Union Station Kansas City Inc

What Union Station Kansas City Inc does

Union Station Kansas City Inc. is a private nonprofit organization operating a historic 1914 railroad terminal at 30 West Pershing Road in Kansas City, Missouri, repurposed since 1999 as a multi-use cultural and entertainment destination. The organization runs four core attractions — Science City (an interactive science center), the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre, and City Stage Live Theatre — alongside rotating touring exhibitions such as The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. (North American premiere, 2026), a seasonal Holiday Reflections walk-through experience, and event spaces rented for corporate and private functions.

The business operates on a diversified revenue model combining per-visitor admissions (Science City at $17.25 per person; planetarium, theatre, and film tickets ranging from $3.75 to $12), annual and seasonal memberships, corporate and private event space rentals, tenant rents from on-site restaurants and retailers (Pierpont's Restaurant, Parisi Coffee, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Rally House, Museum of Illusions), Amtrak rail operations co-located on-site, and corporate/foundation grant funding (including a $480,000 Union Pacific Railroad grant in May 2026 and scholarships from Ford, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, and multiple family foundations). Educational outreach extends operations beyond the campus via Science City on the Road mobile programming serving schools within 100 miles.

The organization serves a hybrid customer base: families and tourists seeking entertainment, school groups receiving STEM programming through a Code.org regional partnership and Saturday STEM Seminars, corporate event organizers booking venue spaces, and tenants/sponsors co-located within the building. Technology infrastructure consists of standard consumer-facing digital channels (a ticketing platform, email newsletters, social media across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, LinkedIn) and standard marketing analytics tools (Google Analytics, Google, Meta, and TikTok advertising pixels). No proprietary AI, software platform, or technology product is disclosed; the business is fundamentally a physical destination experience business.

Name

Union Station Kansas City Inc

Legal name

Union Station Kansas City Inc.

Website

https://unionstation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Union Station Kansas City Inc. is a nonprofit operating a 1914 historic landmark in downtown Kansas City, featuring Science City, a planetarium, theaters, event venues, dining, retail, and touring exhibitions serving families, tourists, school groups, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Attractions and Entertainment Destination

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK), Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Historic attraction destination
• Science center exhibits
• Planetarium shows
• Event venue rentals
• STEM education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Attractions and Admissions: Revenue from Science City science museum admissions, planetarium shows, theatre screenings, and general attraction tickets. Prices range from $17.25 for Science City general admission to $5-12 for various shows and movies.
2. Event Space Rentals: Revenue from renting event spaces including Grand Plaza, Arthur Stilwell Room, Bank of America Gallery, City Stage Theatre, Haverty Family Yards, Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre, and other venues for private events, corporate functions, and celebrations.
3. Retail and Restaurant Tenants: Revenue from on-site tenants including Pierpont's Restaurant, Parisi Coffee, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Rally House, Museum of Illusions, and other retail and dining establishments located within Union Station.
4. Amtrak Rail Services: Revenue from Amtrak train station operations serving passenger rail travelers at Union Station Kansas City.
5. Memberships: Annual and multi-year memberships offering unlimited access to attractions, discounts, and exclusive perks for year-round visitors and families.
6. Holiday and Seasonal Events: Special holiday events including Holiday Reflections, seasonal exhibitions, classic movies, and themed entertainment during holiday seasons.
7. Group Sales and Educational Programs: Revenue from school group visits, educational programs, Science City on the Road outreach programs, and group reservations for attractions.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Union Station Kansas City operates a historic 1914 landmark destination offering Science City (interactive science center), Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre (large-format cinema), and City Stage Live Theatre. The venue also provides event space rentals, seasonal holiday experiences, STEM educational outreach, rotating touring exhibitions such as The Berlin Wall, and houses retail and dining tenants including Pierpont's Restaurant.

