Clio Logo
History of UMKC: University of Missouri - Kansas City Walking Tour
Item 5 of 26

The Fine Arts building joined the University of Kansas City campus with its completion in 1942, housing the Chemistry and Biology departments. For the first three decades, the structure was known Chemistry-Biology Building. The building was renamed in 1972 in the midst of a wave of expansion. With the departments of chemistry and biology moving to the Spencer Chemistry Building and Biological Science Building, the Department of Fine Arts moved to this building which was renamed accordingly.


UMKC's Fine Arts Building

Plant, Window, Building, Architecture

UMKC Professor George Ehrlich exhibits photos at the UMKC Art Gallery from his 1979 book Kansas City, Missouri: An Architectural History, 1826-1976

Black-and-white, Style, Tie, Monochrome

Circa 1976 Art Class in the Fine Arts Building.

Hairstyle, Black, Chair, Black-and-white

11/7/1988 Unews article about Yoko Ono's exhibition at the UMKC Gallery of Art

Newspaper, Publication, Font, News

UMKC's Fine Arts building was constructed in 1942. and designed by Charles A. Smith, the same local architect who designed Haag Hall. Both buildings were built in what is known as a "modified collegiate gothic" architectural style. It was primarily as gift from University of Kansas City founder William Volker. The Fine Arts building specifically was originally built to house the Chemistry and Biology Departments. The location against the hillside was chosen to allow direct entry on each floor of the building. This facilitated the movement of heavy lab equipment without the need of a freight elevator. Today this building houses the Department of Art and Art History, to which the Studio Art program also belongs, as well as the department's art gallery.

In the 1970s, the University of Kansas City constructed several new buildings and expanded existing programs to accommodate the growing student body. Some of the new buildings constructed were the Spencer Chemistry and Biological Sciences buildings, which were built in 1972 and gave the Chemistry and Biology departments expanded classroom, office, and laboratory space. Once these departments had relocated to their new buildings, the Department of Fine Arts, which had been at 4825 Troost Avenue since 1967, moved to this building, and it was renamed the Fine Arts building.

Wolff, Christopher. A Pearl of Great Value: The History of UMKC, Kansas City’s University. Kansas City, Missouri. UMKC Alumni Association, 2016.

Campus History: Fine Arts Building, KC Roo News. October 11th, 2010. Accessed September 17th, 2022. https://kcroonews.com/campus-history-fine-arts-building/.

"Site of Science Work." The Kansas City Star (Kansas City) September 11th, 1940. .6.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

KC Roo News

UMKC University Archives photo k_3_7_9-00045

UMKC University Archives photo k_3_7_9-00060

Ono exhibition opens at gallery. Stacy Burt. Unews, University of Missouri-Kansas City. 11/7/1988