Kansas City Automotive Museum

What Kansas City Automotive Museum does

The Kansas City Automotive Museum (KCAM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation founded in 2011 and opened to the public in May 2014, operating as Kansas City's only public automotive museum. Its core operations center on two physical assets: a 10,000-square-foot main museum at 15095 West 116th Street in Olathe, Kansas, featuring rotating exhibits of 30–40 vehicles at a time (with 100+ vehicles rotated annually across 65+ curated exhibits), and 'The Underground,' a subterranean vehicle storage facility at 600 West 31st Street in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, housing 450+ privately-owned collector vehicles with 24/7/365 monitored security and climate control.

Revenue is generated across eight streams: per-visitor admissions ($5–$9 tiered pricing), membership subscriptions ($75 single / $100 family / $1,000 lifetime / $6,000 multi-year), recurring monthly vehicle-storage fees at The Underground ($60–$150/month), a five-tier corporate sponsorship program ($2,500–$20,000 tiers), group/school/car-club tour fees, scout Pinewood Derby and badge workshops ($20–$500 sliding scales), donations and planned giving (1,100+ annual contributors), and event services (Cars & Coffee, The Great Car Show, Youth Autocross). Customer base spans individual car enthusiasts and collectors, K-12 educational groups, scout packs, car clubs, and corporate sponsors — with 25,000+ annual visitors and 80,000+ lifetime visitors since opening.

The museum is currently running its 'Legacy In Motion' capital campaign (launched April 2025) to build a new 40,000-square-foot facility near Penn Valley Park in downtown Kansas City, MO, quadrupling current footprint. It is independently governed by a Board of Directors, employs 11 staff plus 60+ volunteers, and maintains 21+ active community and corporate partnerships including the National WWI Museum & Memorial, Visit KC, KC Chamber, and Scouts of America. The organization won a 2025 national Award of Excellence for its adaptive Grand Prix Autocross youth racing program.

Name

Kansas City Automotive Museum

Legal name

Kansas City Automotive Museum

Website

https://kansascityautomuseum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kansas City Automotive Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Kansas City's only public automotive museum, featuring rotating vehicle exhibits in Olathe, KS and 'The Underground' collector-vehicle storage facility in downtown Kansas City, MO, serving car enthusiasts, K-12 schools, scout packs, car clubs, and corporate sponsors with admissions, memberships, storage, and an expanding event calendar.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Heritage Museum

NAICS

Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Auto, Boat & RV Shows (MPAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Automotive museum exhibits
• Vehicle storage services
• Corporate sponsorship programs
• Educational field trips
• Membership subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Olathe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Revenue from ticket sales to the museum. Adults $9, Military/Seniors $8, Students/Youth $7, Children 5 and under free, Members free. Also offers reduced $5 admission during Cars & Coffee events.
2. Vehicle Storage Services: Monthly rental fees for vehicle storage at The Underground facility. One vehicle: $120/month, one vehicle with battery tender: $150/month, motorcycle: $60/month. Includes one-time $50 administrative fee.
3. Membership Subscriptions: Annual and lifetime membership fees providing free admission, discounts, and exclusive benefits. Single $75, Family $100, Lifetime $1,000, Multi-Year Giving Society $6,000 over 5 years.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual corporate partnership packages at five tiers: Heritage $20,000, Artistry $15,000, Catalyst $10,000, Precision $5,000, Ignition $2,500. Includes vendor opportunities, VIP tickets, booth space, and branding recognition.
5. Group Tours and Programs: Discounted rates for groups, schools, and car clubs visiting the museum. Groups $7/person, Schools $5/person, Car Clubs $6/person.
6. Scout Programs and Workshops: Pinewood Derby venue rental with sliding scale $275-$500 based on pack size. Automotive Maintenance Badge workshops at $20/scout plus $5/adult chaperone.
7. Volunteer Program: Volunteer engagement supporting museum operations including gallery guides, behind-the-scenes work, event support, and special programs.
8. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations supporting museum operations and the Legacy In Motion capital campaign for the new 40,000 sq ft facility. Includes vehicle donations, artifact donations, and planned giving options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Kansas City Automotive Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates an automotive heritage museum featuring rotating displays of over 100 vehicles annually across a 10,000-square-foot gallery in Olathe, KS. It also operates The Underground, a secured subterranean vehicle storage facility in downtown Kansas City, MO housing 200+ privately-owned vehicles, open to the public monthly during Cars & Coffee events. Supporting offerings include K-12 and scout educational programs, group tours, youth autocross, corporate sponsorships, memberships, donations, and vehicle loan and request-a-vehicle services.

Product overview

The Kansas City Automotive Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a single-location automotive heritage museum rather than a platform product. Its core offerings center on the main museum in Olathe, KS (currently 10,000 sq ft with plans to expand to 40,000 sq ft) and The Underground vehicle storage facility in downtown Kansas City, MO. The museum's portfolio includes rotating vehicle exhibits, Cars & Coffee events at two locations, educational programs (K-12 school tours, scout workshops, preschool storytime), Youth Autocross adaptive racing events, group tours, membership programs, vehicle loan programs, and event rental services. The museum generates revenue through admissions, memberships, donations, sponsorships, and fees for services like Pinewood Derby hosting and vehicle display requests. No software product, API, or technology platform is offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Underground: A subterranean vehicle storage facility in downtown Kansas City, MO that houses privately-owned vehicles and opens to the public on the first Saturday of each month.

