Fun Day Friday
Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure.
Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to visit a not so well known state of Kansas.
1.) I wanted to start this week off with sharing with you these two places since they both revolve around the beautiful animals of the animal kingdom.
The first is The Sedgwick County Zoo located in Wichita hours of operation are 8:30-5pm
2nd is Safari Zoological Park located in Caney both of these places have amazing animals for you to see.
2.) Strataca located in Hutchinson hours of operation are 9-5pm Travel 650 feet underground into an active salt mine! Experience a cool and soothing subterranean world formed by salt deposits in the Permian Sea long ago. See the raw mine as it was left more than 50 years ago on the Salt Mine Express train ride and catch a guided tour on a tram to the Dark Ride. You won't want to miss a special gallery filled with authentic movie costumes and memorabilia. And don't miss the SALT SAFARI add on tour. A one hour guided adventure tour that goes BEYOND STRATACA. See salt formations not available to the general public until now! Limited capacity -- only 12 visitors at a time depart 3-4 times a day.
3.) Boot Hill Museum located in Dodge City hours of operation are 9-5pm The exciting and unique story of early Dodge City is told daily along Front Street at Boot Hill Museum. The museum chronicles the establishment of a rough and rowdy cattle town known as Dodge City. The museum is located on the original site of Boot Hill Cemetery and highlights the glory days as Queen of the Cowtowns with creative, lively, interactive displays and activities the entire family will enjoy. Boot Hill Museum is open all year long where you can belly up to the bar for a cold sarsaparilla, enjoy some of grandma’s homemade fudge in the General Store or take home a lasting memento of your old west experience from the Boot Hill gift shop. During the summer months, children’s activities, gunfight reenactments, country-style dinners and the Long Branch Variety Show provide entertainment like none other! Cool off in the Beatty and Kelley Ice Cream Parlor before you become a character of the past in an Old West Photo.
4.) Cosmosphere located in Hutchinson hours of operation are 9-5 The Cosmosphere International SciEd Center & Space Museum is a Smithsonian affiliated museum in Hutchinson, KS. Its collection includes U.S. space artifacts second only to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts outside of Moscow. This unique collection allows the Cosmosphere to tell the story of the Space Race better than any museum in the world while offering fully immersive education experiences that meet the Next Generation Science Standards and introduce students to the power of wondering—asking the critical questions that lead to discovery. The Cosmosphere also features the Carey Digital Dome Theater offering documentary showings daily; experiencing the night sky in the Justice Planetarium; Dr. Goddard’s Lab, where visitors experience live science demonstrations daily; and featuring CosmoKids, an interactive play area for Young Explorers.
5.) Museum of World Treasures located in Wichita hours of operation are 10-5 Discover the treasures . . . around the world and through the ages. Where can you explore the crusty bones of long-lost creatures, marvel at Egyptian mummies, uncover the secrets of ancient civilizations, travel to the land of Conquistadors. and enter the battlefields of World Wars? The Museum of World Treasures, with more than 3,000 artifacts on three floors. Discover your inner explorer!
6.) Old Cowtown Museum located in Wichita hours of operation are 10-5 Be transported back in time at this unique, 23 acre open-air history museum that recreates Wichita and Sedgwick County, Kansas from 1865 to 1880. Museum staff dress in period costume and demonstrate everyday activities including gardening, tending livestock and cooking. Historic Wichita Cowtown Inc. works with the City of Wichita to further the Museum and its mission. Established in 1950, Cowtown's unique programming chronicles Wichita's transformation from a frontier settlement to a cattle town to an agricultural and manufacturing area. The Museum has the distinction of being accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition achievable by a museum. Accreditation recognizes high standards in individual museums and ensures they continue to uphold public trust. Only 3 percent of the nation's estimated 34,144 museums are accredited.
