Architecture & Venues
What began as a sketch on a napkin has become an architectural icon and home for the performing arts in Kansas City. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has changed Kansas City’s skyline, as well as the experiences of artists and audiences throughout the region.
Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the building’s most distinctive features are the Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Helzberg Hall, Brandmeyer Great Hall, its acoustical design and accessibility. Each space contains dramatic eye- and ear- catching design that combines sophisticated aesthetics, acoustics and technology with the intimacy of a smaller space and the comforts of home.
Helzberg Hall, Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Brandmeyer Great Hall can be viewed in an interactive 360-degree gigapixel-picture through the Google Arts & Culture platform.
Muriel Kauffman Theatre
The Muriel Kauffman Theatre presents a diversity of entertainers and performances from around the world, including pop and country entertainers, Broadway productions, comedy shows, and more. The Kauffman Theatre is also the performance home of the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
Helzberg Hall
The Kauffman Center’s 1,600-seat Helzberg Hall hosts a variety of local, regional, national and international artists and performance groups, including serving as the performance home of the Kansas City Symphony. Helzberg Hall features the custom-built Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875.
Brandmeyer Great Hall
- One large glass-enclosed area, called Brandmeyer Great Hall, serves both halls
- Guests can enter Brandmeyer Great Hall from the north, on 16th Street, or from the Kauffman Center drive, just south of the building
- Refreshment bars and a gift shop are available
Plaza Lobby
- A ticket office and coat check are available
- The Founders’ Lounge, home of The Dining Experience, is located on the west side of the lobby
- The Children’s Wall and PNC Grow Up Great Gallery are located on the east side
Building Features
- A nearly 285,000-square-foot facility with two main performance halls
- Exterior surfaces include glass, pre-cast concrete and bead-blasted stainless steel
- 27 cables are anchored by the weight of the pre-cast walls and hold up the glass in the lobby
- 196 public restroom stalls in the building
- Houses office space for Kauffman Center staff plus rehearsal spaces, warm-up rooms and dressing rooms
Kauffman Center Inside Look
This video features the Kauffman Center’s two venues, Helzberg Hall and Muriel Kauffman Theatre, and the facility’s primary lobby space, Brandmeyer Great Hall. Drone footage provided by NMG Studios.