Local Museum in Kansas City
Wornall/Majors House Museums
Mission Centered History in Kansas City
The mission of the Wornall/Majors House Museums is to: preserve, protect, and maintain the John Wornall and Alexander Majors historic houses and their collections in an intentional, inclusive, and ethical way, and to preserve them so that future generations can have a tangible connection to nineteenth century Kansas City and beyond; and interpret and present the houses, the lives of all those who lived and labored in them, and the many important events and controversies of the Civil War era, in an honest, inclusive, and accurate way through public programming that engages and informs diverse audiences about our shared past and its legacies.
Our Vision
The vision of the Wornall/Majors House Museums is to use the history of the houses to foster a greater and more accurate understanding of our shared past.
We seek to share the histories of the individuals who lived and worked in the houses in an accurate, ethical, and inclusive manner, always cognizant of the fact the properties were sites of enslavement in a state and region where the threat and use of violence under color of state law denied enslaved individuals their freedom.
We also acknowledge that the houses were built on land that is the ancestral home of the Osage, Otos, Kansa, and Missouria peoples.
Through the interpretation of the historical sites and the stories they tell, we wish to foster a greater understanding of our shared past and engage in a robust conversation about this history and its legacies. By doing so, we wish to work to facilitate reconciliation in our community, racially and regionally, and to provide opportunities to experience history without barriers.
2026 Board of Directors
Alice Ergovich
Chair
Clara Van Draska
Vice Chair
Eric Youngberg
Secretary
Cady Seabaugh
McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.
Treasurer
Sean Cordes
Cordes Accounting Services
Joanne Fuchs
Arena Govier
Ashley Hall
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
Nigel Jones
Day Kerr
Diane Marty
Rockhurst High School
Laura McCormick Grobler
Diane Mutti-Burke
University of Missouri Kansas City
Chris Smart
Compass Realty Group
Meet Our Staff
Executive Director & Curator
Sarah Bader-King
Executive Director & Curator
Executive Director & Curator
Contact: sbaderking@wornallmajors.org
Pronouns: She/Her
Sarah Bader-King joined the Museums in November 2014, bringing a diverse background in non-profit management, education, and journalism to her role. Prior to her role as Executive Director, Sarah served as Director of Programs at the museums for nine years. Sarah is passionate about making history relatable and relevant through trendsetting programming, such as the Victorians Uncovered history happy hour series and Civil War and Go West! Field Days. She has also curated Museum exhibits such as Lives in Fabric: Textiles of the Wornall/Majors House Museums and A Lifetime of Change: The Wornall Family Beyond the Civil War and has a particular interest in researching untold stories of enslavement on the Missouri/Kansas border.
Sarah has focused on serving diverse audiences by providing multiple points of entry to the Museums at all learning levels. One success has been the introduction of a self-guided tour at the Majors House, which allows visitors to explore the historic landmark at their own pace. Since 2015, public tour admission at the Majors House rose 149%.
As a student at William Jewell College, Sarah gained a true appreciation and love for the Kansas City area and its history. She holds a BA in Communications. Previous positions include Project and Media Manager at the International Relations Council, Program Assistant at the Truman Scholarship Foundation, EFL Instructor in Sacheon, South Korea, and reporter for the Great Bend Tribune.
Director of Programming
Sarah Goebel
Director of Programming
Director of Programming
sgoebel@wornallmajors.org
Pronouns: She/Her
A graduate of the University of Kansas’ Museum Studies Master’s Program, Sarah Goebel has a passion for communities in museums. Working with volunteers and visitors at the John Wornall House is a career dream. She hopes to create positive experiences for the people of Kansas City to engage with their history. In the past, she has interned at the Kansas Museum of History and curated an exhibit for the Max Kade Center at KU.
Director of Community Engagement
Jackie Berry
Director of Community Engagement
Director of Community Engagement
Contact: jberry@wornallmajors.org
Pronouns: She/Her
In her time at Swarthmore College, Jackie studied museums extensively, particularly how diverse audiences relate to and participate in museums. She looks forward to engaging with visitors to make their experiences valuable and educational.
Jackie is excited to join the Wornall/Majors team. She is passionate about their mission to share and deepen the unique history of Kansas City and the Wornall and Majors Houses.
Wornall House Weekend Manager
Emma Kitteringham
Wornall House Weekend Manager
Wornall House Weekend Manager
Pronouns: She/Her
Emma Kitteringham graduated from Creighton University with a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy and a minor in classic and near Eastern civilizations in 2022. Her personal mission is to cultivate an appreciation of local history within the Kansas City community by tackling historically overlooked themes and questions, such as slavery, racism, sexism, and women/gender studies. As weekend manager, Emma strives to cultivate an inclusive and welcoming environment for museum staff, visitors, and renters. Through her role as the collections intern, Emma aims to expand the Wornall/Majors’ reach through creative, detailed, and approachable collections management.
Wornall House Weekend Manager
Sy Cartwright
Wornall House Weekend Manager
Sy Cartwright studied English at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and gained an appreciation for bringing forgotten local histories back to light through archival research. She is passionate about connecting people with history in an engaging and inclusive way.
Sy enjoys meeting new and returning museum visitors and hearing the unique insights they share about the area’s history. It’s a privilege to research, write about, and educate others on the lives of Kansas City’s early residents, especially when it comes to understanding the influence their legacies still have today.
Public Speaker and Docent
Tom Owens
Public Speaker and Docent
Public Speaker and Docent
Tom likes telling a good story and the Wornall/Majors House Museums offer him plenty of material. Tom grew up in Kansas City and graduated from the University of Kansas after coursework at Regis College in Denver and the Universidad de Valencia, Spain. Assignments in the Peace Corps in El Salvador and teaching positions in Japan, Spain and Donnelly College in KCK led him to a full career with local non-profit Children International. Along the way, Tom toured the John Wornall House with his young children and thought it would be a good place to return to.
Tom enjoys sharing with visitors and groups the compelling stories of these historic houses, the people who lived there and how they shaped our world.
Chief Snuggle Officer
Annie Chambers
Chief Snuggle Officer
Chief Snuggle Officer/ Resident Attention Seeker
Annie was named after the infamous Kansas City madam Annie Chambers. Originally a feral cat, Annie was deemed happier by her rescuers as a “cat with a job,” and Wornall/Majors adopted her to keep the Wornall Carriage House pest-free. However, she has quickly become accustomed to the good life and spends most of her time begging for pets and treats.
