Hallmark Visitor Center was such an exciting for a snail mail card lover like me... I have been buying cards from Archies, and Hallmark since forever, ofcourse now we have other companies like Paper Source etc...still....old is gold and they still cater to everything I want to or even might want to say .... In this day and age of GenZ , I was surprised to see people in there, but not so much when I observed....they were all who still believed in writing, like I do, and express using words and not emojis. Also dragged into the store by them were toddlers who had no idea and probably will never hold a pen or paper .....they huddles around the unique Hallmark Christmas trees... Hallmark has a huge state of the art shopping complex and its called the Crown Center, and another whole building dedicated to the origin and story of Hallmark just beside it, and that is the visitor center. And I am soo glad he did it. For I feel, a few years from now, this will become an important history destination ! Kansas was where it all began for the youth of 18, whose family had lost their business in a fire. Two boxes of postcards in hand, he got off off the train as Kansas city with nothing but hope. The story is really inspiring because it is daring to dream. Kansas had a bustling with people at the time and had the best railway network in the country, and the main distribution center where mail was sorted. There are pictures with various celebrities, a machine which automatically makes souvenir ribbons to can make and take as keepsake, there is story of Peanuts, or Micky Mouse - incidentally they were the first to get the popular toon on postcards. There is one corner dedicated to the unique Christmas trees. Story has it, that Hall wanted his employees to have something special so he used to make a huge Christmas tree himself as a special dedication to them and their hard work, like one is a tree of pictures. Today Hallmark is held privately and has expanded into ornaments and ofcourse the Hallmark channel but they have still maintained the family friendly element to it. There are special activities for kids throughout the year. Not to be missed is the gift shop. Some very unique items there. I could have gazed for longer except that the store was closing and I had to make my purchase and leave. I brought a few cards that was Hallmark Kansas City gift shop exclusive for people close to me. read more

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I had no clue Hallmark had its HQ in Kansas City. This small cute museum is adjacent to their HQ building. It is free to enter. Really clean and well maintained. Staff members are super friendly. The museum has a beautiful timeline of Hallmark from its beginning in early 1900s to all the way to current decade. There's also display of some of Hallmark's most iconic releases, the printing and press machines. There are few interactive sections in the mid section. They are mostly with Disney and Peanuts characters. A section is dedicated to Crayola. There's a theater as well, but nothing was playing when we were visiting. The gift shop is tiny, has some limited edition souvenir and decorative goods. We spent about 45 minutes here. Overall it's a fascinating place to visit since Hallmark cards are a big part of our lives and it's so exciting to learn few things about their history and achievements over a century. read more

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Free admission to Hallmark Visitors Center. Kids can do scavenger hunts and get prizes at the end. Wonderful staff. Very friendly. The display is consisted of founders history, designs, cards, dolls, Christmas Trees, movies and many more. You can finish the exhibition in 1 hour. Not too crazy. Small souvenir shop at the entrance. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The ode to Hallmark is in the Crown Center which also houses Hall's and so if you want a Monument to the Hall family it's all in one place. The Visitors Center is a little hard to find; I think it's actually part of Hallmark HQ so it's a very unassuming entrance but once you're inside it takes up a significant part of the lobby. My friend and I were the only 2 there so we got to go at our own pace, starting with the intro video on how Hallmark go its start. Which is an interesting story and it goes into how Hallmark is more than just cards-but it's a lot of cards. It's free, there are a few interesting exhibits but their gift shop is small-like way smaller than an actual Hallmark store-but a quick way to spend some time. read more

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Did you know you can tour the Hallmark visitor center and it's free. A few of my girlfriends met in Kansas City for the Hallmark experience and decided to stop by the visitor center (which ended up being one of our favorite highlights of our trip). The exhibits are beautifully displayed, they tell the history of Mr. Hall and the history behind the brand. The visitor center truly captures all the creativity throughout the Hallmark years and is definitely worth the visit. read more

