Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum presents photographs, equipment, and interactive stations documenting African American baseball across roughly 930 square meters in the 18th and Vine District of Kansas City. The rooms are organized thematically and guide visitors through different aspects of the leagues, from founding to integration.

Former players and historians founded the museum in 1990 to preserve the memory of African American baseball leagues that existed from 1920 through the 1960s alongside the white leagues. The institution grew from a small initiative into an important site for documenting this sports history.

The Field of Legends bronze figures show ten players in typical positions across a recreated infield, making the daily reality of these athletes tangible. Visitors walk among the statues and experience the spatial arrangement of a team that competed under difficult conditions.

The museum is located at 1616 East 18th Street and offers guided tours as well as educational programs for school groups and families. The museum shop carries official Negro Leagues items, including jerseys and historical reprints.

The collection includes the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to Buck O'Neil, one of the most recognized players and later ambassadors of the leagues. A donation from musician Geddy Lee brought the museum 200 signed baseballs that are now part of the permanent exhibition.

Location: Kansas City

Inception: 1990

Founders: Larry Lester

Address: 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

Phone: +18162211920

Website: http://nlbm.com

GPS coordinates: 39.09144,-94.56251

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29