Had a nice morning getting my nerd on (visiting family in nearby Topeka) & learning about combat…read moreaviation. Who knew any of this stuff? I did find a plane with Boston roots (101st Tactical Fighter Squadron--The Irish Guard) from "Logan Field" c. 1962. It's scheduled to be repainted to its original markings, complete with shamrock. I also didn't realize Amelia Earhart was born in Kansas. And the irony of putting Rosie the Riveter on a kitchen apron (see the cute gift shop) isn't lost on me! A wonderful outing for history buffs all sorts! Go!

My aviation nerd boyfriend loves anything aviation so I knew we had to go here. There are huge…read morehangars and the one has planes in greater repair than the other. One hangar was like an airplane graveyard, but that was fun too because you could see how the plexiglass on the planes shattered and how the old planes were created with curved wood. They have planes like the ones Snoopy flew and giant helicopters. It don't know my plane and airplane names, but I read some of the information and I know some were used in WWI, WW11, Korea, Vietnam and etc. up until the present day. There was an upstairs level with some airplane art. I would say if you are not very mobile, you will struggle with this place because there is a lot to navigate and if you are not paying attention you could hit your head on any number of things. One of the employees told a mom not to let her kids run under the airplanes becuase they could bonk their heads. True that! One has to pay attention in this museum. My favorite part was walking into this helicopter that was built in 1965 and in service until 1988 and a gentleman who worked in this actual helicopter when it was in service was fixing it up as a volunteer. History right in front of my eyes! It's $7 to get in, a bargain!

I had such a great time visiting the Oz Museum. The entire space is extremely well designed and…read morethoughtfully organized, which made exploring the exhibits both fun and easy. Everything was impressively clean--from the galleries to the bathrooms--which really added to the overall experience. A special shoutout to the front desk staff, who were incredibly kind and welcoming from the moment I walked in. Their friendliness set the tone for a truly enjoyable visit. If you're in the area, the Oz Museum is absolutely worth the stop. A charming, well‑kept, and memorable 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 was an interesting look into the life of Robert "Evel" Knievel. It covers his childhood to his…read moredeath. Many of the displays contain original items like his drawing of Man O'War, letters from fans, and letters he wrote for business. Many of the exhibits contain video of him and his jumps, along with the motorcycles, leathers that he wore, etc. It took us about 1.5 hours to go through. The staff at the entrance and exit were friendly. I took off one star because they'll be moving to Las Vegas.

I will start by saying GET THERE WHILE IT'S STILL HERE. I want to thank the staff for a fantastic…read morevisit and we feel very lucky to see it in person as it will be permanently closing an moving to Vegas in November. We grew up with Evel in our lives and this place is just filled with so many cool memories....and so many things I didn't know about the life of a true daredevil....definitely a highlight of our cross country adventure.

Orginally opened in 1984, the museum was Closed for three years to Completely revamp the Entire…read moremuseum with exhibits designed by award winning Dimensional Innovations (The Amelia Earhart Museum and Atlas9 are two of their amazing designs), the Kansas Museum of History reopened in winter 2025 and it is amazing! The Why Kansas Gallery acts as the crossroads of the 5 other galleries(plus a special events space) with themes of What Is/Was Kansas, Bleeding Kansas, Connecting Kansas, Making Kansas and Changing Kansas. Sit in a traditional teepee, play engineer on a 1880 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe train (which now has several cars open to explore, several airplanes, and look down into a log cabin from a new elevated ramp... don't miss this! It is easy to miss! Lots of fascinating information on the fight for statehood and freedom, women's suffrage,, civil rights, industries and SO much more plus interactive exhibits(actually smelling the stockyards was a highlight..LOL). Such a rich history. Lots of imaginative play areas for kids inside and out, plus an authentic one room school house and restored Indian mission visible on the nature trail with a swinging bridge. They gave us a scavenger hunt at the front desk that takes you through the whole museum and if you finish it you earn a fun souvenir button or snall toy :) Even if history isn't your thing this museum is vibrant colorful fun and informative and is a true gem and a worthy day trip for any and all.

This was actually a disappointing stop. We're RVing around this part of the country learning about…read morethe area, history, etc. There was no mention of industry, agriculture, etc. I have no idea of what crops are grown in the area or what the area produces. No mention of Eisenhower (famous WW2 leader and the only President from Kansas). Lots of displays on racial prejudice, slavery, LGBTQ+/- etc. Really disappointed. This entire building taught me nothing about Kansas.

A historic house dating back to the pioneer era back when Kansas was a new state to the United…read moreStates. Although the museum portion was eye-pleasing and had artifacts relating to Kansas in the 19th century, the food was just alright and portions were small. The elk pot roast was underseasoned, but the rest of the meal was good. However, the person running the restaurant was knowledgeable about the history of Council Grove and the building itself which made up for less than ideal food.

