KC Fun Summer Bucket List - Art Course

When we created our KC Fun Summer Bucket list, I knew it would be a busy summer to try and get everything accomplished, but I didn't realize it was going to be nearly impossible! After our week in Disney World, which there simply aren't enough words to describe the amazing trip we had, I've struggled to find the motivation to get up and out of the house! We were exhausted when we came back, and truth be told, we are all still recovering. However, I did find some energy to get us out and about this week and here's what we've accomplished so far!

Earlier this week, McKinley and I took advantage of our Mama and McKinley time and hit the links at the Nelson Atkins Museum's Art Course, a nine hole mini golf course inspired by art currently on display at the museum. Each hole has an updated perspective of the classic pieces. The course is on the backside of the museum along the sprawling lawn that is home to the Shuttlecock structures and patrons taking advantage of the gorgeous view. 

We began our tour with the first hole which is the Jawbreaker Machine inspired by the work of Wayne Thiebaud 's Jawbreaker Machine, 1963. This colorful piece was an easy first hole and this mama got a hole in one!

Next up is Op-Art, inspired by Luis Tomasello's Chromoplastic Mural, 2011, and we passed this piece as we walked through the museum. McKinley loves that it's a slightly interactive piece as they have a cube you can touch to see what the structure was made from. 

 

Making our way through the course.

Le Partie d’Artgolf, inspired by Edouard Manet's The Croquet Party, 1871 is a 3-D replica and slightly challenging.

Hole number four is Rose with Gray inspired by Vasily Kandinsky, Rose with Gray, 1924 and it's hard! The incline alone is a doozy, one that found McKinley putting again to ensure he got his ball into the piece! We thought it looked a lot like a pinball machine.

Does anyone else see a Hotwheel track? Art can be so subjective. It's not a Hotwheel track, but Zoomy inspired by Mark Di Suvero, Rumi, 1991. This is a structure that stands tall on the grounds of the museum.

After hole five, you turn and go up a level to continue with the rest of the course. Number six, Pedal! inspired by, Evelyn Hofer's Girl with Bicycle, Dublin, 1966, and pedal we did! Your opponent must pedal while you are trying to putt. Mine didn't make it quiet through the tire, ricocheting off the spoke and running along the side of the green. McKinley, however, was much more successful! 

This barrel of fun shoots your ball out of the bottom, causing it to either be perfectly in line with the hole or on the opposite side, which is exactly where my ball wound up! I believe I four putted this one. McKinley, he got a two.... It's all about ball placement with this game! Oh, and Heaven Putt Hell inspired by Marsden Hartley's, Himmel, circa 1914-1915 is just that!

The Mischievous Dragon inspired by Chinese, Vase, 1426-1435 was probably my favorite. Not from a putting perspective but from beauty. The colors, the shape, the design, it's just gorgeous. But boy is this dragon mischievous! Your ball is dropped into the center of the vase, winds its way through the dragons tail, and if you're lucky, lands in the cup! We both achieved this on the first try, but McKinley wanted to do it one more time. And guess what, the ball slipped out of the spiral tail! McKinley wasn't bothered. He just picked up his ball and moved on to the next hole. He had already mastered it the first try!

The final hole is a replica of the Nelson. Need I say more?

After we finished the course, we grabbed a couple of drinks and walked around the grounds for a bit. It was such a peaceful afternoon and I loved taking in the culture, and fun, with my favorite boy!

The Art Course is open through Labor Day weekend! I suggest purchasing your tickets in advance on their website as several times are sold out throughout the summer! Head here for all the details!

XO,

Andrea