7.)The Evel Knievel Museum located in Topeka hours of operation are 10-4 The Evel Knievel Museum showcases an incredible collection of authentic artifacts that belonged to the most legendary, death-defying daredevil of all time! Experience Knievel’s life and journey to record-setting, super-stardom! The 2-story 13,000 sq ft Evel Knievel Museum features: • Evel’s motorcycles – the bikes that launched a legend • Knievel’s genuine leathers and helmets • “Big Red,” Knievel’s fully-restored Mack Truck • Evel’s personal and never-before-seen memorabilia INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS: • Virtual Reality 4-D Jump Experience • Broken Bones Interactive, including Evel’s actual X-rays • “Plan Your Jump” Interactive Challenge • Engine & Suspension Interactive • Snake River Experience Room featuring Knievel’s actual X-2 Sky Cycle
8.) Exploration Place located in Wichita hours of operation are 10-8 Delve into hundreds of interactive exhibits that stimulate the mind and teach about science, and that's only inside the main building. Outside there's a park where visitors can observe Kansas wildlife in a wetlands habitat and dig for archeological treasures inside a giant sandbox.
9.) Brown v Board of Educational National Historical Park located in Topeka The Monroe Elementary School, one of the segregated schools involved in the 1954 Supreme Court decision aimed at ending segregation in public schools, is now a National Historical Park commemorating this landmark ruling.
10.) Flint Hills Discovery Center located in Manhattan hours of operation are 10-5 The Flint Hills Discovery Center is a dynamic tribute to the last major stand of unbroken tallgrass prairie. This 35,000 square foot must-see attraction includes interactive exhibits highlighting the science, history and culture of the ecoregion from prehistory to present day. An immersive experience theater with panoramic photography and special effects shown on a 120-degree curved screen is the perfect starting point for an exploration of the magnificent Flint Hills of Kansas.
11.) Sternberg Museum of Natural History located in Hays hours of operation are 9-6 Part of the Fort Hays State University, the museum is dedicated to collecting and preserving plant and animal specimens pertaining to the Great Plains.
12.) Kansas Museum of History located in Topeka hours of operation are 9-5 The striking "White Buffalo" sculpture outside offers an inkling of the interesting exhibits inside this museum, including a steam locomotive, a Southern Cheyenne teepee, one of the largest collections of prairie memorabilia in the U.S. and a hands-on children's area. Admission is $10 for adults, and $5 for children aged 2-17. Admission includes admittance to the discovery place.
13.) Seelye Mansion Located in Abilene- This home was purchased in 1905 it's roughly 11000 square feet of history. It sits just as it did when it was bought minus a few upgrades. You can see the whole home and the staff is so knowledgeable and kind. Thomas Edison himself designed the electrical and lighting plans for the mansion. It Truly feels like you're taking a trip back in time. It is totally worth the trip to check it out.
14.) Rolling Hills Zoo located in Salina hours of operation are 9-5 If you are looking to satisfy your appetite for a wild adventure, Rolling Hills Zoo can provide two unique experiences you won’t soon forget. Settled among the Smoky Hills of central Kansas, this 65-acre zoological park, home to more than 110 species of animals, includes a world-class wildlife museum, all for one single admission price. At the zoo you can get face-to-face with a rare white camel, an Indian rhino or a curious orangutan. Maybe it is a towering giraffe you would like to encounter, a majestic lion, an ornery aardvark or any one of the many other species of wildlife at home at Rolling Hills Zoo. Throughout this beautifully landscaped park great care has been taken to provide the zoo’s animals with special and naturalistic environments. As visitors stroll through the zoo, they are invited to visit with the zookeepers. This dedicated crew is a huge reason why visiting Rolling Hills Zoo is such a unique experience. They are specially trained to enhance the quality of life for the animals, which in turn helps the animals thrive and be extra responsive to zoo visitors. The Rolling Hills Zoo zookeepers know the animals well and are happy to relate their own insights about their distinct personalities. During their visit, guests can enjoy a narrated tram ride through the zoo which stops at key locations in the park so guests can get off and explore on their own. Your journey through the 64,000 square foot museum takes you around the world while experiencing the delicate symmetry between humans, animals and nature in unique regions from the arctic to the rainforest. With one of the world’s premier collections of full mount animals, this wildlife museum proudly displays over 200 animal species in naturalistic dioramas covering seven ecosystems. Live waterfalls, diorama sound effects and state-of-the art animatic human robots bring each diorama to life. The museum also features the Helen L. Graves Hideaway Hollow children’s education and exploration center and the 2,000 square foot Earl Bane Gallery, an exhibit gallery for exciting interactive traveling exhibits. Rolling Hills Zoo hosts a number of unique special events throughout the year including Zoorific EGGstravaganza, Party for the Planet, Wild About Moms, the Father’s Day Care Show, Wet’n Wild, the Back To School Blast, Zoo Brew, Art Gone Wild and Pumpkin PaZoola.