Products and services

• Museum Exhibits Rotating collection of over 100 vehicles displayed throughout the year, featuring monthly themed 'drive-in' exhibits and a main gallery that rotates every four to six months across a 10,000 square foot display space in Olathe, KS. Visitors and families see Kansas City automotive heritage including the 1965 Le Mans winner Masten Gregory car, Ford Winchester Plant artifacts, and the Greenlease Cadillac.
• The Underground Vehicle Storage Facility

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,000+ visitors served since opening
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National WWI Museum and MemorialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership hosting The Great Car Show event at the National WWI Museum & Memorial location, bringing automotive culture to one of Kansas City's premier cultural institutions
• Nelson-Atkins Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership between Kansas City's major museums for cross-promotion and collaborative programming
• American RoyalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with American Royal organization for events and community engagement
• Kansas City RoyalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-promotional partnership with KC Royals baseball team
• Union StationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Union Station Kansas City for cultural collaboration
• Mecum AuctionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelationship with Mecum Auctions for automotive industry connections
• Scouts of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScout programs including Pinewood Derby venue, Automotive Maintenance Badge workshops, and overnight experiences at the museum
• Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kansas CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth mentorship partnership connecting museum experiences with mentorship programs
• MinddriveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Minddrive youth automotive education organization
• Visit KCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Visit KC for tourism promotion and visitor engagement
• NEJC (North East Johnson County)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional partnership with NEJC for community engagement
• Kansas City Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with KC Chamber for regional business community engagement
• City of OlathecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partnership with City of Olathe as current museum host location
• Aristocrat MotorscoreGTM or Marketing Partner2026 corporate sponsor at Heritage level ($20,000) - luxury automotive dealership
• Deluxe Truck StopcoreGTM or Marketing Partner2026 corporate sponsor at Heritage level ($20,000) - truck stop and travel center
• Santa Fe Tow ServicecoreGTM or Marketing Partner2026 corporate sponsor - automotive towing and recovery service
• Olathe FordcoreGTM or Marketing Partner2026 corporate sponsor - Ford dealership and automotive service provider
• Oakes AutocoreGTM or Marketing Partner2026 corporate sponsor - automotive dealership group
• CPED Kansas CityminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 corporate sponsor - economic development organization
• Kansas City Region Porsche Club of America (KCRPCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for All German Car Show 2026, bringing together German automotive enthusiasts and five local German car clubs
• Kansas Sunflower Summer ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating attraction in Kansas Tourism program providing free admission for eligible students and families
• Armacost MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Dancing with the Cars annual event

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gilmore Car Museum: Michigan-based nonprofit automotive museum complex with multiple buildings and 400+ vehicles. Comparable as a large nonprofit specialty auto museum with rotating exhibits, educational programming, and event hosting.
• AACA Museum: Hershey, PA-based antique automobile museum operated by the Antique Automobile Club of America. Directly comparable as a nonprofit specialty auto museum with rotating exhibits, educational programming, and strong enthusiast community ties.
• National Automobile Museum: Reno, NV-based nonprofit museum featuring over 200 cars in rotating exhibits with educational programming. Highly comparable in scale and nonprofit structure to the Kansas City Automotive Museum.
• Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum: Auburn, IN-based nonprofit automotive museum housed in a historic facility. Comparable as a heritage-focused nonprofit auto museum with curated exhibits and enthusiast community engagement.
• Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum: Philadelphia-based nonprofit automotive museum focused on racing and performance car heritage. Comparable as a specialty nonprofit museum with curated rotating exhibits and enthusiast-focused programming, though with a more performance/racing slant.
• LeMay - America's Car Museum: Tacoma, WA-based nonprofit automotive museum with a rotating collection and educational programming. Highly comparable as a regional nonprofit auto museum with membership programs, educational outreach, and rotating exhibits serving a similar enthusiast audience.

Broad incumbents

• Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation: Dearborn, MI-based major innovation and transportation museum with substantial automotive collection. Comparable as an automotive-heritage institution with educational programming, but operates at much larger scale and broader thematic scope.
• Petersen Automotive Museum: Los Angeles-based major automotive museum with 100+ vehicles on display across multiple floors. Directly comparable as a specialty automotive heritage museum, but operates at significantly larger scale and budget, serving as a benchmark for what the Kansas City museum could become with the Legacy In Motion expansion.

Emerging players

• Saratoga Automobile Museum: Saratoga Springs, NY-based nonprofit automotive museum with rotating exhibits and educational programming. Comparable in scale and nonprofit structure, but with smaller footprint and event-driven programming.

Regional players

• British Motor Museum: UK-based specialty automotive museum focused on British car heritage. Comparable as a nonprofit specialty auto museum with rotating exhibits and educational programming, but serves a different geography and brand heritage focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KansasCityAutoMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/kansascityautomuseum
• Xx.com/kcautomuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansas-city-automotive-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Kansas City Automotive Museum