The Global Meaningful Travel Map

Visit Joplin MO

Visit Joplin MO

Explore a historic visitor center featuring unique murals, Route 66 history, and community events, making it a vibrant destination for tourists.

About
Housed in a historic 100-year-old former Newman's luxury department store, the Visitor Center serves as a gateway to the Route 66 Tristate Corridor and other regional destinations. Visitors can explore community events through our online calendar and pick up free postcards as a keepsake.

The Newman Building is also home to the last signed mural by Thomas Hart Benton, Joplin at the Turn of the Century: 1896–1906, along with Evolution of a Mural, an exhibit detailing its creation. Additional murals include Route 66 - Joplin, Missouri by Benton’s grandson, Anthony Benton Gude, and Heartstrings of America, a tribute created by volunteers in the aftermath of the 2011 Joplin tornado. Group tours are welcome.

The Joplin Convention & Visitors Bureau is dedicated to positioning the Joplin region as a premier travel destination. By supporting the area's tourism industry, we strive to create a lasting economic impact for our partners while ensuring an exceptional visitor experience.

Impact
In 2024, Visit Joplin generated over $1.7 million in tourism revenue for the city of Joplin and its surrounding communities. The Visitor Center welcomed guests from 42 countries and 49 states, reflecting Joplin’s growing appeal as a travel destination.

Visit Joplin also provides grant funding to events and organizations for marketing efforts beyond a 70-mile radius of the city, with most of this support benefiting nonprofit arts and humanities groups. Additionally, Visit Joplin helps fund destination development initiatives to enhance the quality of life for local residents.

Our office also serves as a repository of Route 66 history in Joplin, preserving and sharing the city’s rich heritage with visitors and the community.

For more information, please contact Kerstin Landwer at klandwer@joplinmo.org.