I am a sucker for old school encyclopedic museums, and this one is pretty iconic in this arena…read more It's eclectic, filled with oddities, and super fun for the whole family. Where else are you going to see dinosaurs, mummys, and a handwritten letter by Elizabeth I? I really enjoyed walking around, exploring, and I know my kiddo did as well. It's in an old building downtown and has loads of charm everywhere you look. 4/5 stars because I thought the kids play area was a bit of a letdown - it felt a bit dirty and neglected. There also isn't a cafe, which I think would be a fun addition if they ever plan on expanding or remodeling. The exhibits were wonderful though, and I thought for the price it was a great deal. Overall I'd for sure go back and if you're the kind of person that enjoys something off the beaten path, or has a love for old stories and a solid diorama, this is the place for you.

Second time there. First time was several years ago. I like the mixture of historic artifacts…read more The Greek and Roman sections were my favorites. I spent a lot of time reading the information posted. I spent over two hours there. There is a children's play area on the third floor if you want to bring your youngsters.

Beautiful house and grounds! I wish we'd had time to tour the inside!! The docent came out of the…read moremain office and shared much information about house and grounds history. She was very kind and knowledgeable!!

Constructed in 1905, the Seelye Mansion is a historic piece of Kansas that has some fascinating…read morehistory.. 11,000 Square feet of a century+ of history. The one fact that blew me away was that Thomas Edison himself designed the electrical and lighting plans for the mansion. We saw an Iron that screws into a light socket in order to heat it up. Fascinating. The original furniture was in immaculate condition and you could feel the history. Furniture and decor purchased from the 1905 World Fair in Chicago was intriguing to me. I couldn't imagine moving all that 100+ years ago. The Box Bowling alley in the basement was my favorite. It was in great condition and you get to roll a couple of balls down the lane. Fantastic. The guide was phenomenal and really knew his stuff on the history of the Seelye family. The facts kept you engaged and I really got a feel of how this mansion was way ahead of it's time in the early 1900s. This is a must visit if in the Abilene area. Safe Travels!

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to visit different museums but I am especially…read morefond of presidential libraries and museums. Since childhood I have been fascinated with the presidency. As of today, there are 13 presidential libraries in the country with number 14 slated to open very soon. It is a goal of mine to see all of them. What makes it even more fun is that they sell a passport in the giftshop which each library and museum will stamp on your visit. Once you get all the stamps, you will get a commemorative gift. The staff here was amazing. Everyone I encountered loved their job and was ready to give information about the grounds as well as about the president. On a recent trip to Kansas City, I decided to hit all the libraries and museums around the area. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum was my first stop and library number four for me. It is located in the small town of Abilene, Kansas which is President Eisenhower's hometown and his actual childhood home is on the property. The town itself gets alot of praise for being one of the best small towns to visit. The museum and library recently got awarded as the #1 presidential attraction. At first glance, one may think the visitor center is the museum. In reality, everything sits on 22 acres of beautifully landscaped land. There are multiple buildings to visit to get the full experience. The first building you walk in is the gift shop and also where you can purchase tickets in person. This is also where you watch an introductory film on President Eisenhower. I'd be lying if I said I remember what I learned growing up, so the film helped jog my memory and prepare for the museum. You can walk the grounds in any manner you find fit. I chose to start with the chapel. This is where President Eisenhower, their son Doud, and Mamie Eisenhower are buried. Next, I made my way to the library. Some libraries have many items from the president's time in office. This library was small, but had some pretty cool items. Next, I went to the museum. This gave a glimpse of his life from childhood, West Point, military service, presidency, and life after his presidency. This museum was actually more interactive than some of the more current presidential museums I have been too. They also have films throughout which also gives you a reprieve from walking. Currently, all the libraries are celebrating America's 250th birthday and each have special exhibits. This one had actual documents from the vaults of American history. Very cool. Before making my way to the gift shop to get my stamp and mandatory magnet souvenir, the last stop was President Eisenhower's actual childhood home on the property. They do tours, but it was closed on the day I went. It's a small, modest home built in 1898. That to me is amazing that they preserved this. I think my expectations were a little low coming in because it was a museum for an older president. I was wrong in assuming that because this was probably one of the better museums I have been to. I learned alot and spent way more time than I allotted myself because there was so much to see. I highly recommend coming here if you appreciate history like me.

