Factory Tours and Behind the Scenes Business Tours

As a little kid, I loved it when Mr. Rogers had Picture Picture Factory Tours. I enjoyed learning how crayons and fortune cookies, among other things, were made. Kansas City has several “factory” and business tours for our education and entertainment.

"Plant" Tours

The factory tours are free and last about an hour, not including all the time you’ll spend trying to decide what to buy in the gift shop. They have lots of cool items that you can only get at the plant.

During the winter the tours run from 9 to 1:30, Monday thru Friday. In the summer you can check for Saturday tours. Groups of ten or more require a reservation. Call 1-877-883-1450 (toll free) or 816-270-8023 to get up to the minute tour times.

It’s a beautiful facility. We really enjoyed seeing all the different aspects of production, especially since hubby’s a Harley rider.


Another great factory tour is the Kansas City Star Press Pavilion Tour. The massive and modern, glass and metal building sits at 16th and McGee Streets, which is just northeast of its main building at 1729 Grand Blvd.

For the most part, this is more of an exhibit and museum tour, than a factory tour. There are a number of permanent exhibits such as a viewing of Hallmark’s famous tear-inducing commercials and some of the Emmys presented to the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

You do have the chance to see a skilled press operator make a card--which I‘m going to say qualifies this as a factory tour. The people Hallmark put in this position tend to have wonderful personalities with a joy for sharing what they do. Feel free to ask them questions; they are wonderful educators.

Click the Hallmark link above for hours and more details.

Beverage “Factory” Tours

You hear a history of the brewery, watch a video, take a walking tour of the plant and, most importantly, you get to enjoy some samples at the end! Including the seasonal product. Woo, hoo! No wonder hubby volunteered to do a "research visit"!

If you've been fortunate enough to go visit the "big boys" on the other side of Missouri for their factory tour, terrific, it's a great place to visit, but please don't come into this thinking they have anything in common. They don't.

Boulevard Brewery feels like family. The tour guides are volunteers, admittedly with perks, but still yet doing it because they love and believe in the company. It also appears that the paid employees are taken care of...just like a family should be.

The buildings, once housing the owner's father's woodworking business, are warm and inviting. Although, I do wish they'd move the tour gathering spot into the adjacent "pub" space, as the current situation is a little too cozy, when full.

The brewery itself features state-of-the-art equipment, which has aided them in keeping up with production demands, while still yet being able to cut Sunday production. Note--if you visit on a Sunday, as we did, you will not see the the "factory part" of this factory tour in operation.

Things to check out during the tour: The beautiful pine flooring in the new building--it is incredible! The banquet space--consider it for your next event. The artifacts in the glass cases on the second floor and the photos all over the place. I wish they had addressed these last two things during the tour--take time to check them out on your own.

Boulevard has made some commitments to being "green", too. Including a planted rooftop--wish they would have shown it to us.

Currently tours are offered:Sundays at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Wednesdays at 3 p.m., Thursdays at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Fridays at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

You must make a reservation. If you don't, you're likely to see the sign below, so click on the link above. Saturdays are difficult to get, please plan ahead.

Call 816-931-4000 to make tour reservations. Currently tours are available at 9 am on Saturday mornings. They also have an 11 am tour for large groups. It’s fun to say that you do, in fact, know beans about beans, after you’ve “bean” on the tour.

Sorry, sometimes I just can’t control the puns.....


Okay, I know I’m kind of “milking” this whole beverage factory tour thing, and I don't think you can really call a farm a factory, but there is one more I’d like to add: The Shatto Milk Company Tour. This working, family run, dairy farm is located at 9406 N. HWY. 33 in Osborn, MO 64474. Just north-west of Lathrop. Phone 816-930-3862. Just a note: do NOT use mapquest or yahoo to get directions. They are incorrect. Please visit the Shatto website for accurate directions.

On a tour of the farm you get to see the calves, milk a cow, learn about why Shatto does NOT use growth hormones, and why they DO use glass bottles. You experience the process from cow to store shelf. You also get to sample some of their awesome products!

Finance Tours

For a group of 15 or more, The Kansas City Board of Trade is a great way to experience a real trading floor, right here in KC. The Board of Trade is located at 4800 Main, just south of The Plaza and right across from The Mixx restaurant and The Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library (both of which I discuss here.) I contacted Shelia Summers, KCBT Vice President of Marketing for the KCBT to get details of what to expect. She was kind enough to provide the following information: “The KCBT gives tours by appointment for groups of 15 or more. The tours can be scheduled either at 8:45 am or 12:30 pm Monday through Friday and last approximately one hour. The tour consists of a film about the Kansas City Board of Trade's primary product, Hard Red Winter Wheat futures and options,and viewing of the trading floor with a staff member who will explain the trading process.

There is no fee for the tours. To schedule a tour, one would call 816.753.7500 and ask to schedule a tour.” Thank you Ms. Summers!

This sounds great for an investment club or economics class trip. I’d like to take this tour myself, but the 15 person group requirement is somewhat of a hindrance for me.


You hear about it on the news almost everyday. “The Fed” did this, “The Fed” did that. What exactly is “The Fed”? It’s The Federal Reserve Banking System, and we just happen to have one of only 12 regional branches right here in KC. The Kansas City Fed is at 1 Memorial Drive, located on the west side of Main Street and south of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Public parking is available near the north entrance to the Bank.

They call the tour area “The Money Museum” and it is available for walk-in visitors and self-guided tours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding Bank holidays. No reservations are necessary, and a photo ID is required for visitors 18 years of age and older (Don‘t forget this, they aren‘t playing around with security here--for obvious reasons). There is no admission charge. You may also contact them for guided group tours.

This is a look inside our national financial system. You can see inside one of the area’s largest cash vaults, redesign our currency with an interactive feature, and discover how all of the national financial decisions affect your family’s budget.

Given our Nation’s current economic crisis, this might be the perfect time to see for yourself how the system works. It might also provide a springboard for a discussion about family finances with the younger members of your household.