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Cool little museum. Free. The staff are super knowledgeable and extremely nice. You can see the whole things on 20 minutes or spend hours. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Theater - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Stepping into the Hallmark Visitors Center is like walking into a real-life greeting card--one that gives you all the feels and teaches you how bows are made. From the history of Hallmark to the crown-worthy display of Christmas ornaments, it's a surprisingly magical little museum. Come for the nostalgia, stay for the glitter, and leave feeling like you just got hugged by a grandma who smells like cookies and knows how to wrap presents like a pro. read more

We were waiting for kaleidoscope and they had recommended coming in and checking at the museum! I'm glad we did! The kids got the chance to go on a unique scavenger hunt to spot all the hallmark treasures. They enjoyed the Barbie and Mickey Mouse exhibit the most! The museum even has a theater to watch a short film about the history of Hallmark. I was surprised to learn a lot actually! My favorite part had to be the machine that made a bow right in front of you! read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

What a fun place to wander through. The Peanuts exhibit was so informative. The gift shop is cute! The employees are so friendly and helpful. What a hidden gem. read more

From the moment we walked in, there was something for everyone in the family. Our kids were completely captivated, especially our son, who was mesmerized by the bow-making machine. He must have watched it a dozen times and would have happily stayed there all day. It was such a simple touch, but one that clearly left a big impression. My partner is a big Hallmark Christmas movie fan so naturally this place was his personal paradise. Seeing the behind-the-scenes history of the company, including some of the original sets, artwork, and vintage cards, brought out that cozy, heartwarming feeling Hallmark is so known for. The self-guided tour was engaging and beautifully done, full of nostalgia and creative inspiration. We loved learning about Hallmark's evolution as a company from its early days to becoming a household name in greeting cards, holiday traditions, and beyond. There were even some fun interactive moments that kept the kids interested and entertained throughout. The staff was warm and welcoming, and the space itself was bright, clean, and well laid out. And best of all, we love that it's free, which is incredible given the quality of the experience. This is a must-visit if you're in Kansas City, especially with kids or anyone who appreciates pop culture history. read more

How much to offer so much to see something for everyone hotels included the Children's Hospital and the UMKC surrounding. But the people at Starbucks, who were not smiling. read more

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It is a great free attractions in Kansas City. However, it is very difficult to find. There is no clear location to find it. I suggest you find the Kaleidoscopes and you will find the visitors center. The parking is free for 2 hour in the mall parking spot with stamp bar code from the visitor center. The display of the tree with hallmarks merchandise is the most impressive room. The is a Christmas character tree, folk art tree, toy tree and more. It is twelve days of Christmas. The is different card displays with Mickey Mouse series, presidential Christmas card, and more. Love the Emmy statue for Emmy moment. At the end don't forget to push the yellow button to make you a bow. read more

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This was a fun experience for my kids and I. We learned about the history of Hallmark and checked out ornaments, cards of holidays past. The perfect place to take out of town visitors. read more

I mean what's there not to love?? Its hallmark! Was so informative to find out how hallmark got its start. And there is even a machine that makes you a free bow. Great way to spend a cold KC afternoon to pass an hr or so of your time. read more

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Always a great place to take friends visiting from out of state. And best of all.... It's FREE!!! Short movie in theater is interesting to learn the history of this family owned business. The staff is exceptional and the added feature of a scavenger hunt for kids really keeps their interest. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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We stumbled upon this place after going to Sea Life. The staff were very nice and informative. It was a great place to visit and has so much history. I recommend it to others and I would go again. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Display of cards - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

It's about as exciting as you'd expect for a free corporate headquarters museum. I loved the little Christmas bows that you can watch made and take home, but that's about it. There are quite a few displays and "artifacts" from the company's history, but it was more of a quick run through and opportunity to use the restroom stop for me. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

