Freedom's Frontier

Uncover the past among the remains of this 1856 steamboat.

The Arabia Steamboat Museum is a favorite Kansas City attraction, a history museum housing 200 tons of cargo from life on the American frontier. Navigating the treacherous Missouri River in 1856, the Arabia hit a tree snag and sank with 200 tons of cargo.

By 1988, the changing river channel had left her buried in a cornfield when a group of modern-day adventurers decided to excavate her treasures. They discovered a time capsule of everyday life in the 1850s: including boots, firearms, fine China, pickles, and so much more. The collection is a work-in-progress. Experts still clean and preserve artifacts in the open preservation lab.