?). After mingling, several exchanges of business cards and reuniting with old friends we headed over to the Roselle Court Restaurant. The 15th-century Italian courtyard took my breath away. Relaxing in such an exquisite location was a wonderful way to unwind from a long day of air travel and a lovely welcome to Kansas City.

SoCalGal and I were lucky to sit with our friend and fellow-writer Gary Singh from San Jose. Throughout dinner we marveled over the museum’s beautiful architecture and the fact that admission to this entrancing museum is FREE. Yes, free! I learned that evening Nelson-Atkins believes sharing exhibits with the public is as important as offering a public education. The Vacation Gals applaud Nelson-Atkins for their generosity and say “thank you” for a beautiful and memorable experience.

On my free day to tour Kansas City after Travel Media Showcase, I checked out the National WWI Museum, just a few blocks from the Crown Center and my hotel, the Hyatt Crown Center. I wish I’d gotten my act together and arrived at the museum with more time to spend admiring the amazing array of WWI memorabilia here — the security folks had to kick me out when the facility closed at 5 p.m.

The National WWI Museum opened less than two years ago. It’s built into the ground under the Liberty Memorial, a majestic complex of structures, including a 217-foot tower and a massive wall sculpted with designs representing different facets of the war. The monuments were dedicated November 11, 1926 — exactly eight years after the Great War ended.

But down below in the museum is a staggering number of artifacts and objects from the era. It houses not only weapons, uniforms, correspondence and tools that had to do specifically with the war, but also exhibits that showed what was going on “back home” while brave soldiers fought on the front.

The most poignant items are first-person testimonies — diary entries of German schoolchildren detailing shopping for groceries when the government mandated rations, and letters that U.S. Army nurses sent to family telling of infantrymen who’d lost legs, but who remained appreciative of their medical care.

Then there are huge cannons and machine guns, propaganda posters, genuine draft cards, a 1917 Harley Davidson motorcycle, newspaper clippings, and telegrams from the Army notifying mothers that their sons had died in battle. All of the authentic objects come together to tell so many stories of the Great War from so many perspectives.

An excellent 12-minute movie with fascinating images and film footage from the turn of the century explains some of the complicated events that led to the start of the war. And a large timeline details other important events that took place between 1914 and 1918. Still other exhibits offer visitors the chance to hear poetry, prose and music from the era; or you can learn more about the war via interactive “what would you do” questions on giant computer screens

I felt a sense of reverence in the museum. With all of the incredibly moving images and music and narration, visitors are transported back to a very challenging time in history. While young children who like to play “army men” may enjoy looking at some of the museum offerings (the giant tank is pretty cool), I think this attraction is best suited for ages 12 and up. Students who have covered this era of history in school could place the objects and information in context — and appreciate it all the more. I sure did.