Absolutely loved my stop here. The history is incredible. I had the soup with native bread hit the…read morespot on that rainy day

This is a fantastic place to bring the whole family--fun for all ages! For just $9 per person (kids…read moreand adults), you get access to a huge indoor play space filled with themed areas like a veterinary clinic, grocery store, mechanic garage, painting station, dinosaur zone, and more. There are also sensory stations that encourage imagination and creative exploration. A brand-new indoor water area is set to open on June 10th, which will be an exciting addition. The outdoor space is just as impressive, featuring nature trails, a sandbox, water play area, treehouse, bikes, and more. We especially appreciated the separate toddler-only zones that keep the littlest ones safe while they play. With so much to do, we easily spent around 3 hours exploring. You're welcome to pack a lunch and enjoy it at one of the indoor picnic tables or outside in the peaceful pollinator garden. Highly recommend for a fun, interactive, and affordable family outing!

We had the greatest time here with our Grandson. He is 17 months old and played for 2 1/2 hours…read moreand could have played longer but we needed to go eat lunch. There are many activities that entertain kids and I would say up to ten maybe. Some of the areas included were painting, grocery store, a car repair shop, restaurant, water feature, air flow type activities, small area for toddlers, outdoor activities, blocks, plus many more things. I like that adults have to be with children in order to enter. We decided to go ahead and get a year long membership. With the membership I could put my grandchildren on it and they can even go with their parents if we are not with them at no charge. There are also workers spread throughout the area who are so very kind and do a great job at keeping the place picked up and organized.

If you like seeing old military stuff (and I do) including Jeeps, trucks, half-tracks, tanks and…read moreaircraft, you'll enjoy the Museum of the Kansas National Guard. Indoors, they have some interesting displays of guns, knives, bayonets, uniforms and all kinds of other military gear. It's kind of a hodgepodge but lots of fun to wander through. The replica "Swamp" from M*A*S*H* was interesting too. You can't beat the price--it's free.

Stopped in to this place and I wasn't quite sure I could get in because the air force base,army…read morenational Guard and Topeka airport are all in one place. But access was easy, no check points (except the air force base). I loved this museum. So much history and artifacts. I am not knowledgeable on military things, so this place really educated me and has once again reminded me all that has been sacrificed for my freedom. If you haven't been to this place. .u gotta see it

Really cool to see somewhere so profound in our history. The sign was being repaired when we went,…read moreand the parking was a confusing but it was a beautiful day and worth the stop.

Ranger Lawson and Ranger Jeff welcomed me from the moment I stopped into this historic building…read more Ranger Lawson directed me towards the exhibits and made himself available if I needed. The exhibits were amazing. The videos and interactive media were all functioning. DYK there were actually five cases that were combined and argued in front of the Supreme Court in 1954, combined they were known as the historic Brown vs Topeka Board of Education that ended segregation of schools in the U.S. in 1954. The Hall of Courage is an interesting exhibit that shows videos of discrimination on both sides. It attempts to mimic the feeling that folks back in the 1950s and the Jim Crow South had to deal with. The building also has a recreation of a kindergarten in Topeka during the 1950. Where teachers believed that play was the highest form of learning. So children could let their minds run free and creativity develop their curious minds. The Legacy Room has plenty of exhibits. I particularly liked the Wall of Courage, that highlight post-Brown heroes, and the Protest in Music exhibit that had songs from Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, to Public Enemy. I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about the case and be on the grounds where the one of the cases originated. This location presents the information well, and visitors cannot help but feel proud about the event.

Very cool train museum! Opened originally in 1927, and recently restored to its original…read moreappearance. It is apparently available as an event venue as the large room can be set up with chairs and tables with a kitchen off to one side. Mini-train set that was very cool, full-size train driver system set up, many artifacts and exhibits showing the early history of Kansas and specifically the Union-Pacific Railroad. Interesting to see the marker for the Kansas River flood of 1951 that was above the height of my head! [Review 11418 overall, 1195 of 2019.]

So patriotic, love the flags! They caught my eye as I crossed the Kansas River and I had to see…read morewhat they were. The monument honoring the Medal of Valor recipients is beautiful!

We had the incredible opportunity to experience the Glore Psychiatric Museum in two completely…read moredifferent ways! First, we came at night for a paranormal investigation. Our museum host was absolutely wonderful--super nice and helpful. They gave our team a great introductory tour of the key areas and then handed over the reins, giving us the freedom to investigate independently for the rest of the night. The very next morning, we returned with a larger group for a regular daytime visit. The museum is fascinating! The exhibits are deeply interesting and do an excellent job covering the extensive history of the asylum and the evolution of mental health care. There is an entire second building that houses other great collections, including The Black Archives, which is easily accessible via a walkway on the 2nd floor. Highly recommend a visit whether you're a history buff or a paranormal investigator!

The Glore Psychiatric Museum is located 51miles NW of Kansas City in St. Joseph Missouri. It has…read morebeen called one of the fifty most unusual museums in the United States. The museum illustrates how the treatment of mental illness has progressed through time which was first located in a ward of the original "State Lunatic Asylum No. 2" Besides the artifacts of the instruments used for lobotomies, hydrotherapy and Bath of Surprise floors two and three have art work of the patients. Besides this museum St Jo was established in 1821 and became a principal channel of distribution for the building of the west also the Pony Express started here in 1860; visit Pony Express Museum which is a must see. The massive mansions reflect the prosperity of the 1880s. It's a fun day trip.