hall of waters visitors center

The Hall of Waters in Excelsior Springs hearkens back to the time when people believed the mineral waters of places like Hot Springs, Arkansas and Excelsior Springs, Missouri could cure just about anything. When the government came out with their study revealing that "taking these waters" for health reasons was pretty much worthless the town literally collapsed on itself almost overnight. That the Elms Hotel is still around is a testament to many over the years who believed it was important to preserve this local landmark.

Architectural speaking, this is an interesting building. I was most intrigued with the light fixtures. If you happen to be in town, it's a fun fifteen minutes to check it out.

We went first mid morning on Friday to find that the center was closed to finish the floors. We came back later that afternoon but the center was not open as expected. Finally on Saturday, the visitor's center was open but the desk clerk was not friendly and we left soon after walking around the small exhibit.

If you are visiting or if you live in Excelsior Springs, Mo. and haven't been to this unique place, you should definitely go and see it....The Hall of Waters is simply put, a beautiful building and full of history......Don't miss it!

This is worth viewing but you don't need to plan for a lot of time. It is small and doesn't take long.

This time of year was decorated with beautiful Christmas trees from the businesses in town. Didn't tour the other spaces.

I used to come here years ago when my great grandparents lived in Excelsior Springs. In more recent years, it has deteriorated. This past summer when we visited, we found out that they no longer offer the famous water. There is potential here for someone to make this a real attraction. They could offer water for sale as they used to, especially now that The Elms is renovated and bringing more people to town. The architecture is beautiful and that in combination with the history (plus it's free and within walking distance of the hotel) make it worth visiting if you are in town. It's just sad that the water is no longer part of the attraction here at the Hall of Waters.

What an amazing building from the 1930's WPA program...and, worth a visit to recognize that we need to help this treasure. Being here for Missouri Preservation, this was a very important part of the trip. To see the baths and swimming pools that were visited by thousands of people for the healing qualities...well, somehow we need to get the message out to help this landmark. Beautiful art deco glass, amazing details of Indian painted murals/art, and just a wonderful water bar...please visit...please donate...let's help this building!

The hall of waters is a great place to visit to see Art Deco. The staff were friendly and the halls history is amazing.

This building exhibits the best of 1930's WPA architecture! They offered "waters" from the many springs and much of the history is documented along the walls within the building! Don't miss this if you are in the Kansas City area!!

Lots of neat building details. It's one of the places still in existence in Excelsior Springs that tells the history of when the town was famous for its many springs and people coming to visit the baths for their healing properties.

The Hall of Waters was a WPA project. Inside, you'll find the world's longest water bar, along with a fascinating history of the town, which in its hey day was a destination for many who came seeking the health benefits of the natural springs. Definitely worth a look if you're in Excelsior Springs,

This building is also City Hall and has an interesting history. It is an interesting building and worth stopping to see.

You can stop and read about the history of Excelsior Springs, and how the mineral water and spas attracted people from all over. It's quite interesting, but we were so disappointed to find out that the original pool, which was quite large, is in fact not operational or even open for viewing. If someone or the town would restore and open the pool back up, this would be a 5 star attraction and be quite a draw as well. For now, you'll have to be content to just read about it.

If you're in the downtown area, stop by and read some of the historical accounts of Excelsior Springs. It's very interesting to see how the town developed and gives you a unique perspective of how medical concerns were addressed in older times. You won't need more than 20-30 minutes and the facility is very clean and updated. If nothing else, a good place for a bathroom and water break. Not something to make a detour for however.