My Trip Down the Rabbit HOle

Like many artsy people living in the Northland (aka the Kansas City Suburbs just north of the Missouri River), I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Kansas City’s newest attraction, The Rabbit HOle. Billed as an immersive children’s book museum that would be wholly unique, I absorbed every news article, attended every open house, and anxiously awaited those three little words– “We are open!”

As the opening day was pushed back again and again, however, I started to think of The Rabbit HOle like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Shrouded in mystery, there was obvious activity there as my theater and opera friends bemoaned the fact there were far fewer set designers in town as they were engaged by the Rabbit HOle. 

It was obvious that the founders Pete Cowdin and Debbie Pettid were making something great. They were, after all, the creative minds behind The Reading Reptile, a children’s bookstore considered one of the best in the country. Plus, their advisory board was impressive, including well-known authors Lemony Snicket, Jon Scieszka, and Jon Muth, to name a few.

Finally, the opening day was announced and I bought tickets for myself and my husband the first chance I got. I would’ve bought tickets for my dog as well if they’d let me.

Opening Day

Like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, the Rabbit HOle feels like it’s an island all its own. Located in a warehouse district near a major highway, it’s not where you might expect a children’s museum. Indeed, other than the neon bunnies on the roof visible by the highway, you might think your GPS has played a trick on you. As we parked, however, we saw volunteers and some signage indicating that we had arrived.

As we walked towards the entrance we had used previously, we were told we had to go around the building. If there was one thing I would’ve changed about the experience, it would’ve been having ANY indication that the entrance was the entrance. It was a nondescript wooden door with zero signage. Maybe this is intentional and adds to the mystique, but we nearly turned back to the helpful volunteer to make sure we were in the right place.

Once we gathered our courage and opened the door, however, it was clear we were, in fact, in an immersive museum.

My husband and I checked in and were given orange wristbands, an indication that we were “unattended adults.” After a speedy check-in with Debbie Petid observing the proceedings, we were off!

The experience is highly curated while giving attendees the ability to explore. This is most obvious at the entrance where you travel down into a literal rabbit hole. My husband kept me at the entrance as he satisfied his completionist nature by exploring each nook and cranny. My favorite part? Random phrases carved into the cave-like rabbit warren.

After a few minutes we arrived at a set of stairs that, once ascended, transported us into a gorgeous picture book world. At first, it was a little overwhelming. As you can imagine, children’s books are so unique and disparate that there are different color palettes everywhere.

I think this is one of the magical parts of the Rabbit HOle. They’ve created little picture book worlds and, best of all, have multiple copies of the original books close at hand along with BENCHES. There are reading nooks of every shape and size throughout, along with kid-sized explorations nooks.

As an adult and children’s book author, I was both surprised and delighted at how many books I recognized and how many were wholly new to me.

For example, I was unfamiliar with Tawny Scrawny Lion, but the display was one of my favorites. It was clear that the fabricators had taken special care on each display to not only pay homage to the book, but create a gorgeous display. The artistry really showed, with some displays literally taking my breath away.

The Shel Silverstein display was a particular favorite for both my husband and I. We both remembered reading his poems, but we spent several happy minutes perusing "Where the Sidewalk Ends", finding that we remembered and loved different poems.

It was especially fun when one of us would recognize a series the other didn’t and could talk about why we loved it as a child. It was a part of our lives we had never really explored. There were so many parents and grandparents doing the same thing with their kids that I wondered who was having more fun. I think it was the kids because they were allowed to interact with EVERYTHING. There were volunteers on hand, but I liked that they were not chastising or limiting interaction. Just now, I’m struck by the fact that, in spite of there being many, many kids in attendance, I didn’t hear a single meltdown or crying fit.

The museum is not done yet, but I suspected that would be the case. I didn’t consider it a negative; it just made me want to attend in the future.

As we exited through a monster maw and approached the bookstore, it was a little jarring coming back to reality. We stayed quite a while at the bookstore, exploring the many titles and talking about our experiences.

I felt a sense of pride as I left, the kind of hometown pride you feel when your local football team wins a championship or a celebrity talks about growing up in your town. Knowing how much time and effort goes into creating one children’s book, I definitely felt the love and care that had gone into the Rabbit HOle.

Although it may be a while before I come again, it is definitely a location I would recommend to families. It is also a place I will recommend to anyone visiting Kansas City. I believe that it will be a destination in years to come, and is the best kind of museum: a living, breathing entity that will become more beautiful as the years go by, evolving into a warm and welcoming destination for kids, families, and lovers of books.

In other words, GO!

Leia Barrett is a children’s book author and former nonprofit administrator. Sign up to learn more about Leia's upcoming book, The Odd Dog, which will be available on Kickstarter Spring 2024.