I didn't realize that Hallmark was headquartered in Kansas City until I was visiting the city and saw there was a visitor's center. We stopped by for a quick visit and were very impressed with everything. Easy parking in the parking garage and they validate up to 2 hours parking which is more than enough. Everyone we came in contact with was delightful and it was so refreshing. We watched the short film about JC Hall and are really glad we did. I am so thankful to know more about JC and his family. Walking around the visitors center is was so nostalgic to see all of the old items that I remember from my childhood. You forget how much greeting cards have changed until you see the other generations of them. A very well done display and a wonderful way to spend an hour. read more

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In 1910 J.C. Hall arrived in Kansas City with a shoebox full of postcards and a dream. The Hallmark Visitors Center (corporate museum) does a great job of telling that amazing story and documenting the past 110+ years with film, artifacts, sample products, working manufacturing equipment, photos, and friendly engaging docents. I would argue that J.C. Hall was the most influential person in Kansas City's history. While creating a global empire of greeting cards, collectables, a television network, retail stores...he employed tens of thousands of people -many artists and creatives that helped develop Kansas City into a major hub for the arts. The corporate philanthropy has impacted every corner of the region and the Crown Center area has become one of the most visited and recognized areas of the midwest for shopping, entertainment, lodging, dining and festivals. One may dismiss the cards and the TV programs as predictable and saccharine but that's what sold and as a result that money and talent created this booming city - artistically, culturally, architecturally, and financially. If you have any connection to Hallmark or Kansas City this is well worth an hour of your time, and of course it is free. Make sure you watch the 14 minute film before touring the center. The Christmas tree collection, the bow making machine and the connections to Disney, Rockwell, Truman, Eisenhower and Churchill were the most fascinating for me. I can't imagine what Kansas City would be like today if Mr. Hall had went to Omaha or Chicago instead of Kansas City in 1910. read more

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Overall, the museum was a good experience and free admission made it even better. Many exhibits were about the history of Hallmark and its products. However, I wish there are more exhibits about cardmaking in general. On the bright side, they give you two hours of free parking if you park in the Crown Center parking garage. This museum is suited to people who want to go to a museum but are time-strapped since the museum only took about an hour to go through all of the exhibits. read more

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I have not been here since in nice I was nine!! My family lived an hour away from Hallmark headquarters in Kansas City in the mid seventies. Such a fun place. I have always cherished Hallmark ornaments and cards. And those cold seals!! read more

Cute displays of the history of Hallamrk and its founding days. Upcoming movies and artifacts from past movies. There's even a bow making machine that you get to keep the ribbon/bow that's made. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Enjoyed visiting here and learning about the Hallmark brand and history. It's a short film but well worth it. Then a walk through tour where you can make a bow and small store. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Display - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Once you have been here one time, you really are done! Regardless, my family enjoyed their time. The nostalgic Hallmark products was awesome! Kids loved seeing all the Hallmark Harry Potter stuff. We enjoyed making our own bow, that was Cool! Ladies at The desk were amazingly courteous! We asked how to get to the other side of the mall, instead of pointing, the woman took me to the door and gave me landmarks to find my next location. That was awesome service! read more

Totally loved reading the history of Hallmark. Not much to do in KC and this is a nice place to visit. Who knew the history?! read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Their office building - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

I always like to take visitors here if they are interested in the Crown Center, since it is possible to walk through Halls to get here. The bow machine is probably my favorite, since you can see the process of folding a bow, and you get to take one home with you too. There's different colored bows too depending on when you go. There are also free postcards on the table when you first walk in for you to remember Hallmark by. There is a small gift shop, but I'd recommend the central Hallmark store in crown plaza if you are looking for anything in particular. Overall, fascinating history and film as well, spent a total of about 30 minutes - 1 hour here. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Walkway to get there - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

My wife and my mother were both dedicated Hallmark ornament collectors so my wife and I visited here. There is a small museum that has some company history. It took maybe 20 minutes to see everything. I'd say if you have a connection to Hallmark or are a collector you would enjoy this. For the average person, it is shippable. They do give 2 hours parking validation for the very expensive parking garage in the Crown Center read more

