Cool little roadside America stop. Inexpensive and quick education on what it was like to live in…read morethe late 1800s. Loved the the show and the museum!

Kansas 01-2024 Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prarie near Independence. I was so super…read moreexcited but Tony just didn't understand! He said it was a Girl Thing!! RIGHT LADIES??? I grew up reading her books over & over again & again! I hope I wasn't the only Ingalls Nerd !!! But, to me this was one of the highlights of my trip. It was closed for the season but just being there on the farm she grew up on, near the house PA Built, it was a little overwhelming but Tony didn't understand but it was just as amazing to me as the Grand Canyon. It was on my Bucket List and I'm so glad to have been able to walk on her farm and touch her doorknob. Weird to some? But, many will understand!!! #bucketlisttriplisatony2024

GO! take the drive, do the day trip, GO! Beware: the medium is deceiving, it's massive and you want…read moreto see it all so give yourself ample time. The history they have here, the animals, the whole thing is just so cool To see.

I grew up coming here as a kid and thought it was so fun! Now that I'm an adult i underestimated…read morethe great amount of rich history this place provides. So much history and interesting information this place holds! This is Frank Phillips home who started up conoco Philips. Not only is his very charming log cabin open for viewing but you also have everything from an animal kid petting zoo to his airplanes and guns on display while giant bears etc are throughout the museum part as well. They put on a kids fest event every year in late June. They bring in vendors and put up inflatables , face painting, pony rides, foam parties , make your own necklaces etc. all of this is free and no extra fee just regular admission cost. Another thing they do is during the holidays they have a lights festival which appears to be just beautiful .

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.

We were early getting into Chanute today so I searched for something to see. Not much in this…read morelittle town but did see a Museum so I decided to take the boys here. They were a little apprehensive to go but said that was fine. Free parking when we arrived and I guess on Saturday it's free to enter. The lady at the desk took us in to watch a short video. Although I wasn't sure I wanted to watch it, it really is a must see. You understand so much as you walk through the museum with that short 10 min video. It's really a must see if you are not familiar with what the museum is all about. The best part of this was my boys really enjoyed it. From the interactive musical instruments you are allowed to play with and the gong which they hit multiple times, they really had a good time.

Small museum with an amazing story of love and adventure!…read moreMartin and Osa Johnson's story from the small towns of Chanute & Independence, Kansas to Hollywood and New York on the big screens is one truly amazing adventure. But their adventures in remote locations of the world is just as incredible. If you've ever seen a Tarzan movie then you've seen wild animal and tribe footage of Martin and Osa's work. They're story is given , along with wonderful artifacts and personal items. Take your time in here and be sure to watch the long version film they offer. ALSO, don't miss making a visit to their gravesite (just ask for directions from the folks at the museum). A hidden story in a small town well worth making a drive to.

I arrived at the door of the museum at the time posted on the website, only to find a note on the…read moredoor saying that a reservation must be made two weeks prior to visiting.

This is a great free museum downtown. There are several free museums in Bartlesville Oklahoma. This…read moreone was very educational an told the story of the Phillips's family an Phillips 66 petroleum an how the oil was discovered.not far away is a preserved oil well. The first one built.

Great little museum packed with things to see! This is one of those places you'll find something…read morenew each time you go. Friendly staff too!

Always eagered to visit Native American museums and this was a delight to visit. The artifacts on…read moredisplay goes back 400 years and explains the history of Osage county. A great historical museum of Native Americans.

This is a beautiful house. It has many of the original items in the house. It has been restored to…read morereplicate the way it was originally. You have to take the guided tour if you want to go inside, and no pictures are allowed on the inside. The tour takes about an hour. Unfortunately, our tour guide did not have a lot of information, and could not really answer questions. I do wish they gave you an information booklet to help guide you.

If you need to spend a very pleasant hour or so, this is your stop! The museum is detailed and…read moreexceptionally well done. But the house is the jewel! A lively, knowledge docent gave us an incredible tour. The house is immaculate and exactly as the Phillips family left it.

Wandering across western Kansas, I happened upon this incredible piece of machinery. Operated from…read more1963-1974, this is still the largest electric shovel in the world with a 90 cubic yard bucket. Pictures don't do the size of this any justice. They even let you climb inside, wander through, and sit in the operator's chair. There is a nice little museum with lots of great information. I had no idea there was (and still is) a very large coal field running under the middle of the country. A great piece of history, well preserved and worth a detour if you are in the area.

I knew this thing was going to be big but it wasn't until I spotted it soaring over the treeline…read morethat I understood. Oh, and it's a little below grade. Big brutus is a Bucyrus-Erie model 1850B electric shovel. Yes, electric. Massive powerlines would be fed into this monster so that it could clear "overburden" and make it possible for other, smaller devices to mine the coal. At 160 feet high and weighing 11 million pounds, the draw makes 15,000 horsepower and could lift 150 tons of coal. It is therefore the largest existing electric shovel on the planet. Open for climbing (the boom is since closed because of insurance limitations), you can go inside the operator's cabin, walk around the interior body and take selfies in the massive shovel or next to one of the huge crawler tracks. Look out over the lake in front of it - Big Brutus cleared all of that in its heyday before it finally shut down due to environmental concerns. The attached museum has other mementoes telling the story of local mining and there is a movie that shows the machine in action. [Review 19773 overall - 40 in Kansas - 745 of 2023.]

Small museum in an old chapel that's overflowing with fantastic artifacts and wonderful volunteer…read moreguides! The three ladies who guided me through the artifacts and pictures were descendants of those being honored in the museum! They were so knowledgeable and interesting I could have stayed hours just talking and asking questions. The first floor is the history of the Osage - migration, dress, the tribe through current times. I got to see Osage hand looming and beading being done by a volunteer and her students! The second floor has pictures of those affected as described in the book Killing of the Flower Moon. This is absolutely one of the highlights of my trip to Pawhuska, OK. Not to be missed!!!! Special thank you to Paula, one of the volunteer guides. She is just lovely! Free to tour - donations help to keep this gem available to all!

We enjoyed visiting this small museum! Very kind docents told us interesting info about the…read moreexhibits. It's one of the oldest Native American museums in the country. We also enjoyed viewing the room with all the photographs of the Osage tribe members registered on the roll book in 1906-1907, and talking to Katheryn an elder in the Osage community. What a treasure. Her niece is the one who painted the beautiful large oil painting about their origin story. The veterans memorial eagle feather sculpture outside is beautiful. We are so glad we stopped here!! Tip: when we went to buy admission tickets they said it's donation only so bring cash. :) Also, no inside photography allowed.

Absolutely no pets. Have two small yorkies and a stroller. Got there and was only car in lot but…read moretwo which i assume work there. Was shocked to see no pets sign. My dogs are better behaved than most kids or adults. Oh well, their loss. Btw, been to many of these local type museums and this is first time we were not welcome

I am in agreement with other reviewers. Rich history, so much variety and lots of fun facts. Great…read moreway to learn about the local area and inhabitants, and also connect with other parts of the country with shared history . Young, old, and in-between can find displays to enjoy. Staff were friendly, helpful, and welcoming.