Years before Stonewall erupted, the gay rights movement gathered steam right here in Kansas City. Now, there’s an opportunity to see where it all started. Enter: Kansas City Rainbow Tour.
The Kansas City Rainbow Tour is a free self-guided, app-narrated driving tour of KC’s rich LGBTQ+ history — and it’s a great way to celebrate Pride all year round. “Kansas City plays a very important role in our national LGBTQ history. The tour will take you on a journey through KC’s rainbow from as far back as the late 1800s,” curator Joel Barrett told us.
The tour utilizes the VoiceMap app to guide a colorful, story-filled drive to 20+ destinations in KC — all with references to the history of the LGBTQ+ community in our neighborhoods.
The approximately 90-minute tour begins near UMKC and heads north with the final stop at the Kansas City Museum in the Historic Northeast. Stops include historic gay bar locations, Womontown, the Liberty Memorial, and the Jazz District.