This place is an absolutely wonderful place filled with lots of history! The staff there were incredibly SWEET. We started by watching a short film about how Hallmark came to be. The timing for everything that led up to the birth of Hallmark was impeccable. I can tell that Mr. JC was so loved by his employees! They made themed Christmas trees for him every year! We also got to see how ribbon bows/flowers were made! read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Decided to come visit here when my 2 friends and I were in KC just a couple of weekends ago. Prior to my visit, I had no idea that Hallmark was founded in KC, nor did I realize that there was an actual visitors center. We found out also that it was free to visit the Visitors Center, so we figured it would be a fun way to kill some time. The center is connected to a shopping center, and parking is free, as long as you get it validated from any shop within the center. We joined a guided tour of the history of Hallmark, which showcased a lot of items from its initial beginnings. We also learned that quite a few prominent figures had designed for Hallmark, including President Eisenhower and Salvador Dali. There's a bow making machine that will create a gift bow for you as a piece of memorabilia for this trip. I just wish that their gift shop had more vintage style prints to it, but otherwise, I thought this was a lovely little place to go visit and to learn about a piece of American culture at. It's friendly for all ages, but I suspect that it would probably appeal to older visitors more mostly because of nostalgia. read more

Very nice museum. If you like Hallmark Christmas ornaments you will really enjoy this place. They have lovely displays of all the decades of their ornaments. There are displays of cards, info about their tv channel, and history of the company. You can also see their artists at work. Artists are not there all the time, so call ahead if you want to be there to see their demo. They have a display of machines to show you what their production line is like. They even have a bow maker. My kids love the bow maker! You can easily spend 30 minutes to an hour here. It's a nice stop before or after Kaleidoscope or just while spending the day at Crown Center. It's free to visit and they have a small Hallmark store in the front. read more

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Looking for free activities to do in Kansas City? What's better than taking a stroll down your own personal memory lane plus learning a bit about how Hallmark started in this quaint big city!? I found the Visitor Center slash Mini Museum to be a bit hidden. Many thanks to locals who directed me to the right place, but if you are in the Crown Shopping Center you have to go outside to get to the entrance of the visitor center. Once inside, it's small. Very small. I think I spent 30 minutes in the center and I was actually reading many of the plaques. I went on a weekend so I didn't get to see the live Hallmark artist in action (plus the gift shop was closed) but if you go on a weekday, go between 1-2pm! You'll get to see a member of the Hallmark team at work and talk to them. There is a section with cool decorated Christmas trees, a section on their Hallmark movies, even crabby old Maxine gets a section. I loved the Hallmark keepsake ornament section as it brought back some memories of being a child with my Grandparents. Also pretty cool was the crown gallery which features crowns, the symbol of Hallmark, decorated in every which way including a couple of Disney crowns. Heart! This is probably lame but I thought the bow machine was super cool! You can see a bow made at super speeds right before your eyes...and then get to take the bow home! There was an older gentlemen there hogging the machine making what I'm sure to be the toppings for all his grandchildren's presents for the year. Grrrr! But I did get to make one after slowly creepin' on a come up on the dude. I'm sure kids would think this was really cool. Overall, it's a quick walk thru type of mini museum but I found it to be very enjoyable and think it's something you have to do while in Kansas City! read more

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Had a lovely time! Enjoyed meeting artist Eric Brace and talking about "trends." There's an artist every day from 1-2 pm which really enriches the experience. Thank you! This attraction is no more than one hour including the 14 minute movie. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

History lessons came to life when I visited the Hallmark Visitor's Center. After walking through the Crown Center, a small sign led to the entrance of this little gem. I was greeted warmly upon entering. Self-guided maps are at the starting point. Each station included the history along with visuals. These included the collectible ornaments, themed cards, and special toys. Videos are stationed throughout the exhibit. My favorite parts are the interactive stations. I got to see how a gift bow is made and I even got to take home my very own bow! The other favorite is playing with the selfie station. The system picks a random theme for you on the monitor and then you enter your email to have it be sent electronically (and probably for them to collect your email address.) I saw that there's a daily artist station where you can interact with the artist of the day, but I left before it's time. In the future if I come back, I'll make an effort to stay during that time because I want to see them in action! Overall, I had a great time at this free center! read more

