Wichita has a diverse mix of museums, all with impressive collections and an ever-changing schedule of exhibitions. From showcasing new acquisitions or curating themed exhibits from their own collections to hosting special exhibitions traveling the country, there’s always something new to see at museums in the Heart of the Country.

Here’s a look at the latest exhibitions among museums in Wichita.

A photographer is photographed taking photos in the Arctic

Exploration Place

Exploration Place is open daily.

  • Jan. 26-May 5: “Bricktopia” is three exhibits in one! Million Brick Madness is a colossal 3,300 pounds of Lego - a literal 1 million bricks - to create an epic playground of imagination. Brick Dinos takes you into the Jurassic period to meet dinosaurs face to face, each one built by official Lego master artist Warren Elsmore. Adrift: Lost at Sea tells the fascinating story of what happened after 5 million Lego bricks spilled into the ocean from a cargo ship in 1997.
  • Jan. 26-May 5: “Skyscraper Science” a live science show of epic proportions! Marvel at the forces that shape city skylines, including the Epic Center, Wichita’s tallest building. See bricks get crushed in a 100-ton hydraulic press, watch a 400,000-volt lightning strike, experience a simulated earthquake and implode a skyscraper.
  • May 24-Sept. 22: "DC Super Heroes: Discover Your Superpowers" will take you into the DC Universe to vie with villains and work as a team to save the city. Along the way you’ll also meet Cyborg, Aquaman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Supergirl and Batgirl.
  • Ongoing: “Kansas: An Immersive Dome Experience” – Don’t miss this 25-minute dome movie produced by the Exploration Place team in partnership with local drone videographers. Filmed completely by drone, consider this a love letter to Kansas showcasing the beauty and wonder of the Sunflower State in a way never seen before. It shows daily in the Digital Dome Theater, along with “The Dark Side of the Moon - Official Planetarium Show,” “The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness,” “Sea Monsters,” and “Beautifica.” Check the center’s website for screening times and tickets; attending a dome show does not require a museum admission ticket.

Abstract art is displayed in the Art & Science Intertwined exhibit at Envision Arts Gallery and Community Engagement Center

Envision Arts Gallery and Community Engagement Center

Admission is free at the Envision Arts Gallery and Community Engagement Center.

  • Jan. 5-March 29: “Art & Science Intertwined” – In partnership with Envision University, this exhibition features the work of Nancy Tilson-Mallett. At the heart of this exhibition is her personal encounter with glaucoma, diagnosed at age 45. Fascinated by the technical images of her retina and optic nerve, she translates these diagnostic studies into a series of unique and visually stunning interpretations on canvas. The exhibition showcases her deep connection with the microscopic and biological aspects revealed in medical imagery.

CityArts

  • Opening Jan. 12: “12th Annual Art That Touches Your Heart” – This annual exhibit is curated by the Art That Touches Your Heart Foundation in order to provide inspiration and support to African American art students. 2024 marks the fourth year the exhibit has been on view at CityArts. 

Mid-America All-Indian Museum

Mid-America All-Indian Museum

  • Through May 2024: “From the Vault” – Enjoy this curated exhibit of original works of art from the musuem's unique collection and see two newly acquired works donated by the Michaelis family.
  • Through May 2024: “We Are the Spirit” – Come explore Kachinas through their ceremonies and physical representations. Learn about the Kachina season while viewing our unique collection on display. Kachinas are messengers between the human and spirit world. Human impersonators dance in Kachina ceremonies from winter solstice through mid-July. The dolls are made by Hopi people to teach children about spiritual beings.

A piece of artwork is part of a display at Mark Arts

Mark Arts

Mark Arts galleries are open and free to explore Tuesday through Saturday.

  • Jan. 5-March 23: “Abstract National Exhibition – Abstraction is a powerful movement that spans both media and decades and continues to grow in popularity. In this exhibition, juror Pam Caughey has selected 85 works for this exhibition by artists from across the United States.

The Wichita Art Museum

The Wichita Art Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Admission to WAM is free all year round to everyone. Only special exhibitions will have a ticket price and those will be noted here.

  • Jan. 28-April 21: “Making American Artists: Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1776-1976” – The current traveling exhibit features American artists whose works have interpreted historical events, earned a place in American art history or influenced other artists during the two centuries after the U.S. gained its independence. Admission to see the special exhibition is $12 and free to WAM members, college students with an ID and youth 18 and younger. The exhibit will be free for all visitors on Saturday, March 2, during WAM’s Family ArtVenture day.

