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!

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.

This place was so cool and well worth the ticket price!!! My boyfriend is really into planes and…read morethe military so we stopped by to check this mueseum out. I wasn't expecting much because those topics are not usually interesting to me but i was pleasantly surprised. The way in which they have their information layed out was easy to follow and intriguing. There were 3 floors so many different places to stop and read about aviation. Outside in the gated area, there were 10 or more planes that you can actually go into and touch. One of them, the Ryan international, is fully open and has the original seats in it as well. Not to mention, there are a ton of planes inside the building as well. One of the best parts about this museum is the lookout area in the middle of the building that has a 360 view around the building.

So much to explore & very informative. Kids & adults will enjoy it alike! Kids interactive area was…read morefun & seeing all the different aviation innovations throughout the years was fun & educational

This was a special surprise for me. I really enjoyed my visit. Everyone will enjoy this museum -…read moreespecially Motorcyle buffs

I've been to Daytona I ve been to the HD museum and would…read morehave bet money that I would find some bikes I had never seen in Marquette kansas Well I would have lost If you like old iron or just love racing and some vintage bikes you HAVE TO come see this hidden treasure But I will warn you if you visits Marquette you need to be careful because you will want to never leave An amazing place

My wife and I visited this museum on our way back home to Texas from Colorado! We were happy to…read morehave taken the longer way back, even though we were told by many people that there was nothing to see in Kansas. We found that was not the case, and this museum was one of the hidden gems. The quaint little self-serve museum sits on the Wichita State University campus grounds. The doors are unlocked at 9am. One you open the door, the lights automatically turn on, and you're free to roam! Keep in mind that this is a very tiny museum, but if you read everything and watch all of the TV segments, you could end up staying for 45 minutes tops.

This was so cool to see the orginal Pizza Hut Location which is now completely located on the…read morecampus of Witcha State. Simple Muesum that shows the history of Pizza Hut. Only complaint the AC was clearly not working on a very Hot day.. over all it was a great experience.

It's mainly geared for kids. I'm giving it five stars for that. If you have children, definitely…read morebring them here. There was a small amount that interested me: The aviation section, the small display on Kansas insects, and the huge model train layout.

A family favorite! We love the traveling exhibits, the play area for small children and the movies…read morein the dome theatre. We also can't wait for all the upcoming additions outside!

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!

Free. Paid small amount for featured exhibition. Love to give back that way…read more Lots of parking. Clean restrooms. Gift shop was nice. They do have a cafe-did not partake. Wonderful art, truly enjoyed the pieces. Take an hour and hang out!

The Dale Chihuly glass exhibit was amazing…read more In the main art exhibit (free to visit - no charge), I saw exactly 1 painting that took my breath away. The rest were pretty bleh. I am from the East Coast, by the Smithsonian and all DC museums. I have been spoiled by art my whole life. I have also taken art and art history courses. My partner said the good art is at the bigger museums. He is not wrong! So what's left over is what's here at this smaller museum in the middle of the country. That's sad. People in this area deserve to see beautiful art too. The visiting exhibit is awful right now. I don't want to say what it is. But it's just awful and we paid $6 per person to see it. I looked at everything and had to get out of there. Nothing enjoyable. The museum was packed. I think we went on Valentine's Day or thereabouts. We got food. It took quite a while to get the food. Else enjoyed the live jazz! Or at least I did! Nothing like live jazz. I am an artist and I would love to have my art in this museum - then I know beautiful art would be hanging up that people would enjoy looking at. Driving home, my partner said he wouldn't pay $6 to see that visiting art exhibit again, but he would pay $100 to see my art - which is hanging in his own living room! I feel very sad about my review. But it's my truth. Art is subjective , I suppose. I hope future exhibits knock it out of the park. Hopefully this was just a low point for the museum.