We were pleasantly surprised by this museum. If you're a big wizard of Oz fan you should…read moredefinitely stop for a visit. We stopped by on our way to Colorado. It was about 20 minutes from the highway. We walked around for 2 hours but we could've stayed there longer. We really enjoyed this place.

Fans of the Wizard of Oz, this is the museum for you. Filled with history, memorabilia, and facts…read moreabout the author, the original books, shows, the legendary movie and the ever growing expanding universe. A small venue in an even smaller town in Kansas, complete with a yellow brick road that leads to a cute little breakfast diner. The clerks in the gift shop were very friendly and helpful. Well worth the trip

This camp was only opened 10 years ago and it was very interesting. Who knew we had over 4,000 Nazi…read moreprisoners of war in north central Kansas. It was very well worth the visit in my opinioin.

As you travel through farmland, hidden among the crops there are remnants of a once very large POW…read morecamp. ...Very interesting part of our history hidden in the fields of Kansas. History is everywhere! From 1943 to 1945 during the second world war over 4,000 Germans were held in an internment camp here in Kansas where I am visiting. The stories of these men are pretty fascinating - so many of them were talented musicians, cooks, artists, etc. Many renounced Hitler (as they were forced into military service for a cause they didn't support). Those who supported Hitler were taken to a different location in Oklahoma. I enjoyed just speaking with the women leading the tour. We tried to analyze photos that have no captions. The time, energy, and dedication to preserve and communicate history is admirable. IHistory

Talk about a step back when life moved a little slower. They used to have a operating saw mill and…read moretractor pull, but those days are long gone unfortunately. Won't be long and all that knowledge will be gone as well. You walk your own pace. The school house was nice to walk in.

If you are looking for a well curated museum, with limited items well described... you may not…read moreenjoy this. BUT, if you are looking to see tons and tons of old stuff, from ag equipment to tools to household goods to telephone equipment to.. well, almost anything....DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE! Free admission, but we left a larger donation than they would probably have charged, because we VERY MUCH enjoyed our visit. Right of Rt 70, don't miss it.

Great attraction. First floor includes more traditional museum type exhibits and is geared to…read moreadults AND young people. There is a lot of history and information on the tall grass prairie. The 2nd floor includes a lot of interactive exhibits and displays and is geared primarily for kids. Not much for adults. The third level includes an outdoor terrace. The weather today was not conducive to enjoying the outdoor environment. Adults- allow 1-2 hours. Adults with kids - allow more.

There are so many educational displays in this discovery center. They really make it fun to learn…read moreabout tallgrass prairies. I thoroughly loved all of the displays, the view of Manhattan from the rooftop, and the educational and enjoyable immersive theater. Do not miss the 15 minute theater experience where they engage all of your senses to learn about the Flint Hills. It's worth visiting Manhattan just to explore this place.

If you're in the area, this museum is well-worth a visit. Very extensive history of the Salina…read morearea. I learned a lot.

Great museum right off the main downtown strip. It's free (request donations) which is always a…read moreplus. Lots of historical information with a replica of a cabin from the settlement days. I enjoyed the industrial section related to flour mills. There are old stone grinding wheels and sacks from the different manufacturers. The gift shop is full of made in Kansas items, soap, honey, candles, marbles (news to me that marbles are made in Kansas) BBQ sauce and lots of books about Kansas. If you find yourself in Salina, Kansas definitely check out this museum.

Beautiful house and grounds! I wish we'd had time to tour the inside!! The docent came out of the…read moremain office and shared much information about house and grounds history. She was very kind and knowledgeable!!

Constructed in 1905, the Seelye Mansion is a historic piece of Kansas that has some fascinating…read morehistory.. 11,000 Square feet of a century+ of history. The one fact that blew me away was that Thomas Edison himself designed the electrical and lighting plans for the mansion. We saw an Iron that screws into a light socket in order to heat it up. Fascinating. The original furniture was in immaculate condition and you could feel the history. Furniture and decor purchased from the 1905 World Fair in Chicago was intriguing to me. I couldn't imagine moving all that 100+ years ago. The Box Bowling alley in the basement was my favorite. It was in great condition and you get to roll a couple of balls down the lane. Fantastic. The guide was phenomenal and really knew his stuff on the history of the Seelye family. The facts kept you engaged and I really got a feel of how this mansion was way ahead of it's time in the early 1900s. This is a must visit if in the Abilene area. Safe Travels!

