Johnson County Arts And Heritage Center — Attraction in Overland Park

As a kid, back in the late 70's and early 80's, my family spent a lot of time in this building. We lived in a town just east of Des Moines, and we'd make trips down to Kansas City to see the various sports teams. Even the old NHL team the Scouts, as well as the minor league team of the St Louis Blues, the Kansas City Blues. These trips always included a visit to King Louie for my dad, and I, to skate, and for my brother to play video games. I played hockey from my early years, through college. So my dad wanted me on the ice as much as possible. As the 80's rolled around we'd come down to see the Royals, as well as the Comets over at Kemper Arena. Naturally this still included visits here for the same reason. The ice arena in Des Moines didn't have their ice down all summer back then, so we'd come here. I have so many great memories of this place. The guy at the counter told me about all of the changes and what still existed and what was gone. Like others here have said, I miss the old King Louie, too. It was a mixed bag of feelings for me. I could still hear the crashing of the pins in the allies, and hear the Sinistar game roaring. Folks watching the skaters through the glass. I remember the ramp down to the bottom level to get to the ice, the set of doors you had to go through to the actual rink itself. I still remember it like it was yesterday. Even though it's not what it was, I'm thankful to see this place get a second lease on life. I watched the kids having fun and learning all around the main floor. It seemed very strange to walk around the museum part, on what used to be an ice surface. But, my wife, and I, learned a lot of fun and interesting things about the history of this area. I hope that the generations to come will be able to build as many fond memories here as others did so many decades ago. Congratulations people Johnson County. You should be proud...

We wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for the exceptional experience we had hosting our wedding reception at the Johnson County Park and Recreation District facility at 8788 Metcalf Avenue.

From the very beginning, your guidance, professionalism, and responsiveness made the planning process so much smoother. The venue was beautifully maintained, well-equipped, and provided the perfect ambiance for our celebration. Our guests were genuinely impressed by the spacious layout, lighting, and overall comfort of the hall.

We also appreciated how accommodating and flexible your team was, allowing us to personalize the event to reflect our vision. Starting and running the event right on schedule was made possible because of the well-organized setup and seamless coordination.

Most importantly, it felt like a truly special space for us to celebrate such a meaningful occasion with family and friends. We will always remember the joy and laughter shared that day — and a large part of that was thanks to the beautiful venue and your outstanding support.

Thank you once again for helping create memories that will last a lifetime. We would gladly recommend this venue to anyone planning a celebration in the Kansas City area.

Warm...

I have loved and gone to this museum for years with my kids. I have tried to follow their stringent and highly enforced NO FOOD AND DRINK policy as best I can. I also have chronic migraines and will get daily headaches that make me completely non-functional if I don’t drink water.

I only bring my water in a leakproof water bottle into the Kidscape. I don’t bring my kids’ water bottles in. I don’t bring my coffee cup in — I leave them outside with my stroller. Today I was told I needed to take my water bottle outside Kidscape. I had to tell the person about my migraines and why I have to drink water. I don’t like to talk about my migraines with strangers. I don’t like to have to stand up for myself and defend my health needs. In a time when acceptance and celebration of differently-abled people is a huge focus, I’m surprised that I...