We had a terrific time touring the museum!…read more I especially enjoyed the mill portion of this Lindsborg tour, and especially (as also appealed to fellow Yelper Sarah G.) the St. Louis World's Fair Swedish pavilion so carefully transported and displayed. Whoever said that a jaunt through a small Scandinavian-heavy town in rural Kansas could be so much fun? Must recommend to friends in both Kansas City and Wichita alike, plus anyone else who happens to be zig-zagging through the Midwest in search of something fun and informative all at once.

My family greatly enjoyed our visit. The exhibits are well done in the museum. Lots of artifacts…read moreand examples early town life. The story of Lindsborg is carefully documented and easy to follow. The mill is beautifully restored and looks as if it could operate today. My family experienced a wonderful afternoon exploring the buildings and the museum. Lots to see and experience!

Definitely the weirdest and quirkiest place I have been to in all my travels. Certainly very unique…read moreand I was not expecting to see The Main Dude in a state of decomposition in the backyard mausoleum. Yes, the embalmed body of the guy who built the Garden of Eden is on display in a glass-topped coffin. The entire place is bizarre and is built out of concrete. And the construction did not begin till the artist - an eccentric civil war vet with WILD political and religious ideas - was well into his 60s. The guided tour is nice and gives a good history about the place and the artist. Recommend visiting if you are in the Lucas/Wilson area. Weird. Delightfully weird.

My wife and I decided to take a different route home from Colorado to Texas and ended up cutting…read morethrough Kansas. On the way, we saw a sign for Garden of Eden as we travelled on I-70. We are so happy we took the time to go off the beaten path to see this place! Unfortunately, it had closed an hour or so prior by the time we arrived, so we could only read the signs outside and observe the exterior art. We really would have loved to see the inside. This is definitely a hidden gem and something out of the norm!

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.

Talk about a step back when life moved a little slower. They used to have a operating saw mill and…read moretractor pull, but those days are long gone unfortunately. Won't be long and all that knowledge will be gone as well. You walk your own pace. The school house was nice to walk in.

If you are looking for a well curated museum, with limited items well described... you may not…read moreenjoy this. BUT, if you are looking to see tons and tons of old stuff, from ag equipment to tools to household goods to telephone equipment to.. well, almost anything....DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE! Free admission, but we left a larger donation than they would probably have charged, because we VERY MUCH enjoyed our visit. Right of Rt 70, don't miss it.

05/2026 While driving through Hutchinson, Kansas, my wife…read moreand I stopped at Troy's BBQ for lunch. During our meal, the owner came by to check on us and asked what brought us to the area. We told him we were just passing through on our way home and asked if there was anything worth seeing nearby. He recommended the local space museum and Strataca, the underground salt mine. After finishing lunch, we decided to check out the salt mine since it was only a short drive away. When we arrived, the building looked more like a regular business office than a tourist attraction. Inside, there's a ticket counter where you purchase your tour tickets, along with displays and information about the mine. As luck would have it, we were the last two people admitted for the day's tours. After receiving our hard hats and a brief orientation, we headed to the elevator. It felt a little strange seeing an elevator in the middle of the building that takes visitors 650 feet underground. The ride down takes about a minute and a half in near darkness, adding to the anticipation. When the elevator doors opened, it felt like stepping into another world. Despite being hundreds of feet underground, it looked like a massive building with no windows. The size of the chambers carved entirely out of salt is incredible. The first part of the tour is self-guided and explains how the salt is mined, the machinery involved, and how dynamite is used to break apart the salt deposits for harvesting. After that, board a train that travels through parts of the mine, showing where mining operations began and explaining what life was like for the miners, including break and lunch area. Learn about the equipment used and more. Dark Ride tour, where a guide drives you through additional sections of the mine on a golf cart while sharing stories and information about its history and operation. The tunnels stretch for miles, and since mining still takes place today, it's fascinating to see how much of the mine remains active. They even host special events, dinner theaters, and private functions underground. This was one of the most unique attractions we've visited and far exceeded our expectations. An excellent tour from start to finish, and we would absolutely do it again.

Super fun place! This is 1 of 3 underground mines in the world that is available to tour. The other…read more2 are located in Europe. There's lots of salt mine history/ geology and now it's used to preserve different history/ artifacts. Overall my expectations weren't super high, but I'm so glad that I went and experienced this!!

An amazing collection of flown space artifacts! So glad that I visited…read more My only complaint is the lighting of some exhibits needs improvement.

Cosmosphere kind of makes me want to live in Hutchinson, so that I could send my children to their…read morespace summer camp! They have day camps and overnight camps that immerse kids in the space experience, and they're solving problems, landing on the Moon, building settlements, and doing all kinds of STEM stuff. But even if you don't live in the area, if you do have kids with you when you visit Cosmosphere, be sure to visit the CosmoKids area, where there's lots of things to see, touch and explore. This STEM-focused area just for kids makes all of this space info accessible to little people. It was pretty cool seeing the Apollo 13 command module, lunar module, rockets, and all of the displays that outline humankind's journeys into outer space. They have a significant collection of space artifacts here, so I highly recommend this museum to people who are interested in space. It's worth a visit!

If you're in the area, this museum is well-worth a visit. Very extensive history of the Salina…read morearea. I learned a lot.

Great museum right off the main downtown strip. It's free (request donations) which is always a…read moreplus. Lots of historical information with a replica of a cabin from the settlement days. I enjoyed the industrial section related to flour mills. There are old stone grinding wheels and sacks from the different manufacturers. The gift shop is full of made in Kansas items, soap, honey, candles, marbles (news to me that marbles are made in Kansas) BBQ sauce and lots of books about Kansas. If you find yourself in Salina, Kansas definitely check out this museum.

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!

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.