Kansas Museum of History
Step into Kansas history at the newly updated Kansas Museum of History. The museum shares the stories of colorful characters and everyday Kansans through artifacts that show how people lived, worked, traveled, and built communities across the state. Visitors can stand beside an 1880 Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe steam locomotive, get a close look at a 1914 Longren biplane and discover artifacts throughout the newly updated galleries. Interactive exhibits offer more ways to explore, while the Museum Store and nearby nature trail add to the experience.
Discover the Stories of Kansas
The museum’s new galleries ask visitors to consider three questions: What is Kansas? What was Kansas? And why Kansas? The answers unfold through stories of conflict, connection, innovation and change, revealing how the land and its people have shaped the state.
Bleeding Kansas explores the turbulent territorial era, Kansas statehood and the role Kansans played in the Civil War. Making Kansas examines the state’s land, natural resources and industries, while Connecting Kansas centers on an 1880 Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe steam locomotive and the influence of the railroad. Changing Kansas introduces people who challenged expectations and worked to improve their communities.
More to See and Do
The experience begins in the museum’s updated lobby, where a 1946 Funk airplane made in Kansas is suspended overhead. It offers an unexpected look at the state’s aviation history before visitors enter the galleries. The experience continues outside on the museum grounds, which include picnic areas, a playground and a 2.5-mile nature trail through prairie and wooded areas.
Plan Your Visit
Hours
Tuesday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday: 1–5 p.m.
Closed Mondays and state holidays
Visit KansasHistory.gov for admission information.
Location
6425 SW 6th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66615
