Thousands of shiny disks moving in the wind cover an entire wall of this area. It's a demonstration of how wind works and is absolutely fascinating. A propeller sits high on a scaffold and provides the wind to move the disks, and you…Read More

Thousands of shiny disks moving in the wind cover an entire wall of this area. It's a demonstration of how wind works and is absolutely fascinating. A propeller sits high on a scaffold and provides the wind to move the disks, and you can turn the crank which powers the propeller.

There are flight simulators for you to test your hand as a pilot, as well as many, many other adventures to explore.

Ever see a cyclone inside a building, or dig for fossils in a museum? These are two of the activities available in this area. You can see grasslands, giant cockroaches, snakes, how streams flow, and a dozen other things. There is actually a huge…Read More

Ever see a cyclone inside a building, or dig for fossils in a museum? These are two of the activities available in this area. You can see grasslands, giant cockroaches, snakes, how streams flow, and a dozen other things.

There is actually a huge chunk of shale in the center of the room constructed into a pit where kids and adults alike can try their hand at fossil hunting. This is something everyone should try.

Take a few minutes to get off your feet and sit in front of a live weather studio. Tiered benches are available here to facilitate explorers.

When we stepped into this 1/2 circle shaped room it was night time. The stars were out and a miniature world of Kansas was displayed before our eyes as it would appear at night. Slowly, as if the sun were coming up, the…Read More

When we stepped into this 1/2 circle shaped room it was night time. The stars were out and a miniature world of Kansas was displayed before our eyes as it would appear at night. Slowly, as if the sun were coming up, the light gradually increased and we could see what a wonder of miniatures there was to see.

This display kept us fascinated for quite some time. There was so much to look at -- a carnival with rides that spun and whirred; a backyard with a child swinging on a swing; two railroad lines complete with trains; a town; rural areas; landmarks, and much, much more. It all appeared so realistic.

As we moved around the display, time cycled between day and night. Quite a fascination.

Here one can test out all kinds of things, from discovering bacteria to checking your blood pressure. There were machines and gadgets, test tubes and microscopes all around -- and people, lots of people. There were some things in this area that would…Read More

Here one can test out all kinds of things, from discovering bacteria to checking your blood pressure. There were machines and gadgets, test tubes and microscopes all around -- and people, lots of people. There were some things in this area that would be of interest to kids, but mostly it is an area where adults were having fun exploring. I think any adult with an ounce of curiosity could spend an entire day just in this one area of Exploration Place.Close

This place is a parent's and a kid's dream. My kids are grown now, but it sure would have been great to have encountered a museum of this sort when my kids were small. Children can basically be turned loose to touch whatever…Read More

This place is a parent's and a kid's dream. My kids are grown now, but it sure would have been great to have encountered a museum of this sort when my kids were small. Children can basically be turned loose to touch whatever they want, move things around, see how things work -- just the kind of things parents seem to spend all their time telling their kids not to do in a typical museum.

A toy store for kids is right off the Kids Explore area. We didn't linger here, but it looked as if there were some great things to be had at this store.

For a quarter each we took a wonderful 20 minute tour of the Old River District and downtown Wichita. The tram leaves the Old Cowtown parking lot about every 20 minutes, so it's really convenient to hop on after finishing your tour of Old…Read More

For a quarter each we took a wonderful 20 minute tour of the Old River District and downtown Wichita. The tram leaves the Old Cowtown parking lot about every 20 minutes, so it's really convenient to hop on after finishing your tour of Old Cowtown.

We really enjoyed the ride as it allowed us to discover some of the many other things to do and see in Wichita, and as a result we've planned to get back to Wichita in the near future to catch all the sights we didn't have time to see that day. One of the first places we discovered was Botanica, just a few blocks from Old Cowtown. Another fascination you can find in Wichita is sidewalk art in the downtown area. These are bronze statues set into the sidewalk. On one corner was a bronze fox -- what a neat way to dress up a city. The tram drove past several parks and then through the Old Market District and past Exploration Place, where we saw the magnificent statue of the Wichita Indian, before making it's way back to our point of departure. If you are unfamiliar with Wichita and where things are located, this is a great way to discover places you are sure to want to go.

