Smoked, baked, and sauced: World’s first Museum of BBQ opens April 12

Jonathan Bender is the founder of the Museum of BBQ, opening April 12 at Crown Center. // Photo by Beth Lipoff

Like a home-cooked meal, the Museum of BBQ is a tasty labor of love from founder Jonathan Bender. Located on the second floor of Crown Center, the 4,300 square-foot museum opens April 12.

What Bender craves more than a dinner of smoky burnt ends is the chance to interact with people and share stories of the cuisine’s past and present from all over the country.

“I like the idea of kind of being your barbecue best friend,” Bender says.

It’s a concept that’s been marinating a long time. Bender had his first meeting with Crown Center representatives in March 2020. With all the pandemic delays, Bender thought the museum might never actually come to be.

Bender’s business partner, Alex Pope, has put together a collection of sauces and rubs from creators all over the country to be sold at the museum’s gift shop. // Photo by Beth Lipoff

And it goes way beyond looking at the favorites of Kansas City’s barbecue scene. 

“I really felt like from both the regional and local and national audience there were so many stories of barbecue that were unexplored both historically and culturally, and then from a food perspective,” Bender said.

That meant diving into barbecue from many different angles. For those who like a hands-on experience, there’s a pig puzzle that lets you put together where your favorite cuts come from on the animal. (Hint: The ham’s at the other end.)

Another display has stacks of different woods used for smoking meat, from hickory to cherry. One wall has spots for you to sniff the different spices you might find in a dry rub. And for the more agile visitors, there’s a plastic baked bean ball pit where you can literally dive right in.

A wall of different woods gives visitors a look at one of the elements that gives barbecued meat its flavor. // Photo by Beth Lipoff

“I want you to understand what happens to the meat as you’re cooking it, why smoke is so important, but I also want you to enjoy it and take a moment to play while you’re learning,” Bender says. 

A big part of the historical content is sharing stories of those who made barbecue what it is today. Much of the research came from digital archives, but Bender also brought in his own experiences from previous visits to many barbecue hubs.

“To me, the most engaging aspects of barbecue are often the people involved. Pitmasters and butchers can be really colorful humans, filled with great stories, and I love the idea of introducing people who aren’t familiar with barbecue to them,” Bender says.

Bender used his background as a longtime local food writer to shape the exhibits, but he also had help from business partner Alex Pope, who co-owns Local Pig and Pigwich.

“I don’t just want this to be empty calories. I want it to be fulfilling, and that’s a large part of my background is that I get great joy in teaching other people and having education be a part of it,” Bender says.

After the introduction to the basics of barbecue comes the tour of the different regions and their styles. The exhibits look not just at Kansas City’s tomato and molasses barbecue, but also Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, and more.

“You start in the Carolinas, and you learn about the difference between North Carolina barbecue on the eastern side, where they use a vinegar-based sauce, and then on the western side, Lexington style is a mix of tomato and vinegar,” Bender says. “And then there’s also the mustard belt, which is that mustard-based sauce that runs down the central part of South Carolina.”

All the information panels are on four- by eight-foot framed panels that can be updated or switched out in the future. Bender isn’t sure how often exhibits will change but hopes to keep things fresh. 

Right now, you can privately book a variety of events such as personal museum tours and sauce tastings, but Bender hopes to add some to the museum’s public calendar later in the year. 

In addition to Visit KC, the museum has the financial backing of several industry players including Prairie Fresh, Bush’s, Southern Pride, and the National Barbecue and Grilling Association.

And if all that makes you hungry, the museum’s gift shop carries a multitude of snacks, and the closest barbecue joint, Burnt End BBQ, is just one floor down. Pope has found a variety of sauces and rubs from all the different places mentioned in the exhibits that are also for sale in the gift shop. 

The museum’s grand opening is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 12, with giveaways all day. Timed tickets are available for $10 plus tax online.