Friday, December 19, 2008

KC Museums in Upheaval

Wow! There's been a lot of talk around town about museums in our area. Including 2 of my favorites:

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum: Joe Posnanski and Jason Whitlock are in an uproar over the new head of the Negro Leagues Museum.

I don't know either of the candidates, but I truly adore JoPo. He's one of the best sports columnists in the country and a really nice guy in real life (I met him at the KC Sports Commission Baseball Kick Off Luncheon last spring.) If Joe says Bob Kendrick was the right guy for the job, then he is. Especially if he was Buck O'Neil's choice.

I think it's a shame that politics and an anti-Buck surge is happening. What about what's right for the museum? I know from experience that if the person in charge isn't head over heels passionate about the museum it will flounder.

The Negro Leagues Museum is incredible. If you've never been there, YOU NEED TO GO! The first time I ever went there, I got my program signed by Buck O'Neil himself. He shook my hand and gave me a big smile and thanked me for visiting. Of any "celebrity" autograph that I've ever gotten, his is my most cherished.

The Negro Leagues Museum is too important to lose. It's the only one of it's kind and it is the bedrock of the incredible 18th and Vine area. I hope it doesn't leave.

If you haven't already done so, read JoPo's book The Soul of Baseball: A Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America. It's incredible.

Ah, yes...The other big KC museum news for the week. Union Station/Science City/Kansas City Museum is getting a new director, former American Royal CEO George Guastello.

I used to work for the KC Museum (and grudgingly US/SC). I think this is the fifth director they've had since 1999. I've never been impressed with any of them, but Andy Udris takes the cake for trying to steal the KCM's collections.

I wish the best of luck to the new guy and I hope like hell he continues the improvements on KCM/Corinthian Hall. I love that house!

I'm not holding my breath about the guy, but some really positive things are happening up on Gladstone Blvd and I just hope they continue.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

They've almost finished installing the new windows. The stained glass was removed, cleaned and re-installed. They still need funding for the HVAC but the rest of the work is progressing nicely. I live just 1/2 mile from the grand old lady.

MoxieMamaKC said...

Ain't she grand? No matter what museum I work in, Corinthian Hall will always be home. One of the hardest decisions of my life was to quit working there...I need to go see her soon. Climbing those steps from Gladstone Blvd. is just like coming home.