We wanted to explore Eldorado Lake while we were in the vicinity of Wichita. Quick access to the lake can be found directly off the Kansas Turnpike. We arrived in the area via US 77 and just before getting on the turnpike that…Read More

We wanted to explore Eldorado Lake while we were in the vicinity of Wichita. Quick access to the lake can be found directly off the Kansas Turnpike. We arrived in the area via US 77 and just before getting on the turnpike that would take us to Wichita, we took about an hour to survey a small portion of Eldorado Lake.

Visiting in January, we found the lake frozen over. It sparkled in the sunshine and we hadn't stood beside it very long before we became aware of the strange sounds emanating from this wide lake. Sounding at times like whale calls, at others like a Geiger counter, and almost continuously like a creaking door, we were mesmerized into just remaining silent and registering the sounds we heard. For me, these sounds are something I can now always call up when I need to experience a few peaceful moments. There was such beauty in the natural music of the frozen lake. I really believe that everyone should spend a winter afternoon at a frozen lake just to know and experience the natural wonder.Close

On my few visits to Wichita I've noticed that somewhere along the line the city planners must have decided to give Wichita a unique cultural appearance. Along downtown city streets are what appear to be bronze sculptures that add class to the city.…Read More

On my few visits to Wichita I've noticed that somewhere along the line the city planners must have decided to give Wichita a unique cultural appearance. Along downtown city streets are what appear to be bronze sculptures that add class to the city. Also, certain corners and bridges have artistic displays that are very pleasing to the eyes. Outside the Century II Center, in a courtyard type space we found a very interesting sculpture of a court jester. These pieces of outdoor art add a sense of wonder to the city. You just never know where you'll find one.Close

Generally when we encounter hawks they are very wary of human beings and keep their distance. For some reason, during out visit to Eldorado Lake the hawks flew low and didn't seem much bothered by our presence. As a matter of fact, a…Read More

Generally when we encounter hawks they are very wary of human beings and keep their distance. For some reason, during out visit to Eldorado Lake the hawks flew low and didn't seem much bothered by our presence. As a matter of fact, a few were even resting in the tall prairie grass. Our dog, who almost always accompanies us on trips, startled one as he ran free through the grass. I expected the hawk to take off and soar at a good distance overhead, but it hovered near the ground just out of reach of our dog until we moved on.

For the most part, these hawks stand about 2 feet tall, with a wingspan of about 4 feet. They are beautiful, magnificent birds and it's always a privilege to see them.

There were so many stores and business establishments that we didn't manage to get into all of them. What we did see was great. The General Merchandise Store was stocked with period merchandise and the store keeper, a woman in period dress, was very knowledgeable…Read More

There were so many stores and business establishments that we didn't manage to get into all of them. What we did see was great.

The General Merchandise Store was stocked with period merchandise and the store keeper, a woman in period dress, was very knowledgeable about 1860 era general stores. Not only were there shelves stocked with 1860 era merchandise, but there were also products for sale, such as authentic lye soap, that were made at Cowtown. Quite an interesting store with much to look at.

The Arkansas Valley Bank was also quite interesting. On one of the counters was a display of currency used during the period.

In the Marshall's Office, one of Wichita's laws was quite obvious. It was unlawful to carry a concealed weapon in the town and all guns were supposed to be checked into the Marshall's office. Sure enough, on the wall was a rack for guns and each gun slot was numbered to identify the owner. Also in the Marshall's office was a marvelous, freestanding cast iron stove.

One or the more interesting things on display were the handbills posted on walls all over town. It was fun to stop and read the advertisements from merchants tooting their wares.