Wandering across western Kansas, I happened upon this incredible piece of machinery. Operated from…read more1963-1974, this is still the largest electric shovel in the world with a 90 cubic yard bucket. Pictures don't do the size of this any justice. They even let you climb inside, wander through, and sit in the operator's chair. There is a nice little museum with lots of great information. I had no idea there was (and still is) a very large coal field running under the middle of the country. A great piece of history, well preserved and worth a detour if you are in the area.

I knew this thing was going to be big but it wasn't until I spotted it soaring over the treeline…read morethat I understood. Oh, and it's a little below grade. Big brutus is a Bucyrus-Erie model 1850B electric shovel. Yes, electric. Massive powerlines would be fed into this monster so that it could clear "overburden" and make it possible for other, smaller devices to mine the coal. At 160 feet high and weighing 11 million pounds, the draw makes 15,000 horsepower and could lift 150 tons of coal. It is therefore the largest existing electric shovel on the planet. Open for climbing (the boom is since closed because of insurance limitations), you can go inside the operator's cabin, walk around the interior body and take selfies in the massive shovel or next to one of the huge crawler tracks. Look out over the lake in front of it - Big Brutus cleared all of that in its heyday before it finally shut down due to environmental concerns. The attached museum has other mementoes telling the story of local mining and there is a movie that shows the machine in action. [Review 19773 overall - 40 in Kansas - 745 of 2023.]

We LOVE little museums like this! Lots of great mineral displays. Really nice. Upstairs are some…read moremodels of mining history - what my daughter and I were completely enthralled with were vintage panoramic group photos of the miners. Literally could have spent hours here, though for the record we are super nerds. Then, there's another wing of the museum that is all about Joplin history. But as a bonus this also includes the National Cookie Cutter Museum! Who knew? Loved it here. Staff was super friendly and helpful. I think admission was $5, a great bargain!

What a fun little pit stop we made here! This museum isn't just about Minerals and Rocks. We did…read moreenjoy that part and even learned several new things. However it also has a cookie cutter museum inside which is adorable! Bonus you get to take a cookie cutter home for free! So many fun things to look at and it's only $5. You could stay for hours! Highly recommend!

Absolutely no pets. Have two small yorkies and a stroller. Got there and was only car in lot but…read moretwo which i assume work there. Was shocked to see no pets sign. My dogs are better behaved than most kids or adults. Oh well, their loss. Btw, been to many of these local type museums and this is first time we were not welcome

I am in agreement with other reviewers. Rich history, so much variety and lots of fun facts. Great…read moreway to learn about the local area and inhabitants, and also connect with other parts of the country with shared history . Young, old, and in-between can find displays to enjoy. Staff were friendly, helpful, and welcoming.

So, perhaps I'm a bit biased because we have the coolest Kid Museum at my home in Washington State…read more(Everett, to be precise), but my family found the Museum to be kind of meh. But, the front desk lady was dellightful and extremely personable. The thing that really stood out in epic-ocity was the bee exhibit. My granddaughter absolutely loved it. Everything else was kinda lackluster. However, honorable mention definitely goes to the Bed of Nails exhibit. It was a true bed of nails, with a pillow provided for comfort!! In conclusion, if you happen to be in Springfield, MO, give this place a visit. Otherwise, don't bother making a special trip, you could be disappointed.

Such a neat place. Every interaction with staff was positive! Yes some attractions could be updated…read moreor use some work, but overall this place is amazing. So many things for all ages.

Always a fantastic place in Joplin to visit. Always something new to see or someone new to meet…read more I'm always greeted very kindly with the staff and volunteers. The whole facility is very clean and up-to-date. And the classes they offer are always changing and offering a pretty good variety for everyone.

Great place to see a variety of art and is always having new exhibits. They also have art classes…read morefor any age. My kids love Creation Station every Tuesday!

Worth stopping in, not a whole lot on display. A few old swords, some bullets, a couple rifles and…read morea uniform that's about it. They tell quite a bit about the battle that broke out there, and the guy we talked to working the front is very knowledgeable. It's not a very big place; you might be able to spend 30 minutes in there if you read everything and watched the movie... But it's free, and a free history lesson is always worth a look "IMO."

Excellent history lesson. I loved the visuals and the historian dude at the front desk was great…read more Picked up some souvenirs and learned a lot. Great job.