Product overview

Union Station Kansas City Inc operates a historic landmark destination offering multiple distinct attractions and services. The core portfolio includes Science City (an award-winning science center), the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre (large-format cinema), and City Stage Live Theatre. The venue hosts rotating touring exhibitions such as The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. Additional offerings include event space rentals for corporate and social occasions, the seasonal Holiday Reflections experience, Science City on the Road mobile programs, Saturday STEM Seminars for students, and the Summer of Science Pass seasonal membership. Food service tenants include Pierpont's Restaurant, Harvey's Restaurant, and Parisi Coffee, among others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Science City: Internationally awarded science museum featuring interactive exhibits and STEM programs for families and children.
• Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium
• Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre
• City Stage Live Theatre

Products and services

• Science City An internationally awarded science center featuring interactive exhibits, STEM programs, and educational activities for families and school groups. General admission priced at $17.25 per person.
• Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium Planetarium offering star shows, laser shows, and astronomical presentations for visitors of all ages. Available as both a ticketed attraction and a venue for private event rentals.
• Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre Large-format movie theater featuring classic films, new releases, and special screenings on a massive screen. Films priced from $5 (matinee) to $8 (adult).
• City Stage Live Theatre

Quantifiable outcome

• Millions of visitors annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Code.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience City at Union Station serves as the Regional Partner for Code.org for Western Missouri and all of Kansas, supporting computer science education and programming initiatives across the region.
• Great Kansas City Science & Engineering FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion Station hosts and supports the Greater Kansas City Science & Engineering Fair (now in its 75th year), serving as the premier regional STEM competition venue and organizational host.
• AmtrakcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmtrak operates rail service from Union Station Kansas City on the Northeast corridor, making Union Station a working train station serving regional and national passengers.
• Museum of IllusionssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInteractive museum attraction located at Level B, NW Elevator within Union Station, offering optical illusion and interactive exhibits as part of the attraction mix.
• Pierpont's RestaurantsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUpscale dining restaurant located at Level 1, Grand Hall within Union Station, serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch as a premier on-site dining establishment.
• Theatre For Young America (TYA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive theatre company performing at City Stage Theatre within Union Station, presenting family-friendly productions including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
• Greater Kansas City Chamber of CommercesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce office located at Level 2 & 3, SW Elevator within Union Station, supporting business community engagement and economic development.
• Kansas City MuseumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum located at Level B within Union Station (currently no public access), representing cultural programming partnerships within the Kansas City museum community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cincinnati Museum Center: Operates out of Cincinnati's Union Terminal, a historic 1933 train station converted to a multi-attraction museum complex including the Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, and Cincinnati History Museum. The closest structural analog: a nonprofit cultural institution housed in a former union rail station combining science, history, and event programming.
• Saint Louis Science Center: Free-admission science center in St. Louis featuring interactive exhibits, a planetarium (McDonnell Planetarium), and an OMNIMAX theater. Closely comparable Midwest science museum combining permanent exhibits, planetarium, and large-format cinema, serving a similar regional family/education audience.
• COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Columbus, Ohio science center with hands-on exhibits, planetarium, and a focus on STEM education. Comparable mid-size Midwestern science museum with a similar mix of permanent interactive exhibits and traveling exhibitions.
• Adventure Science Center: Nashville-based science center with interactive exhibits and a planetarium (Sudekum Planetarium). Comparable regional science museum of similar scale with an emphasis on STEM education and family programming.
• Maryland Science Center: Baltimore-based science center located at the Inner Harbor featuring interactive exhibits, a planetarium, and an IMAX theater. Direct structural analog combining science museum, planetarium, and large-format cinema under one institutional roof.
• OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry): Portland-based science museum with hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, and a large-format theater. Similar multi-attraction science destination model with comparable size and educational programming scope.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center with interactive exhibits, a planetarium (Buhl Planetarium), and a large-format theater ( Rangos Giant Cinema). Comparable Midwestern science museum of similar scale with overlapping product mix (science exhibits, planetarium, big-screen cinema) and educational programming.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science center featuring interactive exhibits, a planetarium, and an IMAX theater. Comparable multi-format science destination with a similar mix of permanent exhibits, planetarium, large-format cinema, and educational outreach.
• The Franklin Institute: Philadelphia-based science museum with interactive exhibits, a planetarium (Fels Planetarium), and an IMAX theater. Direct analog in combining a major science museum, planetarium, and large-format cinema under one institutional brand.

Broad incumbents

• Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago): One of the largest science museums in the world, located in a Hyde Park building (former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Fair). Serves a much broader national audience with blockbuster exhibitions; a larger, more established player in the same Midwestern science-museum category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnionStationKC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UnionStationKC
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnionStationKCMO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unionstationkc
• Instagraminstagram.com/unionstationkc/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Union Station Kansas City Inc