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to visit different museums but I am especially…read morefond of presidential libraries and museums. Since childhood I have been fascinated with the presidency. As of today, there are 13 presidential libraries in the country with number 14 slated to open very soon. It is a goal of mine to see all of them. What makes it even more fun is that they sell a passport in the giftshop which each library and museum will stamp on your visit. Once you get all the stamps, you will get a commemorative gift. The staff here was amazing. Everyone I encountered loved their job and was ready to give information about the grounds as well as about the president. On a recent trip to Kansas City, I decided to hit all the libraries and museums around the area. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum was my first stop and library number four for me. It is located in the small town of Abilene, Kansas which is President Eisenhower's hometown and his actual childhood home is on the property. The town itself gets alot of praise for being one of the best small towns to visit. The museum and library recently got awarded as the #1 presidential attraction. At first glance, one may think the visitor center is the museum. In reality, everything sits on 22 acres of beautifully landscaped land. There are multiple buildings to visit to get the full experience. The first building you walk in is the gift shop and also where you can purchase tickets in person. This is also where you watch an introductory film on President Eisenhower. I'd be lying if I said I remember what I learned growing up, so the film helped jog my memory and prepare for the museum. You can walk the grounds in any manner you find fit. I chose to start with the chapel. This is where President Eisenhower, their son Doud, and Mamie Eisenhower are buried. Next, I made my way to the library. Some libraries have many items from the president's time in office. This library was small, but had some pretty cool items. Next, I went to the museum. This gave a glimpse of his life from childhood, West Point, military service, presidency, and life after his presidency. This museum was actually more interactive than some of the more current presidential museums I have been too. They also have films throughout which also gives you a reprieve from walking. Currently, all the libraries are celebrating America's 250th birthday and each have special exhibits. This one had actual documents from the vaults of American history. Very cool. Before making my way to the gift shop to get my stamp and mandatory magnet souvenir, the last stop was President Eisenhower's actual childhood home on the property. They do tours, but it was closed on the day I went. It's a small, modest home built in 1898. That to me is amazing that they preserved this. I think my expectations were a little low coming in because it was a museum for an older president. I was wrong in assuming that because this was probably one of the better museums I have been to. I learned alot and spent way more time than I allotted myself because there was so much to see. I highly recommend coming here if you appreciate history like me.

If you are looking for a day-long adventure in the middle of nowhere in Kansas, this is your place!…read more There's plenty of free parking by the visitor center. Start in the visitor center / gift shop to buy tickets. Highly recommend the combo ticket (house tour & library) to save some money. The staff was super helpful in orienting us and making recommendations for how to spend the day. Try to arrive at 15 or 45 minutes after the hour because that's when the 24 minute video begins playing in the visitor center. The video was mostly just hype for Eisenhower and not super educational, but it's a good way to start the experience. The grounds includes the boyhood home, library, museum, place of meditation, and visitor center with gift shop. It's so convenient to have all of this history in one place! Make sure to take a picture with the Eisenhower statue in the middle of the lawn! When you buy your tickets, you are assigned a tour time. I recommend getting there earlier in the day because the tour times will fill up. The boyhood home is very small. You can only enter a few of the rooms, but you can look into all the rooms on the first floor. You cannot go upstairs. So the tour only takes about 20 mins, depending on questions. The tour guide told some good stories about Eisenhower's parents. Eisenhower, his wife Mamie, and one of their sons are buried in the place of meditation. There is only one small exhibit upstairs in the library. Currently it's about women voting for Ike. Don't budget much time for the library because it's quick to breeze through. The museum on the other hand is extensive, so budget several hours! There's a lot to look at and read. You can come and go if you need to take a break for a home tour or lunch. They currently also have a special exhibit on the Cold War. You could spend a whole day in there! There are picnic tables for resting and eating throughout the day. The gift shop has lots of gift options for browsing. Overall, this is a great historical place to spend the day! You will leave exhausted and full of information. Highly recommend checking out the World's Largest Belt Buckle on your way out of town!

This is a wonderful little museum dedicated to the racers from the Midwest and to the Belleville…read moreHigh Banks facility. Don McChesney is doing a wonderful job curating and keeping this history alive. There are some very nice cars, some are on loan some are owned by the museum. There are quite a few engines on display and many gifts for the Racing! fans. It's just sets off of Highway 81 in Belleville Kansas so it's easy to get to. There's room for motorhomes or trucks too. Please stop and visit the museum and make a little donation and purchase something from the gift shop!

This was a special surprise for me. I really enjoyed my visit. Everyone will enjoy this museum -…read moreespecially Motorcyle buffs

I've been to Daytona I ve been to the HD museum and would…read morehave bet money that I would find some bikes I had never seen in Marquette kansas Well I would have lost If you like old iron or just love racing and some vintage bikes you HAVE TO come see this hidden treasure But I will warn you if you visits Marquette you need to be careful because you will want to never leave An amazing place