Timeline
- Meghan L. Gray
- Glynnis Stevenson
Kansas City Events
Nelson-Atkins Events

1911
Mary Atkins dies, leaving funds to build an art museum in Kansas City
1911 | Mary Atkins dies, leaving funds to build an art museum in Kansas City

1911
Infamous “Boss Tom” inherits power from his brother
1911 | Infamous “Boss Tom” inherits power from his brother

1915
William Rockhill Nelson dies, leaving the majority of his estate for the purchase of art for Kansas City
1915 | William Rockhill Nelson dies, leaving the majority of his estate for the purchase of art for Kansas City

1921
Ida Nelson dies, having made provisions in her will to build a museum
1921 | Ida Nelson dies, having made provisions in her will to build a museum

1924
Kansas City Monarchs win the inaugural Colored World Series
1924 | Kansas City Monarchs win the inaugural Colored World Series

1926
Laura Nelson Kirkwood dies, leaving $1.2 million to establish an art gallery
1926 | Laura Nelson Kirkwood dies, leaving $1.2 million to establish an art gallery

1926
Nelson-Kirkwood Trustees are formed
1926 | Nelson-Kirkwood Trustees are formed

1929
Count Basie develops “Kansas City stomp” style of jazz
1929 | Count Basie develops “Kansas City stomp” style of jazz

1930
Ground is broken for building the museum
1930 | Ground is broken for building the museum

1930
First French painting purchases
1930 | First French painting purchases

1931
During the Depression, the Nelson-Atkins purchases ten French paintings at a low cost
1931 | During the Depression, the Nelson-Atkins purchases ten French paintings at a low cost

1932
First modern French painting purchased
1932 | First modern French painting purchased

1933
The University of Missouri-Kansas City opens
1933 | The University of Missouri-Kansas City opens

1933
Opening of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
1933 | Opening of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

1934
Jackson County courthouse is finished
1934 | Jackson County courthouse is finished

1935
First exhibition of French art at The Nelson-Atkins
1935 | First exhibition of French art at The Nelson-Atkins

1935
Kansas City Municipal Auditorium opens
1935 | Kansas City Municipal Auditorium opens

1936
Kansas City native Charlie Parker develops Bebop style of jazz
1936 | Kansas City native Charlie Parker develops Bebop style of jazz

1938
James Roth becomes first conservator
1938 | James Roth becomes first conservator

1938
Acquisition of two Post-Impressionist paintings
1938 | Acquisition of two Post-Impressionist paintings

1939
Tom Pendergast imprisoned for fifteen months for tax evasion; end of the “Pendergast Machine” years
1939 | Tom Pendergast imprisoned for fifteen months for tax evasion; end of the “Pendergast Machine” years

1940
The Nelson-Atkins is a safe haven during World War II
1940 | The Nelson-Atkins is a safe haven during World War II

1940
Lucile H. Bluford wins her anti-segregation case, and Kansas City quintuples in size
1940 | Lucile H. Bluford wins her anti-segregation case, and Kansas City quintuples in size

1942
Women run the museum while their male colleagues fight in World War II
1942 | Women run the museum while their male colleagues fight in World War II

1944
Laura Nelson Kirkwood Residuary Trust dispersal of goods, including painting by Camille Pissarro
1944 | Laura Nelson Kirkwood Residuary Trust dispersal of goods, including painting by Camille Pissarro

1945
Jackie Robinson joins the Kansas City Monarchs, and Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States
1945 | Jackie Robinson joins the Kansas City Monarchs, and Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States

1951
Desegregation of Swope Park Pool
1951 | Desegregation of Swope Park Pool

1953
Abilene, Kansas, native Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States
1953 | Abilene, Kansas, native Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States

1954
First curator of European Art is hired
1954 | First curator of European Art is hired

1955
The Philadelphia Athletics franchise is moved to Kansas City
1955 | The Philadelphia Athletics franchise is moved to Kansas City

1957
Acquisition by petition of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies
1957 | Acquisition by petition of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies

1959
Ralph T. Coe hired as Curator of Paintings and Sculpture
1959 | Ralph T. Coe hired as Curator of Paintings and Sculpture

1960
Acquisition of Camille Pissarro’s Garden of Les Mathurins
1960 | Acquisition of Camille Pissarro’s Garden of Les Mathurins

