Kansas City Museum partners with world renowned architect to create the city’s first ‘skyspace’
By Alan Shope
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — A new way to look up at the sky is coming to Kansas City.
It’s called a skyspace and coming to the Kansas City Museum ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
It’s part art sculpture and part planetarium. The museum’s executive director believes it could become iconic for the next generation in KC.
“An observation chamber with an oculus carved in the roof,” Kansas City Museum Executive Director Anne Marie Tutera said.
The spot for looks up at the sky while inside a light show changes its colors of it. The Kansas City Museum is working with internationally known artist James Turrell to design and eventually build the project.
The nearby water-cooling tower will be the home of the skyspace that will actually sit 11 feet below ground.
“It is an unbelievable experience,” International Architects Atelier’s Elizabeth Amirahmadi said.
There are only 85 similar installations worldwide, and none in Kansas or Missouri.
It’s an idea that began in 2014 but is one they hope to have completed by the time Kansas City hosts the World Cup.
“It did take several years to build the capacity to take on a project like this,” Tutera said.
The project is currently at the end of the design phase. They hope that when finished, it will allow those who see it reflection, observation and healing.
To see examples of other skyspace projects, go to kansascitymuseum.org.
The sky space will only be around 700 square feet.
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