Originally founded as the Wichita Art Association in 1920, Mark Arts is the area’s oldest and most comprehensive visual arts organization. For more than 100 years, Mark Arts has made art and arts education available to the citizens of Wichita and the surrounding communities.
The School of Creativity provides a 9,500-square-foot continuing education facility dedicated to art instruction for adults, teens and children.
- Painting & Drawing
- Culinary Arts
- Printmaking
- Pottery
- Sculpture
- Enameling
- Jewelry Making & Metalsmithing
- and More
Mark Arts offers a 14,000-square-foot gallery with annual exhibitions showcasing regional and national artists. Exhibitions include:
- John Newsom’s Universal Frontier
- Gaze featuring Women Artists
- School of Creativity Student and Faculty Exhibitions
- Brenda Lichman and Tim Stone
- National Watercolor Exhibition
- Abstract National Exhibition
- Eastern Kansas Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition
- Congressional Art Awards
The Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
ADMISSION IS FREE.
Music Theatre Wichita creates a joyful summer of Broadway-scale productions and unparalleled educational opportunities for aspiring artists and technicians.
For more than 40 years, the Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center has been a staple of the Wichita Arts Community. A non-profit theatre and dance school, its mission is to provide arts opportunities to young people of all ages and backgrounds in Wichita and the surrounding area. Now with satellite schools at Marks Arts in east Wichita and in downtown El Dorado, the Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center is proud to enhance the cultural life of south-central Kansas by providing the highest quality performing arts education to its youth.
As you tour Tanganyika our guides will give you many opportunities not only learn about the animals, but in many cases interact directly with them. This hands-on approach gives you a rare chance to connect with some of natures most unique and often endangered species.
Because Tanganyika is dedicated to education and animal preservation, your visit not only supports your experience at the park, but the very survival of many of the rare animals that call Tanganyika home.
Tanganyika’s breeding programs play an important role in preserving genetic diversity among captive populations, and Tanganyika participates in several international projects to preserve wild population in their natural habitats.
We hope your experience at the Park will provide a sense of peace, exhilaration, respect and resolve to help ensure survival of these wonderful birds and animals around the world.
Nestled in the heart of the Museums on the River district just five minutes from downtown in the Riverside neighborhood, the Wichita Art Museum is home to a nationally renowned collection of American art.
As the largest art museum in the state of Kansas, WAM houses one of the country’s premier collections with 7,000 works in our permanent collection, including masterpieces by Mary Cassatt and Edward Hopper.
The Museum features two dramatic and large-scale works by Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly. Inspired by the intricate patterns of traditional Persian glass, the Persian Seaform Installation provides a stunning first impression at the Museum’s entrance and hanging in the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall is the Confetti Chandelier.
Come face to face with the wildest animals from around the world! See eye to eye with endangered chimpanzees and orangutans. Get to know the gorillas of The Downing Gorilla Forest. Spend the day with colorful birds, playful penguins, poison dart frogs and more than 3,000 other individual animals of all sizes, shapes and colors. Discover why Sedgwick County Zoo is the No. 1 outdoor family tourist attraction in Kansas. Come out and play!
Botanica was opened to the public in May 1987 to generate enthusiasm for horticulture and enlighten people through educational, artistic, and cultural experiences. With this mission, Botanica’s gardens and programs expand public awareness of horticulture, educate Kansans about how nature can improve their daily lives, and assist in the promotion of community development.
Our Mission: Inspiring a deeper interest in science through creative and fun experiences for all ages. Exploration Place has hands-on exhibits, birthday party packages, classes for all ages, and much more.
Field Station: Dinosaurs is a world-class family attraction that combines cutting-edge science with the creative minds of great artists and teachers to create a one-of-a-kind experience that’s thrilling, educational and fun.
Set against the natural backdrop of rolling Kansas grasslands, the Field Station is just minutes outside Wichita, Kansas. Over 40 life-sized, realistic dinosaurs (including the 90-foot long Alamosaurus, among the largest animatronic dinosaurs ever made) come to life thanks to the brilliant engineering of the world’s leading roboticists and the imagination of our artists. The park also includes Kansas Climb – a geodesic dome ropes course and Jurassic Golf, creating memorable and challenging activities for every member of the family.
The story of the dinosaurs is vividly presented on 14 acres of tall grasses, shady trees, winding trails and an outdoor amphitheatre. Scientists from the Bighorn Basin Paleontological Institute have worked to ensure that the exhibition encompasses the latest theories and discoveries in the fields of paleontology, geology and environmental studies. Workshops, games and activities connect the story of the dinosaurs to our world today, giving new relevance to their lives and power to the tale of their extinction.
Lake Afton Public Observatory is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with the mission of providing astronomy education to the public.
We rely solely on admissions and donations to continue providing this unique educational opportunity.
We are open on Friday and Saturday evenings. Our hours change with the sunset, so check our current hours on our website.
