Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio

When I was a child, I took tennis lessons at Roanoke Park. A man used to watch us practice. Our instructor introduced us to Mr. Benton. I new of his paintings as my brothers would take us to the Nelson Atkins Museum. He was Shocked and pleased that someone so young knew about him. What a pleasure for a young girl.

I cannot recommend the Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio highly enough. My husband and I were led on the tour by an extremely knowledgable docent who allowed us to take our time and soak up the surroundings. The docent truly brought Benton and his work to life. Seeing Benton’s creative and personal environment offers great insight into the artist and his process. That being said, you don’t have to be particularly knowledgable of art to appreciate everything the museum has to offer. I especially enjoyed hearing about Benton’s loving marriage, seeing his daughter’s art on the home’s windows, and perusing the book titles on his shelves. The Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio offers a rich look into a fascinating man’s life and work. Truly a must-​see Kansas City historical site.

I was on my way to the Nelson-​Atkins for a T.H. Benton exhibit when I realized I still had never visited his home and studio which is a state park. The 2 guides I encountered are rich in the knowledge of THB, Missouri, art, architecture and everything related. An absolute treasure and so glad I went here before going to see the exhibit to get a better understanding of the man and his legacy. Next time I have a guest from out of town that appreciates art or history, I will take them here before getting BBQ.

I was given a tour by the on site curator. He is a wealth of knowledge. Benton was quite prolific and an interesting character. I particularly liked seeing their old color TV, which was similar to the one I watched as a kid.

Kansas City is extremely lucky to have such an amazing artifact from one of the greatest American painters of the 20^th Century. Time capsules like this one aren’t common at all. The only other preserved «artist studio» that I’m aware of in the United States is the Fred Harman Art Museum in Pagosa Springs, CO, and I was lucky enough to see the studio/​home of Jose Clemente Orozco in Guadalajara as well.
There is no substitute for seeing where art is created in situ; to see sketches, wax studies, the crates for sending work, palettes, brushes, and the actual studio where Benton lived AND died is a humbling and profound experience. And like the best things in life, it is near free– $ 4 a head. Give them a little more, because you don’t want this place to go the way of the Metcalf South Mall.
BTW, artists are not drug-​addled parasites of society like the idiots at FOX NEWS would have you believe. Artists are the dreamer of dreams, and the CULTURAL PRODUCERS OF OUR SOCIETY. That, my friends, is the opposite of parasitism. See how one of the greatest lived– sure, it’s a large house, but it is certainly a modest lifestyle that he no doubt enjoyed. The well-​informed tour guide explained that Benton’s father would have rather seen Tom become a lawyer and didn’t support his artistic endeavors. Boy, we sure missed out on that one! I’m sure that the world is a far worse place because we had one less attorney in it!
Here, you can bask in the greatness and understand the struggle just a little better. And ask yourself what is a society that doesn’t support the makers and doers and dreamers? What is society when we all have MBAs and historical amnesia and all the artists are all pushed into doing Price Chopper logos to turn a measly soul-​sucking buck? Who will tell our story then?

Interesting. worth the trip.

A great way to spend an hour on a lazy afternoon. The 100 + year old home is nestled into the gentrified Roanoke neighborhood offering a glimpse into mid 20^th century Kansas City.
The carriage house that Benton converted into his studio is 1^st stop on the tour. His creative process is fascinating and gaining insight into the method behind the art is worth the modest price of admission, $ 4 per adult…
The tour of the home itself is interesting and 13 Benton originals are on display. Mr and Mrs Benton passed away just a few months apart so the home and furnishings were left intact by the Benton trust almost exactly as they were in the mid 1970’s.
My 9 year old son was entertained for over an hour by the tour itself and the knowledgeable and funny tour guide. This is a great way for children to be introduced to Benton before a trip to the Nelson to see more of his work.

If you’ve read anything about or have any curiosity concerning Thomas Hart Benton this is a place you must go. The MO Dept of Natural Resources has done an excellent job of preserving this place, so much so that when you take a tour you kinda wonder if Mr. Benton is just going to appear, grab his brushes and paints and start painting. The Rangers do a great job of telling the story of the place, and in short if you love the painter, or have an interest in Kansas City history for that matter, this is well worth 1 hour of your time to visit.
This is one of Kansas City’s hidden in plain sight treasures. I can’t give everything 5 stars, but it’s a very strong 4.

Excellent snapshot of the artist and his family. Great tour.

Thomas Hart Benton was an American painter and muralist know for his fluid paintings of the Midwest. His house is a hidden gem in the beautiful Roanoke neighborhood now ran by the Missouri State Park as a state historic site. His house and studio are open to tour and it’s a little step back in time.
It’s kind of a trip to show up and more than likely be the only person there AND then out of no where, a park ranger shows up and gives you a tour. It seems all fancy and formal to have a man in uniform (ok, a park ranger uniform) give you a personal tour, but that’s how they do it! It’s not as awkward as it sounds and if you’re lucky, another small group might be there for a tour too.
The house is simple but dotted throughout with some of his work. Him and his wife lived in this house from 1939 thru 1975. It seems like most of those decades are represented throughout the décor of the house. I love that you can grab a recipe or two of his wife’s when you pass the kitchen… a free souvenir! The studio is out back in what was built as the carriage house. He died in this studio back in 1975 and they say it has pretty much been untouched since then.
It’s a pretty cool way to spend an hour or so of your life in a great neighborhood of KC. If his work motivates you enough, maybe you’ll find yourself visiting the Nelson-​Atkins to see some of his best work displayed in person.

This lesser known museum is tucked away in the beautiful Roanoke neighborhood of midtown Kansas City. (Steps away from my family’s home). Not only did Thomas Hart Benton live here, but he had his studio in his garage/​carriage house. Stepping inside is like going back in time, little has changes since his death. Come for an afternoon tour. afterwords, enjoy a walk around the neighborhood. Next door you can catch a glimpse of a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (down the hill). The other house next door (up the hill) is said to contain a Jackson Pollock painting on the garage’s floor. (Pollock studied with Benton for a summer.) After your tour, enjoy dinner or lunch somewhere on 39^th street.