Ongoing:

  • “THE BEAST, or Self Portrait” by Vanessa German – The artist calls this sculpture a “physical self-portrait” but also a “self-portrait of the soul, of the heart, a self-portrait of my own experience of being myself.”
  • “Heroes, Legends and Legacies” – What makes a hero? Why do we honor some people above others? Who represents a community’s beliefs and ideals? This exhibition features artwork from the Wichita Art Museum’s permanent collection that considers these questions.
  • “Art of Fire: Frederick Carder and Steuben Glass” – A compelling arrangement of the distinguished and growing glass art collection at the museum.
  • Through Jan. 14, 2024: “Barbara Earl Thomas: The Illuminated Body” – See cut-and-layered paper portraits of Thomas’ family, friends and neighbors, as well as icons of Black literature.
  • Through Jan. 14, 2024: "Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice” – Featuring work by American modernist William H. Johnson, whose 1940s-era series was painted to celebrate African American leaders.
  • Through March 24, 2024: “Marco Hernandez: Sin Perder A Mis Raíces (Without Losing My Roots)” – Printmaker Marco Hernandez’s artwork explores themes associated with contemporary Mexican and Mexican-American cultures, drawing from his experiences as a Mexican immigrant living in the United States.
  • Through March 31, 2024: “Upside Down, Topsy-Turvy and In-Between: Images of the Carnival and Circus from the Wichita Art Museum” – This exhibition features images of the carnival and circus, what historians have called “the world between” and “the world standing on its head,” from the last century of American art.
  • Through April 7, 2024: “Country, City, Shore: America and Abroad in the Paintings of Guy C. Wiggins and Company”
  • Through Dec. 20, 2025: “(im)permanent collection” – Visit again and again to experience this ever-changing exhibition. It features the museum’s prized permanent collection (more than 10,000 artworks the museum owns) – which is anything but permanent.
  • Through Oct. 23, 2027: “Confluence” – American impressionist Guy Carleton Wiggins and other artists interpret French painting styles to describe American environments.

A paiting features different sports jerseys

Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University

  • Jan. 6-July 29: “The Flint Hills: A Tapestry of Color and Form” – Inspired by the Flint Hills of Kansas, this art installation aims to capture the stunning beauty and diversity of this unique and extraordinary landscape. The rolling hills and tallgrass prairie ecosystem of the Flint Hills offers a tapestry of color and form that is truly awe-inspiring. From the golden hues of the sun-drenched grasses to the bursts of color that come from wildflowers to the deep green of the tree stands found near water on the prairie, the Flint Hills might be described as an understated riot of color and life, which this installation captures. Located in the West Flushing Gallery.
  • Jan. 16-19: “MLK Day Pop-Up Exhibition” – A tribute to King features moments of change captured by pivotal American photographers Doug Barrett, Gordon Parks, and Ernest Withers. Find it in the Dr. Sam & Jacqui Kouri Collection Study Center.
  • Jan. 25-June 15: “Fully Dimensional: Artists of the Outdoor Sculpture Collection” – Celebrate the artists of the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection and explore their larger bodies of work. The exhibit will feature more than 90 pieces, combining selections from the Ulrich permanent collection and special works on loan to encourage deeper engagement with these multifaceted artists. Established in 1972, the Outdoor Sculpture Collection has become not only an integral part of the daily Wichita State University experience but has grown into a beloved cultural destination for art engagement. Located in the Amsden and Polk/Wilson Galleries.
  • Jan. 25-June 8: “Urban Canvas | Exploring Muralism in Wichita” – Learn about the work of regional, national and international artists who have contributed to urban art in Wichita. The exhibition is a celebration of creativity and a testament to the power of public art to transform and inspire. Whether you are a native Wichitan or a first-time visitor, this exhibit aims to entice appreciation of the beauty and vitality of urban art. Find it in the Beren Gallery.
  • Jan. 25-July 13: “The Ulrich Co-Lab” – A visitor-centered curatorial experiment, this exhibit encourages visitors to share their thoughts, feelings and responses to the museum’s permanent collection. The goal is to create a feedback loop, revitalize the museum space and represent a collective identity. Located in the Grafly Gallery.

Visit these pages to discover more Wichita area museums and galleries. If you’re looking for other things to do in Wichita, check out our calendar of events and download the latest visitor guide for more inspiration.