15.) Fort Scott National Historic Site- First opened to protect travelers on the Oregon Trail and then later used as a base in the Civil War. Fort Scott was only active for a short time but was and has been used in other ways over the years. Each time I visit a historic site like this I feel like another piece of the American puzzle is put together. I never knew about the "dragoons" --an elite group of soldiers who fought on horseback and on foot. It's one of only two NPS sites that share the history of the Mexican American War. It's also the grounds where Bleeding Kansas took place. The bloodshed over slavery in Kansas was what ignited the Civil War
16.) Kansas Aviation Museum located in Wichita hours of operation are History of the Building A Treasure Trove of History, in a Historic Setting The importance of the Kansas Aviation Museum building to the glory days of Kansas aviation cannot be overstated. Its grand art-deco style appeals both to the aviation community and to anyone interested in historic preservation. The museum houses a world-class collection of historic, significant and one-of-a-kind aircraft and aircraft engines; a huge archive with thousands of records, schematics, books, photos and more; and a wide range of additional aviation memorabilia. It also is home to the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame – an impressive line-up of aviation heavyweights by any measure: state, national or worldwide. Fulfilling Our Potential Kansas Aviation MuseumApril 23, 2014 Building on this solid base, the museum is tackling its next challenge – to build an aircraft display facility to protect and display its priceless collection of preserved and meticulously restored aircraft, and to transform the interior of the historic terminal building into a center for aviation history, research and education to match its irreplaceable assets and to do justice to Wichita, the Air Capital of the World. Already, dozens of volunteers bring hundreds of years of aviation knowledge and expertise to the museum, painstakingly restoring aircraft or performing countless other tasks to keep the museum operating and improve the experience for visitors. But there’s always a need for more. The Journey Continues In addition, many individuals, organizations and governments have made generous donations to bring the museum to where it is today. Much more is needed, however, to complete the mission. Click here to become a member or to find out how you might contribute to the cause. Meanwhile, please come visit. You’ll be amazed and entertained, and you’ll leave with a much better understanding both of aviation and of Wichita’s vital role in aviation history
17.) Kansas Children's Discovery Center located in Topeka hours of operation are 9-8 The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center is a hands-on children’s museum with a mission to enhance the lives of children and enrich the communities it serves. Since opening in 2011 in Topeka, Kansas, the Discovery Center has become a special place where children can explore, create, discover and learn through play. The museum has hosted visitors from all 50 states and 23 countries. The Discovery Center features 15,000 square feet of indoor exhibits exploring science, careers, art, building and more, special space for babies and toddlers, and a 4.5-acre certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom. Daily programs, field trips, birthday parties and other special events provide additional opportunities for serious fun. Outreach programs bring quality, hands-on experiences into our community to inspire a lifelong love of learning for every child.
18.) Great Plains Nature Center located in Wichita hours of operation are 9-5A Kansas wildlife habitat in the city. Bird watching. Paved hiking trails. Discovery programs. Indoor wildlife observatory. Connecting people with nature. The Great Plains Nature Center is a cooperative partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, and the City of Wichita Parks and Recreation Department. Together with the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center (a 501(c)(3) organization), GPNC provides nature experiences to the community. Visit us to check out the Koch Habitat Hall exhibits with your grandchildren. Stop in for quiet reflection in the Bob Gress Wildlife Observatory. Or, pick up a Kansas critter memento in the Owl's Nest Gift Shop.
19.) Garden Of Eden located in Lucas- Samual Dinsmoor's idea of the Garden of Eden isn't what you would think you would see but it's definitely worth seeing.
He began building this place in 1907 at the age of 64. For 22 years he sculpted 113 tons of cement into an 11 room "log" cabin surrounded by biblical sculptures.
He's even laid to rest in a GLASS casket in the mausoleum on the property that you can see as well. He's pretty well preserved for dying in 1932.
