Old Photos: Kansas City 1936

Previously: Kansas City 1938 (more and even more), 1945, 1954

Note: These photos are dated with the year 1936 on the archive pages, but some of them are used in the article “A Great Newspaper Builds a Great Art Museum” published in 1939. I have no way to tell when they were taken.

View of Kansas City. © Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt


Pickwick Hotel is visible on the bottom-left.

Kansas City, MO.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Aerial of Kansas City. © Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt

A helpful commenter on Reddit pointed out that the tower on the lower center-right is the Tower Theater.

Liberty Memorial.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, a $2,750,000 limestone building, was opened in 1933. One of its wings, given by Mary Atkins of Kansas City, is called the Atkins Museum of Fine Arts. The whole gallery is air-conditioned and fitted with upholstered chairs an lounges that make it one of the most comfortable museums in America.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Oak Hall, central room in residence of newspaper publisher William Rockhill Nelson. His portrait by William Merritt Chase is hanging over the mantel.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Very good copies of great paintings were bought from Europe by Nelson who wanted to give Kansas City a chance to see what Old Masters looked like. Left to right: Raphael's Madonna of the Chair, Rubens' Portrait of Isabella Brant, Giorgione's Knight of Malta, Rembrandt's Night Watch. The copies are kept - mostly as a curiosity - in a separate gallery. © Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Figure of dancing Shiva among works of Asian Art on view at William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
The settings for the paintings are carefully planned to stress the connection between painting and the other decorative arts. With this 18th Century Hoppner portrait of Lady Fitzgerald is placed in contemporary satinwood and mahogany cabinet, Waterfront glass candelabra and Hepplewhite chairs. People are often more interested on the furniture than the painting.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Kirkwood Hall, named for Nelson's son-in-law, it the main entrance to the g Gallery. It is lined with twelve columns of black Pyrenees marble, each weighing eleven tons. In the center is a statue of Mars and Venus by Francesco Mosca, Italian Renaissance sculptor. The 17th Century Flemish tapestries on the wall tall the story of Phaeton and his fiery chariot.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Marionette puppet show at the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Young audience at a marionette puppet show at the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
The Kansas City Star building.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Portrait of George B. Longan, president of The Kansas City Star.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt
Portrait of Henry J. Haskell, editor of The Kansas City Star.© Time Inc.Alfred Eisenstaedt