Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Considered one of America's premier art institutions, visitors have also named the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art among the nation's best museums. Displaying art pieces that date from antiquity to the present, its collection features items from across the globe and centuries. Marvel at the extensive Asian art collection, which includes a massive Buddha statue, Native American pottery, Monet's original Waterlillies painting, and much more. The 2007 Bloch Building addition is a piece of art, itself, especially at night. Once reviled but now enthusiastically embraced by most locals, enormous whimsical shuttlecocks decorate the front lawn. There's also a lovely 17-acre Sculpture Park, full of bronzes by British sculptor Henry Moore, plus significant pieces from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.