DRAW Architecture + Urban Design is reimagining interior spaces at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, enhancing performance, exhibition, and visitor experiences while supporting the museum’s evolving cultural mission.

The American Jazz Museum renovation will transform existing interior spaces to better accommodate the museum’s growing programs, operational needs, and visitor engagement. Located in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, the project seeks to strengthen the museum’s role as a destination for jazz education, performance, and cultural exchange.

The proposed improvements include relocating and redesigning the Blue Room performance venue to accommodate approximately 180 to 200 guests, introducing a new café and expanded retail area, and reorganizing exhibition spaces to include a flexible gallery for rotating exhibits. Updates to back-of-house spaces will improve operational efficiency and better support museum staff and programming.

Central to the renovation is the reconfiguration of the Blue Room, the museum’s working jazz club and living exhibit. Named after the celebrated nightclub in the historic Street Hotel, the Blue Room carries forward the legacy of Kansas City’s vibrant jazz culture. The proposed design will relocate and expand the venue to accommodate approximately 180 to 200 guests, creating new opportunities for live performance while strengthening the connection between the museum’s history and its contemporary cultural programming.

Through thoughtful interior renovation and adaptive reuse, the project will create more flexible, functional, and engaging spaces while reinforcing the American Jazz Museum’s connection to Kansas City’s rich musical heritage.

Read the article in The Kansas City Star