1967
Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl
1967 | Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl

1968
Student protestors commemorate the April 4 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
1968 | Student protestors commemorate the April 4 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

1969
Founding of the Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball team
1969 | Founding of the Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball team

1970
Monetary support from “Aunt” Helen Foresman Spencer throughout the 1970s
1970 | Monetary support from “Aunt” Helen Foresman Spencer throughout the 1970s

1972
Arrowhead Stadium and Kansas City International Airport completed
1972 | Arrowhead Stadium and Kansas City International Airport completed

1973
Completion of Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals
1973 | Completion of Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals

1976
Henry and Marion Bloch purchase their first Impressionist painting
1976 | Henry and Marion Bloch purchase their first Impressionist painting

1977
The Kansas City Mafia sets off explosions in the River Quay entertainment district
1977 | The Kansas City Mafia sets off explosions in the River Quay entertainment district

1979
Purchase of first artwork by a French female artist
1979 | Purchase of first artwork by a French female artist

1979
Acquisition of Jean Siméon Chardin’s Still Life with Cat and Fish, 1728
1979 | Acquisition of Jean Siméon Chardin’s Still Life with Cat and Fish, 1728

1980
The Kansas City Royals play in World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies
1980 | The Kansas City Royals play in World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies

1982
Pulitzer Prize awarded to the staff of The Kansas City Star
1982 | Pulitzer Prize awarded to the staff of The Kansas City Star

1984
Acquisition of a pendant pair by Claude Joseph Vernet
1984 | Acquisition of a pendant pair by Claude Joseph Vernet

1985
Gift of painting attributed to Sébastien Bourdon from Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bloch
1985 | Gift of painting attributed to Sébastien Bourdon from Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bloch

1986
Purchase of important painting by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun and other works
1986 | Purchase of important painting by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun and other works

1989
Gustave Caillebotte painting enters collection
1989 | Gustave Caillebotte painting enters collection

1990
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is founded in the Historic 18th and Vine neighborhood
1990 | The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is founded in the Historic 18th and Vine neighborhood

1991
Emanuel Cleaver II becomes Kansas City’s first Black mayor
1991 | Emanuel Cleaver II becomes Kansas City’s first Black mayor

1994
Painting by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard enters the collection
1994 | Painting by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard enters the collection

1999
Election of first female mayor, Kay Barnes, and reopening of Union Station
1999 | Election of first female mayor, Kay Barnes, and reopening of Union Station

2005
Construction begins on the Power and Light District
2005 | Construction begins on the Power and Light District

2007
The Bloch Building opens with the inaugural exhibition Manet to Matisse
2007 | The Bloch Building opens with the inaugural exhibition Manet to Matisse

2007
The Sprint Center opens in the Power and Light District
2007 | The Sprint Center opens in the Power and Light District

2008
Research begins for the catalogue French Paintings and Pastels
2008 | Research begins for the catalogue French Paintings and Pastels

2010
The Kansas City Wizards become Sporting Kansas City, the town’s Major League Soccer franchise
2010 | The Kansas City Wizards become Sporting Kansas City, the town’s Major League Soccer franchise

2011
Opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, home of the Kansas City Orchestra and Ballet
2011 | Opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, home of the Kansas City Orchestra and Ballet

2014
Gift of pastel by Léon-Augustin Lhermitte
2014 | Gift of pastel by Léon-Augustin Lhermitte

2015
Major gift of art from Marion and Henry Bloch
2015 | Major gift of art from Marion and Henry Bloch

2015
Kansas City Royals win the World Series over the New York Mets
2015 | Kansas City Royals win the World Series over the New York Mets

2017
The Bloch Galleries open at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
2017 | The Bloch Galleries open at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

2017
Voters approve transportation improvements
2017 | Voters approve transportation improvements

2017
Purchase of Émile Bernard’s painting of his grandmother
2017 | Purchase of Émile Bernard’s painting of his grandmother

2018
Queer Eye begins filming in Kansas City
2018 | Queer Eye begins filming in Kansas City

2020
Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl over the San Francisco 49ers
2020 | Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl over the San Francisco 49ers
2021
First installment of The Collections of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: French Paintings and Pastels, 1600–1945
2021 | First installment of The Collections of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: French Paintings and Pastels, 1600–1945