Museums in Wichita: All Your Options (A Local’s Guide)

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museums wichita ks

The people of Wichita are kind of weird. And I mean that in the best way! Wichita’s citizens are full of varied interests and passions, so you know our museums have to be just as funky and fun.

Whether you’re into toy trains, sports, history, art, or even cowboys, there’s a museum that’ll suit your interests in Wichita. Did I mention pizza? No? Well, we have a museum for that too!

We’ve got planes, trains, and fire trucks here in Doo-Dah City, so suit up and head to the nearest museum!

Note: we also have an article specifically about the best art museums in Wichita, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Otherwise, read on for our wild collection of museums of all types!

Map of Museums in Wichita, Kansas

Wichita Art Museum

The WAM features a vast array of styles and mediums within their four walls. Glass-blowers to printmakers to painters to bronzeworkers are sure to find something to appreciate at the museum.

They also host concerts, book sales, lectures, and screenings to keep the community engaged and inspired. I’ve sat and sketched in the WAM countless times, so believe me when I say it’s worth a visit. You can read more about it here.

Ulrich Museum of Art

The Ulrich Museum of Art focuses on modern and contemporary artists from all around the world, though they usually put locals first.

Located on the WSU campus, the Ulrich may be small, but it’s still chock-full of engaging and memorable art. Plus, their sculpture garden spreads out across 330 acres! Inspiring art on a beautiful campus? Count me in!

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Allen House

One of the many joys of visiting College Hill, this prairie-style home was designed for former Kansas governor, Henry Allen, and his wife.

While taking a private or group tour, you’ll learn all about Wright’s architectural style and the history of this house. Plus, it’s cool as heck and gives me major home-envy. And you can stop at College Hill Deli on your way out for some fine Mediterranean dining.

Old Cowtown Museum

I once got locked inside of Cowtown (barbed wire fences can really hurt, y’all), but that’s a story for another time.

Visiting Cowtown is like stepping into another era. Here, you can churn butter, see shoot-offs in the street, or swing through saloon-style doors to grab a soda from the bar. Clearly, it’s family-friendly fun that’ll teach you a thing or two. Or, at the very least, you’ll get an arm workout from churning all that butter!

Pro-tip: bring some sunscreen, as you’ll be outside for most of your visit.

Mid-America All-Indian Museum

The Wichita Tribe has been living in the Plains for over 1,200 years, so it only makes sense that much of our art is from those Indigenous cultures.

The Mid-America All-Indian Museum features works from famous artists like Blackbear Bosin, who designed the Keeper of the Plains. However, the Mid-America All-Indian Museum is not just a museum. In fact, I went to a powwow hosted there a few years back and ate lots of fry bread. Truly amazing.

On top of hosting powwows, they organize other events and classes, as well as cultivate a garden that shows what life was like back then. You can even learn to loom here!

The Original Pizza Hut Museum

Located next to the Marcus Welcome Center off 21st Street, the Original Pizza Hut Museum is in the original building! Yes, right smack dab in Wichita, Kansas, you can explore and see the birthplace of American chain pizza.

There are docents waiting inside for you, ready to answer any and all questions you may have. Although admission is free, be warned: there isn’t any pizza for sale on-site.

Exploration Place

Exploration Place is one of the shining jewels of Wichita. You can learn about evolution, planes, trains, bees, rivers, tornadoes, space, water quality, and just about everything else here. With a giant movie theater, an interactive castle, a tornado simulator, and an indoor beehive, Exploration Place truly has it all.

In the spirit of honesty, I once came here as a full-grown adult just for fun and still had an amazing time. Who said this museum was just for kids?

Museum of World Treasures

They have a collection of dinosaur bones! Enough said, right? This museum almost feels a little bit like “National Treasure” come to life. I always felt like I was on an adventure when I was there as a kid.

The Museum of World Treasures has a varied collection: fossils, rocks, multiple exhibits on recent wars, a piece of the Berlin wall, and more. It’s definitely something all ages can enjoy!

Kansas Aviation Museum

Now, as the Air Capital of the World, Wichita is home to several big aviation companies: Boeing, Spirit, or Cessna, anyone? So, of course, we’d have a museum about it! Located in the former terminal of the Wichita Municipal Airport, the Kansas Aviation Museum presents Wichita’s history of aviation in stunning detail.

Plus, they have multiple planes on display! Seeing a B-52 up close and personal is oddly moving. Even if you hate planes, I promise this museum is worth a visit for its historical significance alone!

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum

This is the closest building we have to a castle in Wichita, and I will love it as long as it stays standing. This museum is located in the original City Hall building built in 1890 and covers life in Wichita from way back when to the present.

I was shocked by how much history they managed to pack into one incredibly beautiful building. Vintage drugstore? Check. Local art? Check. Recreated Victorian-style house? Check.

Great Plains Transportation Museum

The Great Plains Transportation Museum may only be open on the weekends, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a visit! Here, you can see some vintage Santa Fe locomotives as well as several other pieces of historical railroad equipment.

They’re dedicated to preserving history, and let’s be honest, that choo-choo is pretty iconic in and of itself. Plus, it’s right next to Third Place Brewing, so you can grab a beer at a local Wichita brewery afterward!

Wichita Toy Train Museum

I’m telling you—Wichitans love their trains. There’s even a smaller model train set in Exploration Place!

Although they’re only open on Saturdays, the Wichita Toy Train Museum is still a must-visit! Especially if you’ve ever played with toy trains, set up a train set, or even just looked at a train. Watching people explain their passions and fascinations is one of life’s little joys, and that’s what the Wichita Toy Train Museum is all about!

Kansas Firefighters Museum

Now, this came as a surprise to me: Wichita has Kansas’s largest collection of firefighting memorabilia. Yet another randomly awesome museum that we are home to!

So, what will you see at the Kansas Firefighters Museum? Gadgets, photos, well-preserved artifacts, uniforms, and, last but not least, two fully restored fire engines! Like, 1930’s fire engines—throwing it way back in time!

This one is fun for the whole family, so why not plan a visit for next Saturday?

The Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM)

Currently located in the historic Calvary Baptist Church, TKAAM is dedicated to shedding light on and preserving Black history and, more specifically, the efforts of Black Kansans.

With moving exhibitions and knowledgeable staff, TKAAM has been educating Wichita for over 25 years. TKAAM is currently fundraising to move to a much larger space in downtown Wichita, which you can read more about on their website.

You will 100% walk out of TKAAM with new knowledge and a fresh perspective on Wichita’s history. And that’s a blessing!

Mark Arts

Closed on Mondays and Sundays, Mark Arts is the self-defined “artists’ hub” of Wichita. With a gorgeous gallery, outdoor space, stages, and a Plein air studio, they are dedicated to art and its many forms. Plus, they offer classes for all ages. Whether you’re interested in dance or the culinary arts, there’s a good chance you can learn more about it there.

Psst – you can read a more in-depth review in our Best Art Museums in Wichita article.

  • Address: 1307 N Rock Rd, Wichita, KS, 67206
  • Website: Mark Arts

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

Now, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is located in the Wichita Boathouse. I have a lot of questions about why a boathouse is in Wichita, a landlocked city in a landlocked state of all places, but I’ll save those for later.

This museum has two floors of portraits of all the inductees as well as an exhibit space to celebrate our local sports heroes. Go Jayhawks! Or Shockers! Or Wildcats! Whatever you want.