Lucas Kansas is really a must see to believe town. They have an award winning toilet, and the world’s largest museum of the smallest versions of the world’s largest things
20.) The Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum located in Atchinson hours of operation are 10-3:30 The Amelia Earhart Birthplace is a historic building and museum that was the birthplace of aviator Amelia Earhart. It is located at 223 N. Terrace in Atchison, Kansas, United States. The house was built in 1861 in a Gothic Revival style & is on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. In 1897 Amelia Earhart was born in the home, which belonged to her maternal grandfather, Alfred Gideon Otis (1827–1912), a former judge, president of the Atchison Savings Bank & leading citizen in Atchison. The Earharts attended nearby Trinity Episcopal Church where Amelia was baptized. The birthplace was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 & is now a museum featuring memorabilia & artifacts about Amelia Earhart. The house served as a private residence until 1984 when a local citizen, Dr. Eugene J. Bribach, contributed $100,000 to the Ninety-Nines to acquire the property. The house was built in 1861 in a Gothic Revival style & is on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. In 1897 Amelia Earhart was born in the home, which belonged to her maternal grandfather, Alfred Gideon Otis (1827–1912), a former judge, president of the Atchison Savings Bank & leading citizen in Atchison. The Earharts attended nearby Trinity Episcopal Church where Amelia was baptized. The birthplace was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 & is now a museum featuring memorabilia & artifacts about Amelia Earhart. The house served as a private residence until 1984 when a local citizen, Dr. Eugene J. Bribach, contributed $100,000 to the Ninety-Nines to acquire the property.
21.) Fort Larned National Historic Site located in Larned is another fort that played a huge role in the Civil War Fort is amazingly preserved as it was in the 1860s because most buildings were constructed using local sandstone.
22.) Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site located in Olathe hours of operation are 10-4 Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm invites visitors of all ages to discover a working 1860s farm with oxen, horses, and other livestock-where your family can engage in some of the activities that were a part of daily life for the Mahaffie family and their neighbors. Begin your visit in the Heritage Center to visit exhibits and watch a 10 minute video. Activities, admission and events vary by day and by season.
23.) Dorothy's House/Land of Oz located in Liberal- Do you love the Wizard of Oz and want a more in depth look then you're not going to want to miss this stop. For about $12.50 a person you can take a guided tour to learn more. The house is set up as it would have been when the movie was made. You can walk to the Land of Oz building that has a yellow brick road walking you through the Wizard of Oz story. You even get your guided tour from Dorothy herself.
24.) C.W. Parker Carousel Museum located in Leavenworth hours of operation are 11-5 The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum is a wonderful stop for the ENTIRE family. With 4 antique carousels, and a hand-carved, wood, carousel from 1913 that ALL who come can ride, it is a memorable museum. You can take a Guided Tour, a Virtual Guided Tour (utilizing QR codes), or just ride the fast, fun carousel. All tours include a short video and a carousel ride. An adult guided tour is only $6.00. Carousel rides are $1.50 and get cheaper the more you purchase. There is also a quaint, little gift shop, with many carousel items and much, much more. Whether you are 1 or 101 years old, a ride on the carousel is something special.
25.) Big Brutus located in West Mineral- If you stop off in this little town you get the chance to stop and see the 16 story tall piece of mining equipment that was so huge that it had to be built on site. You can climb up 5 stories to the control room where you get to see how this beast was operated. There are other pieces of equipment for you to tour and a guided tour for you to learn about the history. You have to see it to believe it.
26.) Johnson County Museum located in Overland Park hours of operation are 9-4:30 Featuring award-winning long-term and changing exhibitions as well as a variety of educational programs, the Museum is a great place to spend the day learning about our country's history and having fun in our hands-on exhibit spaces.
