Thursday Tours
Thursday tours are educational experiences available for students to visit Kansas City landmarks and learn about the city from a media perspective.
Online registration is first come, first served.
Transportation to media tours, provided by JEA and NSPA, is included in the price.
Please check in at the media tour desk 30 minutes in advance of your tour and allow at least 60 minutes of travel time to and from the tour.
National WWI Museum and Memorial
9-10 a.m., Thursday, April 4
$25, includes museum admission | Limit 35
Ordinary People. Monumental Stories. How does the National WWI Museum and Memorial tell the stories of 100 years ago and why are those stories still relevant today? Learn about what it’s like to manage the marketing and media for a national institution and how the symbolism found in the architecture of the space has made its way into the communications of today. After a discussion, join an architectural tour of the grounds, visit the top of the Liberty Memorial Tower and take your picture against the backdrop of the Kansas City skyline. Participants will walk to this tour from the hotel.
2 Memorial Drive, Kansas City, MO 64108
Union Station
9:30-10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 4
$25 | Limit 20
The face of downtown Kansas City, historic Union Station is the backdrop for countless events and home to various businesses that all require the marketing team’s knowledge. Experience Union Station while learning about the history of the building and hearing how the marketing team manages the various businesses and opportunities that move through Union Station, putting their storytelling skills to good use. Participants will walk to this tour from the hotel.
30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108
Sporting Kansas City
Group 1: 9:30-10:45 a.m., Thursday, April 4
Group 2: 10:45 a.m. to noon, Thursday, April 4
$40 | Limit 25 for each tour
Sporting Kansas City is the local Major League Soccer club. Participants will have two different times to choose from to tour Children’s Mercy Park, where the club plays their home games, known for its energetic fan base. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
1 Sporting Way, Kansas City, KS 66111
Hallmark Cards
10-11 a.m., Thursday, April 4
$25 | Limit 15
Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the U.S. The family owned business has been around since 1910 and is headquartered in Kansas City’s Crown Center. Participants on this tour will take an hour-long tour, hosted by Hallmark’s in-house media studio, “New Media Studios” and have a Q&A with some of their professionals. Participants will walk to this tour from the hotel.
Inside Crown Center
KCTV5 CBS
10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, April 4
$40 | Limit 20
Serving Kansas City on-air for more than 70 years, KCTV5 is the local CBS affiliate station. This is an opportunity to see their studios in Fairway, Kansas and hear from professionals about how they bring important information to viewers. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
4500 Shawnee Mission Pkwy. Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, April 4
$40, includes zoo admission | Limit 25
The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, with its world-class exhibits and exceptional programs, attracts visitors from around the world and families from close to home. The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium connects all people to each other and the natural world to promote understanding, appreciation and conservation. Students will have the opportunity to conduct a panel interview with the KC Zoo marketing and communications team. After the panel interview, students will be free to explore the zoo. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, MO 64132
Kauffman Stadium — Home of the Kansas City Royals
10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, April 4
$40 | Limit 20
Kauffman Stadium is home of the Kansas City Royals, the 1985 and 2015 World Series Champions. Tour the stadium on a gameday, and then participate in a Q&A panel with members of the media relations team. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
1 Royal Way Kansas City, MO 64129
KSHB 41 TV NBC
11 a.m. to noon, Thursday, April 4
$40 | Limit 20
KSHB 41 is the local NBC affiliate station and the fastest growing news outlet in this market. The innovative station is even credited with being the first computer-automated television station in the U.S. Participants will tour their studios and learn about their commitment to bringing truth and different voices to the city. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
4720 Oak Street Kansas City, MO 64112
KCUR
11 a.m. to noon, Thursday, April 4
$25 | Limit 30
KCUR 89.3, Kansas City’s NPR member station, first broadcast in 1957. A charter member of NPR, KCUR holds itself to the highest journalistic standards in service to the citizens of Kansas, Missouri, the broader Midwest and the nation. Students will tour the studio, have the opportunity to meet members of the KCUR team and hear how radio and podcasting can go hand-in-hand. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
4825 Troost Ave., Suite 202. Kansas City, MO 64110
KMBC9 News ABC
11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Thursday, April 4
$40 | Limit 15
KMBC9 is the local ABC affiliate of Kansas City. Participants will visit the local ABC station, tour the offices and studios, as well as watch the noon broadcast from the studio floor. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
6455 Winchester Ave. Kansas City, MO 64133
Kansas City Star: Audience, Visuals, Breaking/Trending
Noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, April 4
$25 | Limit 20
Tour The Kansas City Star’s newsroom and meet journalists from the audience, visuals and breaking news teams. You’ll hear about social media strategy in local news, how visual journalists highlight our community through photos and videos, and how the breaking news team works swiftly to keep our readers informed. Participants will walk to this tour from the hotel.
2401 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
12:30-2:30 p.m., Thursday, April 4
$40, includes museum admission | Limit 60
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art invites all people to explore the art in its care, and through its broad collection, the depths and complexities of human experiences. Students will meet with the Nelson’s marketing and communications team. After the meeting, students will take a guided tour through the contemporary art and photography exhibits. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64111
Kansas City Star: Sports, Politics, Features
2-3 p.m., Thursday, April 4
$25 | Limit 20
Tour The Kansas City Star’s newsroom and meet journalists who cover sports, local politics and write features on local restaurants and celebrities. You’ll hear about what it is like to cover the Chiefs, how reporters think about election years, and what it is like to help readers know what to eat, drink and do in Kansas City. Participants will walk to this tour from the hotel.
2401 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64108
TICO Productions and TICO Sports
11 a.m.-12 p.m., Thursday, April 4
$40 | Limit 15
Tico Productions is a multimedia, multicultural production and marketing company located in Kansas City. They provide bilingual communication across media production, multicultural strategy, cause-marketing, creative campaigns, and social media. TICO Sports partners with professional and university teams, offering broadcasts and community engagement to latino populations. Both branches bring messaging to Spanish speaking populations like never before. Participants will tour their offices and chat with professionals about how they are changing media to be more culturally inclusive. Participants will be bussed to this tour.
5201 Johnson Dr Ste 450, Mission, KS 66205 Suite 450