2024 Sunflower Summer Guide 

An unforgettable and affordable summer getaway is waiting for you in Wichita, the Heart of the Country. Many of Wichita’s most popular attractions are participating in the 2024 Sunflower Summer program, which means you can get FREE admission at 19 Wichita attractions all summer long. Brought to you by Kansas Tourism, the program allows all Kansas families with school-aged children free admission from May 25  to Aug. 11.  

But with 19 attractions to choose from, how do you make a plan to visit the ones of most interest to your family? Or better yet, how much time do you need to make it to all 19? 

First, let’s take a look at the 2024 Sunflower Summer participating attractions in Wichita:

• Botanica Wichita 
• CityArts 
• Exploration Place 
• Field Station: Dinosaurs 
• Great Plains Nature Center 
• The Kansas African American Museum 
• Kansas Aviation Museum 
• Kansas Wildlife Exhibit at Riverside Park 
• Mark Arts 
• Mid-America All-Indian Museum 
• Museum of World Treasures 
• Old Cowtown Museum 
• PBS Kansas Cochener-Garvey Children’s Education and Discovery Center 
• Sedgwick County Zoo 
• Tanganyika Wildlife Park (Mondays and Tuesdays only) 
• Ulrich Museum of Art 
• Wichita Art Museum 
• Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum 
• ​Sunflower Summer Sunday with Wichita Wind Surge (June 30 game) 

Now, let’s plan your visit. If you decide on an extended weekend, here’s what your visit could look like if you arrived on a Thursday and headed back home on Sunday. 

Thursday afternoon

• History buffs can get acquainted with Wichita and Kansas history at attractions like the Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum, Old Cowtown Museum and The Kansas African American Museum. 
• If you and your family enjoy outdoor adventures, head to Botanica Wichita and Great Plains Nature Center for lots of fresh air and beautiful views. 
• Drop in for hands-on fun at the PBS Kansas Cochener-Garvey Children’s Education & Discovery Center, which focuses on STEAM-based learning (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) for children 2-10 years old and their families. Not only will you find discovery stations that incorporate PBS KIDS content, but they also offer studio tours, sharing information about broadcast technology and careers. (Only open Monday-Friday.) 

Thursday night, be sure to witness the “Ring of Fire” at the Keeper of the Plains.

Friday morning:

• Animal lovers will want to experience Sedgwick County Zoo. Plan for several hours. Additionally, a great time to see the animals at the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit, located inside Riverside Park, is on a weekday at noon for feeding time. The animals are most active and staff members are available to interact with visitors at this time. 
• If art is where your heart is, then plan to spend some time at the Mid-America All-Indian Museum (MAAIM), Ulrich Museum of Art and the Wichita Art Museum (WAM). MAAIM features an impressive collection of artworks by Blackbear Bosin, the creator of the Keeper of the Plains. WAM is one of the largest art museums in Kansas and houses popular works by Dale Chihuly, Mary Cassatt, Edward Hopper, John Steuart Curry and more. View art and sign up for interactive classes at creative hubs CityArts and Mark Arts. 

Friday afternoon

• If your kiddo has an affinity for dinosaurs, then Field Station: Dinosaurs is a must! In addition to 40 life-size, realistic dinosaurs throughout the park, you’ll find live shows, miniature golf, fun activities and more. 
• You can also find one of the most complete T-Rex skeletons (plus an amazing collection of artifacts from around the world) at the Museum of World Treasures. 

Saturday 

• Get up close to a variety of aircraft and find out why Wichita is the Air Capital of the World at Kansas Aviation Museum. Everyone will love discovering cool facts about aviation in Kansas, and kids will especially enjoy the Boeing: Science, Math, and History Center & Lattner Learning Hanger.  
• Continue your love affair with aviation at Exploration Place, Kansas’ premier science center. “Design Build Fly” reveals what happens behind the scenes in Wichita’s aircraft plants. There are also many other interactive permanent exhibits such as “Health Inside Out” and “Explore Kansas.” This summer’s temporary exhibit is “DC Super Heroes.” 

Sunday

• Grab brunch and then experience Sunflower Summer Sunday on June 30 at Riverfront Stadium. Bring the whole family out for an afternoon matinee baseball game and cheer on the Wichita Wind Surge. Sunday games pre-game catch on the field and post-game Kids Run the Bases. 
• Extend your weekend by a day and make your way to Tanganyika Wildlife Park, the most interactive wildlife park in the region

In addition to visiting 19 fantastic museums and attractions in Wichita for free, you’ll find lots of other free and affordable activities such as taking selfies in front of murals and public art throughout the city. Whether you're looking for fun outdoor adventures, like exploring nature and wildlife, or indoor activities like educational and hands-on experiences, you'll find things to do for the entire family. 

All that’s left to do is plan for an extended stay or a long weekend by booking a hotel. Wichita has more than 8,100 rooms for every type of family, from affordable hotels to spacious family-friendly suites and top-of-the-line, full-service hotels in every region of the city. Hotels with pools, both indoor and outdoor, can be found at various price points as well. 

Make sure to download the Sunflower Summer Program app, review the program details and have fun making unforgettable memories in the Heart of the Country!