Wichita is honored to participate in the national Smithsonian Museum Day. It is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. This day commemorates the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities, which offer free admission every day.
The ticket can be downloaded online and provides free admission for two people to one participating museum on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.
There are three popular museums in Wichita and one nearby attraction in Hutchinson that are participating this year. Download the Museum Day ticket and enjoy the following museums:
- Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum focuses on showcasing Wichita’s rich history starting from the influence of the Native Americans to present day moniker of Air Capital of the World.
- Wichita Art Museum has a collection spanning historical to modern artworks including nationally distinguished paintings, sculptures and other forms of art such as the glass sculptures by Beth Lipman in her exhibit All in Time.
- Museum of World Treasures does not tether to one era of history, but rather it has an extensive collection of exhibits from dinosaur specimens, to Egyptian mummies, American presidents and the Berlin Wall all which are spread throughout the museum’s three floors.
- Cosmosphere International Sci-Ed Center and Space Museum, in nearby Hutchinson, is about 50 minutes from Wichita and focuses on space exploration and STEM education. It contains the largest collection of Soviet space artifacts, many interactive exhibits, a digital dome theater and Dr. Goddard’s Lab where you can watch science being brought to life.
To get your tickets, head to the Smithsonian magazine's website, select the museum you're planning on visiting and provide the info needed to generate the ticket.
Though these Wichita museums and attractions are not participating in Smithsonian Museum Day, they do offer free admission days:
- Great Plains Nature Center, free Monday through Saturday
- Ulrich Museum of Art on Wichita State University campus, free everyday with the exception of Monday, includes an 80-piece outdoor sculpture collection throughout campus
- The Original Pizza Hut Museum, free Monday through Friday
- Old Cowtown Museum, free on Sundays from April through October
- Keeper of the Plains, free daily
Explore more Wichita museums and other upcoming arts and culture events.