Exploration Place facts for kids
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The Exploration Place next to
the Arkansas River (2013) |
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| Established | April 1, 2000 |
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| Location | 300 North McLean Blvd, Wichita, Kansas 67203 United States |
| Type | Science museum |
Exploration Place is a fun science museum in Wichita, Kansas. It sits right by the Arkansas River in the city's Delano neighborhood. This museum is a special kind of organization. It is a not-for-profit place, which means it uses all its money to help people learn.
Contents
Discover the History of Exploration Place
Exploration Place started with a big idea in the 1980s. People wanted to combine two smaller museums: the Wichita Omnisphere and Science Center and the Children's Museum of Wichita.
How Exploration Place Was Built
In 1992, a plan began to raise money for the new museum. Many people and groups helped. Velma Lunt Wallace gave a large gift. The City of Wichita and Sedgwick County also provided funds. Thanks to these donations, the museum opened its doors in the spring of 2000.
Who Supports Exploration Place?
The museum gets its support from different sources. People pay for tickets to visit, and others buy yearly memberships. The Sedgwick County government also helps. Many individuals, companies, and foundations give money too. In 2019, over 345,000 people visited Exploration Place. This included people who came to the museum and those who joined its special programs outside the building.
Explore the Museum Building
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Building Exploration Place was a big project. It started in May 1997 and took about two and a half years to finish. A famous architect named Moshe Safdie from Boston designed the building.
Building Size and Features
The museum covers about 100,000 square feet (9,290 square meters). The entire property is about 20 acres (8 hectares). The tallest part of the building is the roof of the traveling exhibits area. It stands 70 feet (21 meters) high, which is almost as tall as a seven-story building! If you walk around the inside edges of both museum buildings, it's about one mile long.
The Island Building Explained
One part of the museum is called the "Island Building." It gets this name because water surrounds it. The Arkansas River is on one side, and a special reflecting pond is on the other. This pond is between the buildings. It makes it look like the river flows right through the museum! The pond is usually one to three feet deep. Even though it's close to the river, the building is safe from floods. It was built high enough to be above the level of a 100-year flood. During a big flood in October 1998, the water was still more than 8 feet (2.4 meters) below the museum's floor.
Experience the Dome Theater
Exploration Place has the largest dome theater in Kansas. It has a huge 60-foot (18-meter) screen that wraps all the way around you. This theater shows amazing digital films. You don't need to buy a museum ticket to watch a show in the dome.
Visit the Kemper Creative Learning Studio
This studio is a theater with 140 seats. It has all the equipment needed for shows, like sound systems and stage lights. This is where you can watch exciting live science shows!
Discover the Museum Exhibits
Exploration Place has many cool exhibits where you can learn by doing.
- Health Inside Out: This exhibit helps you learn about the amazing human body.
- Design, Build, Fly: Wichita is known for making airplanes. This exhibit shows you what happens inside airplane factories. You can design an airplane seat, test landing gear, or even pretend to be in a fancy jet!
- Explore Kansas: Learn all about the state of Kansas. Discover facts about its land, water, weather, and the animals that live there.
- Kansas in Miniature: See tiny versions of Kansas buildings and landmarks from the early 1950s.
- TeamLab: This area is designed to help you imagine and work together. It has hands-on activities that mix play with new ideas. TeamLab encourages teamwork.
- Kansas Kids Connect: This area is perfect for younger children, especially those aged 5 and under. They can explore the world around them and see how city and country life are similar.
- Traveling Exhibits: This special area hosts new exhibits that change over time. Past exhibits have included "Astronaut," "A T. rex Named Sue," and "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition."
- Where Kids Rule: Step into a three-story medieval castle! Here, children can try more than 60 hands-on activities based on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Shop at the Explore Store
The Explore Store is a big shop, about 1,900 square feet (177 square meters). It sells science-themed items, educational toys, and other fun things. The store also sells fair trade items, which means they are made in a way that helps workers. Every purchase you make helps support Exploration Place. You don't need a museum ticket to shop here.
Enjoy the Outdoors
Exploration Place also has outdoor spaces to enjoy.
- The Wichita Foundation Amphitheater: This is a new outdoor area that can hold about 1,500 people. It faces directly towards Wichita's famous statue, The Keeper of the Plains.
A large 6.5-acre (2.6-hectare) outdoor playscape opened at Exploration Place in 2025. It is a fun destination for play and discovery.
Plan Your Visit: Hours and Admission
Museum Hours
- The museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- On Thursdays, it stays open later, until 8:00 p.m.
- The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Museum Admission Prices
- Seniors (65 and older) = $10.00
- Adults (12-64) = $12.00
- Youth (3-11) = $10.00
- Children (2 and under) = Free
Dome Admission Prices
- Seniors (65 and older) = $8.00
- Adults (12-64) = $9.00
- Youth (3-11) = $8.00
- Children (2 and under) = Free
See Also
- Wichita Public Library, the main library, is located across the street from Exploration Place.
