© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

For The Nelson-Atkins Museum Of Art, It All Started With A Humble Brick

Shown here, in 1940, is the north façade of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 7 years after its establishment.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Shown here, in 1940, is the north façade of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 7 years after its establishment.

The early history of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is recounted in a new exhibition called "Origins: Collecting to Create the Nelson-Atkins."

The first piece to enter the museum's collection was — believe it or not — a brick.

Early trustees of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art partnered with the Louvre in Paris to uncover ancient art on an archeological dig in Iraq. A brick from the dig was the first thing delivered back to Kansas City.

For the trustees, it turned out to be the transformative item that prompted the question, "what kind of museum do we want to be?"

An archivist and provenance specialist with the museum discuss the fascinating beginnings of the Nelson-Atkins, and what visitors can expect when they visit the exhibit.

Stay Connected
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.