Entertainment and Culture

This is a land where cultural treasures are as rich and varied as the soil, offering a tapestry of experiences that captivate and surprise.

A great deal of American history was written here, from the confluence of settlement and conflict on the frontier to the rise of agriculture and aviation. This legacy, nurtured by renowned research universities and intimate liberal arts colleges, has produced a wealth of attractions waiting to be explored.

Your journey might begin in Wichita, the state’s largest city, where art and nature thrive. The Wichita Art Museum stands as a nearly 90-year-old temple dedicated to American art, its collection of nearly 10,000 pieces rivaling the origins of even the famed Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City. Just a short distance away, the 18-acre oasis of Botanica showcases more than 4,000 species of plants, a living testament to the state’s natural beauty. For a step back in time, Old Cowtown Museum is a working recreation of 19th-century life on the Chisholm Trail. And as day turns to dusk, the city’s defining landmark, the 44-foot-tall Keeper of the Plains sculpture, stands sentinel at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers, anchoring the profound cultural narratives of the Mid-America All-Indian Center.

From the urban landscape, a drive north on K-177 Highway reveals the soul of the prairie. You’ll traverse the breathtaking vistas of the Flint Hills and the Konza Prairie, one of the last remaining stands of the native tallgrass that once covered the state. In the college town of Manhattan, the Flint Hills Discovery Center offers 35,000 square feet of immersive exhibits, grounding you in the science, history, and stunning geography of this unique ecosystem.

Kansas culture isn’t confined to the high-minded; it joyfully embraces the simply goofy. In south-central Kansas, the town of Pratt is famously marked by its ‘Hot-and-Cold’ water towers. A short drive west, Greensburg boasts the World’s Largest Hand-Dug Well. But for truly singular folk art, the west-central burg of Lucas is home to The Garden of Eden. Conceived over a century ago by the eccentric Samuel Dinsmoor, this unusual collection of concrete sculptures is as fascinating as it is bizarre.

History, of course, runs deep. Not far from the charming town of Lindsborg, Coronado Heights crowns a hill with the silhouette of a castle. Built in 1936, this elevated lookout is said to mark the spot where the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado abandoned his quest for the Seven Cities of Gold. You can walk in the footsteps of other pioneers in their preserved homes, now museums: the childhood home of aviation legend Amelia Earhart in Atchison, the residence of former Vice President Charles Curtis in Topeka  (bonus trivia question: What president did he serve under?), or the humble beginnings of carmaker Walter Chrysler in Ellis (added bonus question: What other Kansas burg claims Chrysler as a native son? Answer: Wamego).

For architectural grandeur, Topeka offers a stunning one-two punch. The Dillon House, a magnificent example of Italian Renaissance style built by a banker in 1911, sits directly across from the Kansas State Capitol. The Capitol itself is an attraction brimming with historical imagery and significance, its halls echoing the state’s dynamic past.

From museum showrooms to the vastness of the center stage prairie, Kansas reveals itself as a land of unique attractions. It is a place where art, history, music, and a touch of whimsy come together, offering an almost endless supply of discovery for those ready to look.