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Santa Fe Trail Center

4.0 (3 reviews)

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1 year ago

This is a great little museum. Interesting collection, very inclusive experience describing the experiences along the Santa Fe trail

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9 years ago

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14 years ago

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Ellinwood Underground Tunnels - Underground bar

Ellinwood Underground Tunnels

4.8(4 reviews)
32.5 mi

I visited south central Kansas recently. If you asked me what I most remembered about my visit, I…read morewould say "ghosts" and "Ellinwood Underground Tunnels." If you're in Ellinwood or anywhere near this area, you need to take the tour. It's so interesting! There are tunnels under this small Kansas town, and the public (you) can experience them. The tour will lead you through a portion of the network of tunnels, and the tour guide will tell you all about the history. The tour starts at the Ellinwood Emporium, a charming little thrift/vintage store. You'll descend some stairs to the underground tunnels, where you'll learn about the activity that was happening in the tunnels in the late 1800s. The tunnels were a place to get a haircut and a shave, a place to bathe, a place to shop and relax. But also: Apparently, some stuff went down and now the tunnels also house spirits. There's one room that you'll see on the tour that the owner will not walk into, because there's a spirit in there that he doesn't want to mess with. Each room that you see on the tour is grim and creepy. The space in the Ellinwood Tunnels is heady, and is definitely housing some sort of bad energy, if you ask me. Head's up: This tour is not wheelchair- or stroller-friendly. You need to be able to climb down and up some steep stairs, and then navigate your way through tunnels, which have uneven ground.

It makes me sad that there aren't many reviews for these underground tunnels (outside of Yelp as…read morewell.) This was one of the most fascinating things we did while visiting this part of the country and I really wish that it was more of a destination. Listen, I understand. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere and the square footage is pretty low. However, Rick, the guide and owner (??) of the antique shop that sits above one portion of the tunnels is an incredible story teller and he has actual items that lived in and were used in the underground portion of this town. It's like a time capsule. I've been on other underground tours (like in Seattle) and even though they're more visited and more well known, they don't hold a candle to what Rick has. This isn't a kitschy, fake tour. This is about real and actual history, with real, appropriate artifacts and I loved it. The tour when you come back upstairs and head across the street to the hotel is a little bit different. The building, including the underground, was empty when they purchased it so all the items they have down there are found, bought or donated. But at least they are honest about it and don't make up fake stories for you. It's such a cool thing to do for such a minimal fee. I'd recommend this tour to anyone.

Photos
Ellinwood Underground Tunnels - In the underground

In the underground

Ellinwood Underground Tunnels - Supposedly, there's a spirit in this room

Supposedly, there's a spirit in this room

Ellinwood Underground Tunnels - Cash money on the bed

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Cash money on the bed

Sternberg Museum of Natural History - Exhibit

Sternberg Museum of Natural History

4.5(21 reviews)
49.2 mi

This is a gem of a museum. We typically travel through Hayes twice a year and have been wanting to…read morevisit the Sternberg Museum. So, we finally planned our itinerary so we would be in Hays when the museum was open and when we could allow time for a visit. We were not disappointed. The staff at the front desk were amazing, especially the gentleman who I learned later was actually a paleontologist. He was very eager to talk about the museum and what attracted us to it. The main exhibits are on the 2nd level with a large, walk-through diarama on the 3rd floor. The exhibits were great - especially the famous "fish-in-a-fish" fossil. If you have any interest in natural history, you need to visit the Sternberg Museum.

The Sternberg is more than a natural history museum, it's an all immersive experience…read more Its exhibits go into great detail to show what Kansas life was from a few hundred years ago to a few million years ago. Dinosaurs, fossils, fish and wildlife, local settlers and inhabitants. It's all here. One of my favorite exhibits features live reptiles from the local habitat (turtles, lizards, etc...) that are paired up with displays to show how they evolved to their present state. I also like the educational discovery rooms. These rooms are full of toys, books and games. There's even a whale's skull. Do you want to dig for fossils? There's a pit where you and your youngsters can dig until your heart is content. Please watch the museum's website. They post interactive educational activities that are fun for all ages. I visited for a couple of hours. I could have stayed longer. I highly recommend.

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Sternberg Museum of Natural History - Interactive photo display

Interactive photo display

Sternberg Museum of Natural History
Sternberg Museum of Natural History

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The Big Well - Bits of the past recovered from a landfill!

The Big Well

4.7(13 reviews)
41.3 mi

The Big Well Museum puts Greensburg, KS on the map. Not only does it feature the obvious, it also…read morechronicles the town's near-obliteration by a tornado and remarkable recovery since (with massive federal help). I wish there were a way to find out how the eco-friendly rebuild is actually working out. Is the solar power reliable? Did the money spent on extra insulation eventually pay for itself? There's no way to know; it's presented as a panacea. If I could change just one thing about the exhibits, it would be to introduce a 3 letter word: "sic". "Sic" would would show that the exhibit's creators knew about and were accurately reproducing the errors in quoted newspaper articles. "The supply of water found to inexhaustible." [sic] "There are about 4,000 gallons of water to the inch in the well" [sic]. (The well's diameter of 32 feet gives 500 gallons per inch, not 4,000.) Without "sic", most of the errors just look like typos.

This is a very interesting place for a couple of reasons. First, to walk down into the largest…read morehand dug well is pretty cool by itself and the museum, while small, has a lot of detailed information about this unique well. The impact of the well, and the water is a great read. But the well is only part of what is fascinating about this museum. For me, the tornado is the kicker. In May of 2007, the city of Greensburg was wiped almost completely out by a devastating EF5 tornado. Standing on the viewing deck of this museum and realizing that what we are seeing is a totally rebuilt community is just amazing to see. Within just a year, much of the town was rallied around and reconstructed. The history of the well, combined with the history of the town is a testament to our true American culture of ingenuity and resilience and shows in tangible form what great people can accomplish regardless of the challenges.

Photos
The Big Well - It's a long way down!

It's a long way down!

The Big Well
The Big Well - We all puzzled over this sign for quite a while before understanding the story.

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We all puzzled over this sign for quite a while before understanding the story.

Santa Fe Trail Center - museums - Updated May 2026

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