Specially Arranged Tours

“. . .altogether my impressions of the place are very agreeable.”
                                                         Persuasion, Vol. IV, Ch. 8

NOTE: It is possible to take BOTH a Thursday morning and afternoon tour. Times indicated are bus loading times. Actual departures from the hotel are 30 minutes later. For a quick lunch between tours, we suggest you place an order from Panera (store #202376) at 2405 Grand Blvd, Kansas City Missouri, 64108. It’s directly across the street from our tour arrival/departure door. The manager suggests that you order online early Thursday morning at https://delivery.panerabread.com/. Select the “Rapid Pick-Up” option. Your lunch will be waiting for you under your last name on the Rapid Pick-Up shelves inside. We have confirmed that you may bring your lunch on the bus.

Henry Bone, Portrait of King
George IV of England, 1821
William Talor, Charger, ca. 1661
John Hoppner, Portrait of Emily
St. Clare, (detail) 1806-1807
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
$30
9:00 am to 12:45 pm Thursday, Sept. 27
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Thursday, Sept. 27

Like the image of Captain Benwick set for Louisa Musgrove, portrait miniatures provided a way to keep the likeness of a loved one close at hand. See finely detailed examples from the Starr Collection of portrait miniatures in a close-up, private viewing. The specially curated collection includes examples from English, French, and American artists contemporary to Jane Austen.

Docents will also lead small groups through the Burnap Collection of English pottery featuring slipware, stoneware, and delftware from the most important collection of pre-industrial British pottery outside of Britain. The collection also includes a number of works by Josiah Wedgwood.

A highlighted tour of the museum’s newly redesigned Bloch Galleries features 18th and 19th century English painters including John Constable, Joseph Turner, John Hoppner, and Thomas Gainsborough. These galleries also feature post- Impressionistic masterpieces by Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Édouard Manet—plus decorative arts from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Duration: 1 1/2-hour tour with time to explore on your own.
Transportation: 15-minute motorcoach ride from the AGM hotel.
Accessibility: https://www.nelson-atkins.org/accessibility/

















War Work Campaign Poster, 1918
National World War I Museum and Memorial
$30
9:00 am to 12:30 pm Thursday, Sept. 27

In the spirit of Anne Elliot, this guided tour will focus on the contributions made by capable women during The Great War. In addition to the familiar Jane Austen / WWI connections, learn how women lent their talents to the war effort. Because “Nursing does not belong to a man,” see how women fulfilled this role and others. Includes highlight of a recent acquisition from the Women’s Signal Corps.

Duration: 1 1/2-hour tour with time to explore on your own.
Transportation: 10-minute motorcoach ride from the AGM hotel.
Accessibility: https://www.theworldwar.org/visit/plan-your-visit/hours-admission
Pre-read to enhance your experience: “Jane Austen’s World War I” from Jane Austen’s Cults and Cultures by Claudia Johnson.






Excavated Cargo from the sunken Arabia Steamboat
Arabia Steamboat Museum
$30
1:00 pm to 4:45 pm Thursday, Sept. 27

Captain Wentworth would appreciate hearing the trials and tribulations of Captain William Terrill navigating his steamboat on the Missouri River. Museum guides will share the story of the Arabia paddlewheel boat's history, sinking, and excavation. A special presentation of the “Treasure Room” highlights the massive cargo of clothing, dishware, guns, and tools she sank with in 1853 when bound for the frontier. See the personal items her passengers left onboard. Following the tour, explore the artifacts at your own pace with guides at the ready to answer questions about the collection.

Duration: 1 1/2-hour tour with time to explore on your own.
Transportation: 15-minute motorcoach ride from the AGM hotel.
Accessibility: http://1856.com/plan-your-visit/general-public/



J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain
Plaza Fountain Walking Tour
$30
12:30 pm to 4:30 pm Sunday, Sept. 30

The Country Club Plaza has the highest concentration of sculptured water features in the City of Fountains. Take a guided tour of the fountains and artwork in this famous district known for its Seville architecture, horse-drawn carriages, exquisite shops, and signature restaurants. Tour led by Historic Kansas City.

Duration: 1 1/2-hour tour with time to explore on your own.
Transportation: 15-minute motorcoach ride from the AGM hotel.







Tea and Coffee Machine, England, ca. 1800-1810*
Regency Silver Program,
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
$45
9:00 am to 1:00 pm Monday, Oct. 1

Attend an intimate showing of Regency Silver from the Folgers Coffee Silver Collection. View a curated selection of 18th and 19th century works not currently on display. The museum’s Curator of Decorative Arts will discuss each item, including this unique Tea and Coffee Machine. Also learn museum techniques for the care and protection of your own treasured silver. Contemporary jewelry artist Robyn Nichols will discuss how the fabrication of silver items today reflects the methods used in Jane Austen’s era.

Duration: 2 1/2-hour program.
Transportation: 15-minute motorcoach ride from the AGM hotel.
Accessibility: https://www.nelson-atkins.org/accessibility/
*Tea and Coffee Machine, England, ca. 1800-1810. Copper with silver plating and ivory. The Folgers Coffee Silver Collection, Gift of The Procter & Gamble Company; Collected by Joseph S. Atha, F99-21/40 A-U