Arabia Steamboat Museum, History museum in River Market, Kansas City, United States.
The Arabia Steamboat Museum displays over 200 tons of cargo and supplies recovered from a steamboat that sank in 1856 beneath a Kansas cornfield. The items show what settlers and merchants carried on their journey down the Missouri River during the period of western expansion.
The steamboat Arabia struck a submerged tree trunk in the Missouri River in 1856 and sank rapidly. The wreck remained buried under mud and soil for more than a century until accidental discovery during land excavation in the 1980s.
The collection reveals everyday objects that shaped frontier life in the 1850s, preserved exactly as they were packed. Visitors see clothing, tools, and household items that show how people dressed, worked, and managed daily tasks during westward expansion.
Plan to spend at least two hours exploring the exhibits and the different sections throughout the museum. The location in River Market is accessible by car or public transit with parking available nearby.
Visitors can observe the restoration laboratories where specialists clean and preserve items that are over 150 years old. This ongoing work shows the careful techniques needed to protect fragile historical materials after remaining buried for so long.
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