If you are looking for a day-long adventure in the middle of nowhere in Kansas, this is your place!…read more There's plenty of free parking by the visitor center. Start in the visitor center / gift shop to buy tickets. Highly recommend the combo ticket (house tour & library) to save some money. The staff was super helpful in orienting us and making recommendations for how to spend the day. Try to arrive at 15 or 45 minutes after the hour because that's when the 24 minute video begins playing in the visitor center. The video was mostly just hype for Eisenhower and not super educational, but it's a good way to start the experience. The grounds includes the boyhood home, library, museum, place of meditation, and visitor center with gift shop. It's so convenient to have all of this history in one place! Make sure to take a picture with the Eisenhower statue in the middle of the lawn! When you buy your tickets, you are assigned a tour time. I recommend getting there earlier in the day because the tour times will fill up. The boyhood home is very small. You can only enter a few of the rooms, but you can look into all the rooms on the first floor. You cannot go upstairs. So the tour only takes about 20 mins, depending on questions. The tour guide told some good stories about Eisenhower's parents. Eisenhower, his wife Mamie, and one of their sons are buried in the place of meditation. There is only one small exhibit upstairs in the library. Currently it's about women voting for Ike. Don't budget much time for the library because it's quick to breeze through. The museum on the other hand is extensive, so budget several hours! There's a lot to look at and read. You can come and go if you need to take a break for a home tour or lunch. They currently also have a special exhibit on the Cold War. You could spend a whole day in there! There are picnic tables for resting and eating throughout the day. The gift shop has lots of gift options for browsing. Overall, this is a great historical place to spend the day! You will leave exhausted and full of information. Highly recommend checking out the World's Largest Belt Buckle on your way out of town!

A great place to visit while in Lindsborg! The artwork of Lester is very interesting and he has a…read morewide variety of mediums. In addition, the guide explains things very well and is knowledgeable. Would recommend coming here.

My family visited Lindsborg on the 30th and 31st of December. We stayed at the Swedish Country Inn,…read moreso we walked to the Red Barn Museum. It is a really, really neat building! It has an amazing history about it. The art throughout it is very impressive! Lester Raymer did almost every medium of art. My favorite "thing" about the museum though was the artist working in the back room, Shin-hee Chin. Shin is an amazing artist! She uses large thread on things like blankets, to create murals. It takes a lot of time and patience! She was very nice and spent a lot of time talking with us. Check out her website!

Excellent display of American History of the Air Combat of the US Armed Air Forces. Among the…read moreactual air craft on display there is a vast amount of original aircraft fine art paintings.

Amazing aircraft on display, staff and volunteers are awesome. F-14 Tomcat is my favorite.read more

Had a three day business meeting here and it worked great! Facilities are nice with good Wi-Fi and…read moreconvenient kitchen facilities.

Had such a wonderful experience staying here! The hosts have done such an amazing job with this…read moreplace with so many details making you feel like you are home. Don't miss out on this gem if you are staying in the area!

So glad I stopped here and highly recommend taking the tour. Lots of fun memorabilia and even a…read moresmall theater playing the movie inside the tour.

Our family had an amazing time at the Oz Museum! From the yellow brick road to the interactive…read moreexhibits, every corner was full of magic and fun. The kids loved the characters and we all enjoyed learning about Oz history. Friendly staff, great photo ops, and a gift shop full of whimsical treasures made it a perfect family outing. Great for any Oz fan or just someone that likes to see cool things

The Abilene and Snoky Valley Railroad is a tourist attraction in Abilene, Kansas. It is located…read morenext door to the Eisenhower homestead, library and museum. The train runs on tracks built in 1886 by the Rock Island Railroad. The railroad runs a variety of tours and helps show how the railroads helped Kansas to grow and expand. The steam engine is a piece of living history.

My husband and I booked this for our anniversary. Overall it was a disappointment. First the…read moredinner... we did the bbq night. Honestly I have bought better frozen bbq from Sam's Club. The pulled chicken was flavorless. The pulled pork and brisket were a little better but equally unremarkable, and we were offered no bbq sauce, which would have helped the taste. And the baked beans tasted like they came from a can. I don't eat coleslaw but my husband was unimpressed. The corn bread tasted more like cake, which is probably good because they served bread pudding, which I don't care for. As for the ride... it was ok... but all they did was take us through farm fields to Enterprise, which had little to offer. Most rides like this would at least offer some tourist information on the area over an intercom but we got none of that. The trip was overpriced and unremarkable. I would not recommend it.