27.) Mid-America All-Indian Center located in Wichita hours of operation are 10-4 The Mid-America All-Indian Center is the only facility of its kind in Kansas that is solely dedicated to educating people about and preserving the art and culture of American Indians. The Indian Center invites visitors to stroll through its many areas that include: A museum with exhibits of contemporary art and cultural artifacts that depict the American Indian nations of the past and present. Many of the exhibits have interactive aspects and hands on items for the kids. Seasonal outdoor learning center, which include a full-size tipi and native gardening area. Gift Shop selling American Indian-made items, music, movies, jewelry and Keeper of the Plains items. Large indoor area, known as the Gallery of Nations, contains nearly 100 flags of Indian nations. It is the area where special events and private rentals take place. The center not only showcases local tribes, but those throughout the United States and Canada. It is not affiliated with one particular tribe, so the Mid-America All-Indian Center is a place where American Indians and the general public can come to share their experiences, learn and interact with each other. There are 10,000 American Indians representing 73 tribes in the Wichita area.
28.) Oz Museum located in Wamego hours of operation are 10-5 So how did it all get started? Well, as Dorothy says, “there’s no place like home”. What words could be more appropriate when describing the dream of a small community that literally built a museum out of a rainbow's notion? It took the brains of a small group of leaders, the heart for what L. Frank Baum began in 1900 as a simple children's book, and the courage to take on the task of constructing a home for over 2,000 artifacts dating from 1900 to present day.
29.) Mid- American Air Museum located in Liberal hours of operation are 9-6 2023 Admission Charges $10 Adult $7 Senior Citizen $5 Children ages 6-18 Group Tours of 10 or more $5/person. They have a great collection of general aviation aircraft as well as some WWII military aircraft so this is a great little place to stop and enjoy some aviation history.
30.) Fick and Fossil & History Museum located in Oakley Oldest documented mosasaur skull in the world; 15 foot Xiphactinus Audax; over 10,000 shark teeth; thousands of fossils & unique fossil folk art; sod house; replica Union Pacific depot; creamery; general store; military memorabilia; hundreds of historical photos. Gift shop. See the Military Memorial Garden of Honor in the park behind the museum. Drive south 25 miles and see the Monument Rocks, a limestone formation designated one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas
31.) Where are all my Route 66 and lovers of the movie Cars. You will not want to miss the opportunity to see Mater up close and to visit all the fun things that you can experience while here in Galena
32.) Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum hours of operation are 9-5 History Museum with exhibits of Wheat/milling in central Kansas and immigration to the area by the Swedes. Also, an 1898 restored flour mill and 1904 World's Fair Swedish Pavilion. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Heritage Square village includes a one-room school house, depot, first courthouse and small telephone workshop.
33.) Dalton Defenders and Coffeyville History Museum hours of operation are 10-4 We’ve Got Something for Everyone The Dalton Defenders and Coffeyville History Museum is owned and operated by the non-profit Coffeyville Historical Society. The museum's main attraction is the Dalton Gang collection, however, it is also filled with displays and artifacts from Coffeyville and the surrounding area. On October 5, 1963, the Dalton Defenders Museum in Coffeyville was opened, dedicated to the memory of the Coffeyville citizens who gave their lives protecting their town. We’ve Got Something for Everyone The museum recently moved to a new and larger building at 814 Walnut- directly across the street from the bank that the Daltons attempted to rob in 1892. The museum now contains not only the Dalton history but rooms dedicated to the industrial past, Native Americans, military history, Walter Johnson and much more.
34.) Eagle Valley Raptor Center located in Cheney Eagle Valley Raptor Center is a non-profit organization that provides food, shelter and vet care for injured and orphaned Kansas Birds of Prey. The center also offers private guided group tours for schools, scouts, family, church and other appropriate organizations. Admission is $5.00 per person with a minimum of eight. A "Lovebirds" is offered for a behind the scenes tour for couples. A covered pavilion for picnics, snacks or cookouts is included in the tour. Restrooms and a large parking lot is onsight.
35.) Wichita Toy Train Museum TRAINS, TRAINS AND MORE TRAINS! The Wichita Toy Train Club and Museum, 130 S. Laura, Wichita, KS is open the second and fourth weekends each month. Saturday hours 10:00 - 5:00 and Sundays 1:00 - 5:00. View historical train layouts, interactive train layouts, children's train room, learn to run trains. Come run the trains for fun.
These are just a few of the many amazing things you can do in this state. There are tons of amazing parks, state parks and military forts as well as many other pieces of history that you can look at. I encourage you before you travel thru look into what will be available on your travels.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.
Written by: BeatifulChaos318
