This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

The Arabia Steamboat Museum holds the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world, and it is a family business. The steamboat Arabia hit a snag and sank outside Kansas City on 5 September 1856 with 200 tons of cargo; in 1988 Bob Hawley, an air-conditioning and furnace repairman, and his sons David and Greg found it 45 feet underground in a farm field a half-mile from the river, and dug it out over four and a half months. The Hawleys have owned and run the museum ever since and are usually on site. **⚠ The museum will close its City Market location on 13 November 2026 and has not secured a new home — Leavenworth and St.

Description

The Arabia Steamboat Museum at 400 Grand Boulevard, beside the City Market, displays the recovered cargo of a steamboat that sank in 1856 — and it is a privately owned family business rather than a public institution, which is why it sits in the Registry.12

The collection’s significance is not local. Because the Arabia went down fully loaded and was then sealed under mud and silt for more than 130 years, its cargo survived in a condition almost nothing else from the period has: preserved foods, glassware, buttons, beads, clothing, tools and weaponry, described as the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world.1 Entire crates of china came out intact with the packing straw still yellow and dry.2 It is, in effect, a frontier general store’s stock taken out of 1856 unopened.

The Hawley family still owns and operates the museum and members are present most days, greeting visitors and answering questions.2 That is unusual for a museum of this importance and is part of what the place is.

Goods and services

  • Museum admission — display of the recovered Arabia cargo12
  • Preserved artifacts on display — foods, glassware, china, buttons, beads, clothing, tools, weaponry12
  • On-site conservation — the collection has required continuous preservation work since recovery “
  • Museum shop and group tours “ — customary for an operation of this kind but not confirmed against a source this pass

History

On 5 September 1856, just outside Kansas City, the steamboat Arabia struck a submerged snag and sank within minutes. All 150 passengers and crew got off safely. Two hundred tons of cargo went down with her and stayed lost for more than 130 years.1

The river moved. By the late twentieth century erosion and shifting sand had left the wreck 45 feet underground and half a mile from the present channel of the Missouri, under a farm field.12 In 1987 Bob Hawley — who ran an air-conditioning and furnace repair business — and his sons David and Greg used old maps and a metal detector to locate it.2

In the winter of 1988 they partnered with Jerry Mackey, owner of the Hi-Boy restaurants in Independence, and David Luttrell, from the construction industry, along with other family and friends, forming River Salvage Inc. With the landowner’s permission they dug from November 1988 to February 1989 — four and a half months.12

Their original intention was to sell what they found. The historical importance of the material became obvious quickly enough that they changed course and planned a museum instead.2 It has been owned and run by the Hawley family since.2

Closure and relocation

The museum announced in November 2025 that 2026 would be its last year in Kansas City.3 The City Market location will close on 13 November 2026, driven by an expiring lease, insufficient space to display the collection, and parking problems at the site.45

No new home has been secured. The museum’s own position is that “We hope to have a new home for the Arabia collection, but nothing is guaranteed—except for this final year.”5 Locations under consideration have included Leavenworth, Kansas — a Kansas state senator has said publicly he has been in conversations with the Hawleys for months — and St. Charles, Missouri, which the family has reportedly been weighing since 2022.5 Some coverage has raised the West Bottoms as a Kansas City possibility, but the museum’s own statements indicate no decision has been made.6

The practical consequence for the Registry is that the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world may leave Kansas City, and the decision is live as of this writing.

Sources

Footnotes

  1. The Arabia Steamboat Museum — official site, “Arabia’s Story” — asserts: “On September 5, 1856, just outside of Kansas City, the Arabia hit one of these snags and sank in a matter of minutes.”; the 150 passengers and crew evacuated safely and 200 tons of cargo was lost for over 130 years; in winter 1988 Bob Hawley, an A/C and furnace repair company owner, and his sons David and Greg located the wreck; the vessel lay “45 feet underground and a half-mile away from the present channel of the Missouri River”; they partnered with Jerry Mackey, a fast food chain operator, and David Luttrell, a construction business owner; the excavation lasted four and a half months and yielded “the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world,” including preserved foods, glassware, buttons, beads, clothing, tools and weaponry; address 400 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106; phone (816) 471-1856; email steamboatmuseum@gmail.com. Primary first-party source. (Fetched 2026-08-14.) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  2. Atlas Obscura — “Treasures of the Steamboat Arabia in Kansas City” — asserts: in the winter of 1988 Bob Hawley and his sons David and Greg learned of the Arabia’s story and found the boat’s location; they partnered with Jerry Mackey, owner of Hi-Boy restaurants in Independence, Missouri, and David Lutrell from the construction industry, forming River Salvage Inc.; with the landowner’s permission they dug between November 1988 and February 1989; in 1987 Bob Hawley and his two sons used old maps and a metal detector to find the ship; entire crates of china were perfectly preserved with the packing straw still yellow and dry; the original goal was to sell the discoveries but the historical importance became apparent and they planned a museum; “it is still owned and operated by the Hawley family, who are present there most days, often greeting visitors and answering questions.” Primary source for the ownership and family-presence facts. (Content accessed via search-surfaced summary — see method note.) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  3. KCTV5 — “Steamboat Arabia Museum announces 2026 will be its last in Kansas City,” 14 November 2025 — asserts: the museum announced in November 2025 that 2026 would be its final year in Kansas City. This is the announcement of record. ↩

  4. KSHB 41 — “Manager explains why Arabia Steamboat Museum will close its location in the City Market” — asserts: the museum will close its City Market location, with reasons given as parking problems and a lack of space to display the artifacts. ↩

  5. KCUR — Up To Date, “Kansas City’s Arabia Steamboat Museum will close in 2026. It’s looking for a new, bigger home,” 17 November 2025 — asserts: the museum will close on 13 November 2026; the lease expires in 2026; the museum’s statement “We hope to have a new home for the Arabia collection, but nothing is guaranteed—except for this final year”; nothing has been finalized on a future home; the Hawley family had been considering a move to St. Charles as far back as 2022; Leavenworth is a possible relocation option and Kansas Sen. Jeff Klemp (R-Leavenworth) has said he has been in conversations with the Hawleys for months about relocating the museum there. Primary source for the closure date and the relocation candidates. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. FOX4 Kansas City — “Steamboat Arabia plans to reopen after leaving River Market in KC” — asserts: the museum intends to reopen somewhere after leaving the River Market. Additional coverage has raised the West Bottoms as a possible Kansas City site, but no museum statement confirms a decision. Companion item: AOL/Kansas City Star — “Steamboat museum in KC eyes historic St. Charles relocation” — aol.com ↩

Categories

On the record — ks.city/registry/arabia-steamboat-museum · record updated 2026-08-14