Our Vision: To provide a world class Museum experience, advancing the understanding and exploration of the rich historical and cultural heritage of Wichita and Sedgwick County Kansas.
Our Mission: The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum’s mission is to educate the community and its visitors about local history by collecting, preserving, and interpreting materials reflecting the heritage of Wichita and Sedgwick County.
INTRUST Bank Arena is a modern, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, perfect for concerts and conventions alike. Located in the heart of downtown Wichita with trendy restaurants, shops and eclectic entertainment options nearby, INTRUST Bank Arena is the premier arena in the Midwest. The arena features 22 suites, 40 loge boxes, 300 premium seats with a total 15,000-seat capacity and boasts top notch sporting events and entertainment with the industry’s best acoustics and sound system.
Since opening on September 4, 1922 the Orpheum has remained one of Wichita’s prominent venues providing the community with programming ranging from music, theater, comedy, dance, films to local church services, lectures, weddings and almost any other type of event imaginable. It was built as a Vaudeville house, but was converted to show “talkies” seven years after opening to adapt to the changing entertainment environment. It is a marvel that the Orpheum remains intact today because so many theaters of its era (including most in Wichita) succumbed to the wrecking ball as tastes changed and popular entertainment abandoned downtown. After closing in 1976, the theater was saved from demolition and subsequently gifted in 1984 to a new, all-volunteer non-profit organization – The Orpheum Performing Arts Center, Ltd. That same year, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Our goal at Diamond Archery is to provide archers, whether beginner or pro, with a place to hone their archery skills on our indoor or outdoor range. Out door ranges include static targets up to 80 yards and a 3-D range with 30 targets. To top it off, we provide the latest and greatest in video-simulated archery – Techno Hunt. Diamond Archery carries the most sought-after brands such as Mathews, Hoyt, Elite, PSE, Prime, Easton, Carbon Express, Gold Tip and more. We strive to provide the best customer service you can find in the industry. Come check us out – we’ll shoot ya’ straight!
Prairie Pines Playhouse has been home to an annual holiday dinner theatre experience since 2004. Our theatre, originally a tractor barn, has undergone several renovations and additions in the past 13 years. Our latest renovation, in 2016, included the addition of three tiers to the back half of the floor, creating a better viewing experience for all of our guests.
In 2015, Prairie Pines Playhouse added mystery dinners throughout the year. We now offer a spring and summer show.
You can expect an all-inclusive evening designed for your complete entertainment. A high energy, hilarious mystery theatre production is played between our delicious 3 or 4-course dinner. The actors and servers will serve dinner directly to your table and actors interact with guests throughout the night. Dinner menus change for each show. A holiday meal is offered for November and December. Our spring show offers a premium prime rib option. Our summer show will include a light seasonal meal. Prairie Pines also offers a full bar and specialty drink menu.
Prairie Pines Playhouse has created the perfect environment for your group or company gathering. Our venue is ideal for company parties during the holidays or throughout the year. During our spring and summer show, groups can request and reserve private shows. Company buyout nights are also available for our spring, summer or winter show. And don’t forget about us for your birthday parties and date nights.
We invite you to visit Prairie Pines Playhouse for a memorable evening. You can book your seats online or by calling our office. We hope to see you soon!
Multi-course dinners showcasing local ingredients. $58 per person with optional wine pairing for $15. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening from April 5th through December 23rd, 2018. Also Wednesdays in June and July. Reservations required.
BRAMBLE CAFE
2018 Dates: May 12th to July 28th.
Reservations are required for You-Pick. If your chosen date is full, please join the waiting list.
The Loony Bin Comedy Club has regular shows most Wednesdays and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Visit loonybincomedy.com for full schedule.
Rock River Rapids is a full service Aquatic Park with Concessions, Lockers (provide your own lock), a Bathhouse and Gift Counter. There are numerous areas at the park liberally equipped with lounge chairs for relaxing. The Park is staffed with Supervisors and a security officer to ensure you have a comfortable and safe stay at the Park.
The Great Plains Nature Center is a great place for your child to have a birthday party!
All parties include 2 hours access to the classroom and will have a nature education theme. The activity will vary based on the season, weather and children. Our naturalist will create the best experience possible, based on these factors.
Availability of our classroom can be limited. Reservations MUST be made at least 7 days in advance. Bookings are only available on Saturday & Sunday afternoons.
“The Wichita Toy Train Club” (WTTC) is an organization of collectors and operators for both classic tinplate and current hi-rail trains. Club members are generally oriented toward “O-gauge” (Lionel, MTH, Atlas, Williams, Weaver, Marx) and “S-gauge” (American Flyer). Some members are also interested in the larger “G” and smaller “HO” and “N” gauges, with some extensive layouts house at our museum. Come visit us, and we can put you in touch with many other model toy organizations.