Bringing the Steamboat Arabia to Jefferson City
As you may know, the Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City is looking to relocate when its lease expires in 2026. This is an impressive collection of artifacts, with over 200 tons of items recovered from the sunken steamboat. An offer has been made to relocate the museum out of state, but I believe we cannot allow this to happen. Through a proposed bill, I believe we have an opportunity to establish a new museum that celebrates the treasures of the old, all while keeping these historic artifacts where they belong—in Missouri.
On Feb. 26, I presented Senate Bill 322 to the Senate’s Economic Development Committee. This legislation would add an additional dollar to the current $2 admission fee for entering a casino and allocate those new funds to the newly-created Steamboat Legacy Fund. These funds will be used to construct, maintain and operate a new museum right here in Jefferson City, celebrating the steamboat era.
This new museum will allow Missourians to learn more about their state and this important part of our state’s heritage. The steamboat era stretches from the 1820s into the 1870s, and this museum would provide Missourians with a glimpse into what life was like in the not-so-distant past. This project would be designed to grow and expand as more ships and artifacts are recovered and added to the museum. I believe that with enough support, this museum could easily become a national attraction and bring in people from all over the country and world.
While this museum could benefit the state as a whole, I believe this is an incredibly important opportunity for Jefferson City. Built along the Missouri River and located in the heart of our state, the Capitol City would be the perfect place for such a museum that commemorates the steamboat era. I am not the only one who thinks so, and I am glad to have the support of the Jefferson City mayor, the Area Chamber of Commerce and others.
Overall, I think this is a great opportunity to keep these priceless artifacts in Missouri and educate countless Missourians about the importance of the steamboat era to our great state. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Missouri Senate and other stakeholders to move SB 322 through the legislative process over the coming weeks.
Please feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.