Missouri Valley

If archival items can be called juicy, the Folly Theater Collection, now housed in the Kansas City Public Library’s Missouri Valley Room, contains quite a few. In the Folly’s storied, 120 plus-year history, it’s been an X-rated m...

The Missouri Valley Room at the Central Library is home to more than 200 special collections of archival materials documenting the history and development of the Kansas City area. For #AskAnArchivist Day on October 13, we asked our Missou...

With Library buildings open, one of the experiences patrons can once again enjoy in person is viewing exhibits in our galleries and spaces. Check out the current lineup on display and come visit and explore these celebrations of community art, culture, and history.  

Henry Perry, the man who first assumed the title of Barbecue King of Kansas City, was born on March 16, 1874, in Shelby County, Tennessee. By 1908, he was in Kansas City selling smoked meats to downtown workers from a stand in the Garment District, eventually relocating to the east si...

The Library's Missouri Valley Special Collections has two coloring books available for free download that celebrate the lives and contributions of local women in our region's history. Read about the legacies of these notable Kansas City women and get digital copies of the coloring book...

We’re celebrating the 100th birthday of Kansas City jazz legend Charlie Parker. Known as “Yardbird,” or just “Bird,” he was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on August 29, 1920, and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, during its peak years of jazz culture. Discover more about Parker’s impact on Kansas City an...

One hundred years ago the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, giving women in the U.S. the hard-won right to vote. In commemoration of the centennial, the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections has produced a coloring book profiling local women who took part in the...

The Missouri Valley Room in the Central Library is now accepting appointments for visitors to conduct special collections research. Learn more about the guidelines and how to schedule a session.  

For more than two decades, the Kansas City Landmarks Commission has donated hundreds of historical images to the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections – digital photographs and slides that contribute greatly to the MVSC’s efforts to document the city’s architectural history.

One hundred years ago the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, giving women in the U.S. the hard-won right to vote. In commemoration of the centennial, the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections has produced a new coloring book profiling local women who took part in...