Exploration Place
300 N McLean Blvd, Wichita, KS
Wichita, KS
A striking science center on the bank of the Arkansas River, packed with hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, and stories of the aviation industry that built Wichita.
Exploration Place is the science center of Kansas, a hands-on museum on the bank of the Arkansas River in Wichita where families come to touch, build, and experiment their way through science and engineering. Its bold, sculptural building, designed to echo flowing water and flight, is itself a landmark on the city's riverfront.
Inside, interactive galleries invite visitors to explore everything from the human body to engineering to the natural world, and a planetarium and dome theater offer immersive shows overhead. Fittingly for Wichita, long known as the Air Capital of the World for its aircraft industry, aviation and flight run through the museum's story, making it both a fun family outing and a window on the city that builds airplanes.
What Guests Love
- Hands-on, interactive exhibits that keep kids and adults engaged
- A planetarium and dome theater for immersive shows
- Exhibits on aviation and engineering, fitting for the Air Capital of the World
- A striking riverfront building and grounds along the Arkansas River
Worth Knowing
- It is very family-friendly, with plenty for young children
- Exhibits and traveling shows change, so check what is on before you go
- Weekends and school breaks are busier, so plan accordingly
- The riverfront setting makes it easy to pair with a downtown walk
Details
Wichita, KS
Learn about Exploration Place
Wichita, the Air Capital
Wichita grew from a cattle-trail town into the largest city in Kansas, and in the twentieth century it became one of the great centers of aircraft manufacturing in the world, earning the nickname the Air Capital. Generations of famous airplanes have been designed and built here, and aviation remains central to the city's identity and economy.
That heritage runs through Exploration Place, which highlights flight and engineering alongside its broader science exhibits. In a city where so many families have a connection to the aircraft industry, a science center that celebrates flight feels right at home.
Hands-on science
The museum is built around the idea of learning by doing, with interactive exhibits that let visitors experiment rather than just look. Children and adults can build, test, tinker, and play their way through galleries on physics, engineering, health, and the natural world.
Exhibits change and travel through, so there is often something new to discover, and the mix keeps repeat visits fresh. The emphasis throughout is on curiosity and hands-on discovery, the kind that turns a rainy afternoon into hours of engaged exploration.
The planetarium and dome
A domed theater and planetarium give the museum a way to take visitors far beyond the exhibit floor, projecting the night sky and immersive films overhead. Planetarium shows explore the stars, planets, and the universe, offering a change of pace from the hands-on galleries.
For many families the dome is a highlight, a chance to lean back and be surrounded by the cosmos or a film. It rounds out the museum's offerings, pairing the small-scale, tactile exhibits with the vast scale of space.
The riverfront setting
Exploration Place sits on the west bank of the Arkansas River, its distinctive building rising above the water as part of Wichita's riverfront. The grounds and the river setting make it more than an indoor stop, with views and outdoor space to enjoy.
The location puts it within easy reach of downtown Wichita's cultural district, museums, and dining, so a visit fits naturally into a fuller day in the city. It is a fine anchor for exploring the largest city in Kansas.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Evergreen Inn Motel & RV Park
Honorable Mention20001 W. US Highway 54, Pratt, KS
78 miles away|Learn More ›
Prairie Lodge Motel
Honorable Mention1219 Old US Highway 56, Council Grove, KS
81 miles away|Learn More ›
Things to Do Near Wichita
Old Cowtown Museum
A short distance away
An open-air living-history museum recreating Wichita's frontier cattle-town days.
Keeper of the Plains
Downtown at the river confluence
A towering steel sculpture honoring the Native peoples of the region, where the two branches of the Arkansas meet.
Wichita cultural district
Downtown
Museums, art galleries, riverfront paths, and dining along the Arkansas River.