TOPEKA –The Kansas Historical Society announced reopening plans for the Kansas State Capitol and the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka effective in June.
“We are so pleased to welcome Kansans back to all of our sites,” said Jennie Chinn, executive director, Kansas Historical Society. “We are excited to be able to share the state’s rich history with our visitors this summer. Kansans can explore the history of public health, journalism, railroads, Civil War, and trails, to name a few. We are reminded every day just how important Kansas history continues to be through guiding our present and future.”
The Kansas State Capitol Visitor Center will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, effective June 1. Some restrictions may apply. Self-guided tours will be available along with limited guided historic tours for groups with prior request. Dome tours will not be offered at this time. The Capitol Store will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Kansas Museum of History will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, effective June 2. Some restrictions may apply. Guided tours will be available for groups with prior request. The Discovery Place will not be available at this time. The Museum Store will be open the same hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. The Kansas Museum of History features the special exhibit, Upward to Equality: Kansas Women Fight to Vote. Recently reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the museum tells the story of Kansas. Highlights include Santa Fe Railway’s oldest surviving locomotive, a version of the first Kansas-made airplane to successfully fly, and the printing press that published William Allen White’s “What’s the Matter With Kansas?” editorial.
The Kansas State Archives is open by appointment and to walk-ins as space allows, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Friday. The archives will be open 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month effective in June.
The Kansas State Historic Sites are open for the season. This includes sites in or near Emporia, Fairway, Fort Riley, Hanover, Hays, Kansas City, Lecompton, Manhattan, Pawnee Rock, Pleasanton, Republic, and Studley. Find more information about the sites, hours, and locations online at kshs.org.