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This is a museum of sorts made up of the Hallmark story. From the beginning to the present, every room is amazing. The trees decorated by the Hallmark employees are beautiful. There is a room full of crowns that are simple amazing and you can watch a true craftsman working on something in the display area. There are stations at each corner that the kids can stamp as they move through and at the end of the self guided tour you get a free gift, we got a recordable story book. Wow, what a nice token! read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

This place was neat to look at! You can get in for free, and walk the timeline of Hallmark's establishment. I loved seeing all the vintage greeting cards! After the timeline, there's some other special displays like Christmas Trees, ornaments, and others. I especially enjoyed the Christmas tree exhibit. Along the way, there's many fun photo-opportunities, including an Emmy award station! At the end, there are some machines that the factories use to produce the cards, as well as a free ribbon making machine at the end. Great for the kids, but I'm not sure the rest of the museum is. They might be more interested in Kaleidoscope next door. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

I really enjoyed my visit to the Hallmark Visitor Center. Making it even better, it's free admission and easy to get to using the free streetcar. They have a lot of history on how the company got it's start which was actually pretty interesting. The place isn't too big and it's self guided so you can go at your own pace. They have nice displays that include their cards, ornaments, Christmas trees, special cards that employees made every year for the founder over the years, different cards that were designed for presidents and by famous artists. It was cool to see the progression of the company through the different items spanning over many decades. The bow making machine was a treat. Not only is it really cool to watch the bow-making machine do it's thing, with the push of a button, you have a free souvenir within a few seconds. They also have a few different postcards you can take for free at the front desk which is a nice bonus. The staff was super helpful and polite. In addition to telling us how to best navigate the visitors center, they also patiently answered all my touristy questions with a smile. read more

We got here on our first night for our July 4th long weekend. Luckily, we had 30 minutes before closing time. But, the gift shop was already closed so we toured the other exhibits. You can easily go through all the exhibits in less than 30 minutes. The bow machine is our favorite since you get a free bow at the end. Right before closing, we got to watch a 15 minute film in the theater which was actually pretty good. The other free thing was a set of postcards from the front desk. So overall, you can't beat this place with free parking on the weekend a free set of postcards and bow from their bow machine. read more

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Such a delightful Pleasantville-ish experience we had when we popped into the Hallmark Visitors Center to get out of the cold and take in a little bit of off-beat history! The women at the welcome desk were beyond friendly, gifting us with postcards and offering to queue up the introductory movie upon our arrival. The museum is small and simple, but offers an interesting peak into the world of greeting cards and the Hallmark legacy. Oh, and it's free. How can you not enjoy a totally gratis cultural experience? read more

I've been wanting to visit the Hallmark Visitor's Center since we moved to Kansas City, but for one reason or another it has never happened. This is a hidden gem that should not be missed. The Visitor's Center is small, but it is very well done. There are beautiful displays of historic cards, Christmas trees and ornaments. They also do a great job of showing you the process of making greeting cards. I enjoyed seeing the machinery in action and also watching the interviews with members of the creative team. Probably my favorite part was the 11-minute video. It goes through the history of the Hallmark company and I found that I came away with a new appreciation of the care put into their products. Make sure you take some time to see the video. read more

Hallmark Visitors Center - The Hallmark corporate headquarters. The visitor center is to the right of this photo. - Museums Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

A nice way to spend 45 minutes to an hour when visiting Kansa City. Located in crown center, this FREE attraction gives an overview of the founding Hall Family and the famed Hallmark company. You will see famous original artwork, see presidential Christmas cards, holiday ornaments and can watch videos and even make your own souvenir gift bow. When we were there on a recent Saturday they even had a person demonstrating how they foil stamp greeting cards. You can ask him questions and get a bit of the behind the scenes look into card production. read more