My friend and I were visiting the Neosho area this past weekend and took the time to drive out to…read morethe George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, MO. We are SO glad that we did! It is an amazing place, and we had a magical experience. I thought I knew about George Washington Carver, but there was so much that I learned during our time at the National Monument. Special thanks to the park rangers who were on duty during our visit: Matthew, who greeted us as we entered and answered our many questions about what to see and do (and gave excellent directions and recommendations!); Emily, a devoted entomologist who gave us a deep appreciation for jumping spiders (including one we encountered later in our visit!); and Katie, who led us in the activity in the laboratory (thank you for your infinite patience with all of us as we worked with the materials!). We took the walking trail out to the pond on the property and were enchanted by the stone markers with quotes from Carver placed strategically along the path. He was quite the sage, with so many wise observations of his time and fellow humans. The walking path winds through beautiful woods, and there are bridges crossing the two branches of the stream that flows through the area. There are also interpretive plaques placed along the path with vignettes from Carver's boyhood (these are echoed in the Visitor Center). The path is largely accessible, but there are areas around the pond that are dirt trails through the brush, so those with limited mobility may wish to talk with the National Park Rangers on-site for their recommendations. The Visitor Center is open and welcoming, with the main exhibits on the first floor; laboratory, young people's exploration areas, and the schoolroom replica on the second floor; and further exhibits on the lower level. We participated in an activity in the laboratory making peanut milk, and (even though we were probably the oldest people in the room) it was really fun! There is a picnic area adjacent to the parking lot, shaded by trees and surrounded by open grass. We saw several families enjoying a picnic lunch as the kids romped through the open areas. By the time we'd hiked the walking trail, browsed the exhibits in the Visitor Center, participated in the laboratory activity, and shared a picnic lunch, we were surprised to discover that we'd spent almost three hours at the monument. It was such an enchanting place that we honestly didn't notice the time passing! If a visitor is pressed for time, the area could be toured in about an hour and a half, but we recommend setting aside the time to experience everything the National Monument has to offer. It is exceptionally well-designed, and we left with a deep appreciation of George Washington Carver as a scientist, educator, and humanitarian. Many, many thanks to the National Park Service for providing such a lovely place to visit, at no cost, and for the wonderful park rangers who made it such a great experience!

Very interesting national park site! I didn't know that much about George Washington Carver going…read morein and feel like I learned a lot, well done. Great layout and easy to hit all the exhibits. There's a lovely 3/4 trail as well but due to the weather we weren't able to complete that. The ranger was super nice!! Lots of interactive activities for kids, too. It's free to get in, with a small gift shop, Well worth a stop if you're in the area.

If you happen to be in the area, this is a great stop to see a pocket of the past…read more The museum is donation only, and their funding is based on the number of annual visitors - so stop in! There are a number of intriguing items, foremost is the two headed calf. There's also a room full of old cars, wagons, typewriters, and a jail cell from an old jail. They also have fashions and mailboxes from the past. It's a time capsule of sorts. The descriptions are thorough so if you're a history buff you could likely spend a couple hours wandering though the rooms. It also has a schoolhouse and old-time store outside, but those parts aren't air conditioned so they might not be as welcome of a respite in the Kansas summers. We had a couple of toddlers with us so the full museum was approximately 45 minutes. They enjoyed it, but were sad they couldn't climb in all the vehicles.

This museum is well worth a stop when you are in the Pittsburg, KS area. For those interested in…read moreAmerican and/or Kansas history, I think it would be a nice stop on a longer trip when visiting (relatively nearby) Fort Scott, too. The museum was closed for a couple of years but has reopened as of my 2017 writing. It seems clean and relatively up to date considering this period of closure. The volunteers were very nice and forthcoming with a lot of extra information, which we appreciated. The two outdoor buildings (schoolhouse and general store) were especially of interest, as were the vehicles and fire truck in the cavernous back room of the museum. There were a few surprising and/or especially interesting items here that I've not seen in other museums. While the labels are not particularly fancy, they convey pertinent info.

Kansas 01-2024 Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prarie near Independence. I was so super…read moreexcited but Tony just didn't understand! He said it was a Girl Thing!! RIGHT LADIES??? I grew up reading her books over & over again & again! I hope I wasn't the only Ingalls Nerd !!! But, to me this was one of the highlights of my trip. It was closed for the season but just being there on the farm she grew up on, near the house PA Built, it was a little overwhelming but Tony didn't understand but it was just as amazing to me as the Grand Canyon. It was on my Bucket List and I'm so glad to have been able to walk on her farm and touch her doorknob. Weird to some? But, many will understand!!! #bucketlisttriplisatony2024

A great stop for any Laura Ingalls Wilder fans. $5 admission fee for the self guided tour of the…read morereplica cabin, post office, and schoolhouse. Happy they are open for the 2025 season!

We were early getting into Chanute today so I searched for something to see. Not much in this…read morelittle town but did see a Museum so I decided to take the boys here. They were a little apprehensive to go but said that was fine. Free parking when we arrived and I guess on Saturday it's free to enter. The lady at the desk took us in to watch a short video. Although I wasn't sure I wanted to watch it, it really is a must see. You understand so much as you walk through the museum with that short 10 min video. It's really a must see if you are not familiar with what the museum is all about. The best part of this was my boys really enjoyed it. From the interactive musical instruments you are allowed to play with and the gong which they hit multiple times, they really had a good time.

Small museum with an amazing story of love and adventure!…read moreMartin and Osa Johnson's story from the small towns of Chanute & Independence, Kansas to Hollywood and New York on the big screens is one truly amazing adventure. But their adventures in remote locations of the world is just as incredible. If you've ever seen a Tarzan movie then you've seen wild animal and tribe footage of Martin and Osa's work. They're story is given , along with wonderful artifacts and personal items. Take your time in here and be sure to watch the long version film they offer. ALSO, don't miss making a visit to their gravesite (just ask for directions from the folks at the museum). A hidden story in a small town well worth making a drive to.