The Kansas City area is now home to a new immersive art experience that puts visitors in the middle of a “living” cinematic story.
From the outside, Atlas9 doesn’t look particularly out of the ordinary. The 46,000-square-foot “containment” building, located in Kansas City, Kansas, is primarily black and white and fairly nondescript with the exception of a singular sign.
But stepping inside is like stepping into another world.
At the true entrance to Atlas9, visitors arrive at the glowing box office of a ficticious 1990s movie theater. From there, guests can explore two floors of this narrative-driven world, designed to blur the lines between reality and fiction.
Scenes from “forgotten films” come to life, allowing guests to dive into the dynamic installations, interact with performers and unfold the mysterious story. Wander through a 240-seat auditorium, themed rooms, a 1940s-themed jazz club and speakeasy, an arcade, pizza parlor and more, all designed with stunning visuals to make incredible photo opportunities.
Atlas9 is just the latest in a slew of new and upcoming attractions in KCK. The city also just celebrated the opening of the new Margaritaville Hotel Kansas City and soon will welcome the electric go-karting venue K1 Speed and the revitalized Rock Island Bridge.
And the design firm behind Atlas9 is no stranger to the Kansas City region. Overland Park-based Dimensional Innovations has also worked on KC’s CPKC Stadium, the first stadium purposefully built for a women’s professional sports team; Hallmark’sfirst Hallmark Christmas Experience at Crown Center; and the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison, Kansas, among many other projects.
