Space exploration history and a historic salt mine offer two distinctive highlights for discovering Reno County. The Cosmosphere turns your attention to space; Strataca takes you 650 feet underground. In between and beyond, museums, historic sites and outdoor activities tell more stories about the region.
From the Space Race to a Salt Mine
At the Cosmosphere, interactive exhibits connect the history of space exploration with the Space Race between the United States and the USSR. The CosmoKids area is also part of the experience. At the planetarium, you can learn which planets and stars will be visible over Kansas that evening and how to find them in the night sky. An immersive flight simulator rounds out the offerings. If you’re most interested in the historical side, you’ll find it in the exhibits; the planetarium show, by contrast, focuses on the sky visible at that time.
Strataca offers a very different perspective: visitors descend 650 feet into a historic salt mine. A seasonal attraction is a 15-minute underground train ride along original rails and ties from the mining era. It is available only on select dates. If the ride is important to your plans, check in advance which dates are offered.
Regional History to See and Experience
The Reno County Museum preserves the history of Reno County, as well as local culture and traditions, and shares them through exhibits and programs. Its Transportation Gallery features a variety of transportation models, including a classic Shaker wagon and a rare 1903 Ford Model A. Admission to the museum is free.
The museum also offers the Reno County Historic walking tour through downtown Hutchinson. Along the way, the tour shares stories about historic buildings and sites. This gives you two different ways to encounter the past: in the exhibits and throughout the city.
The Kansas State Fair also has a long history: today’s event grew out of the first Reno County Fair, held September 28–30, 1875. At the Historic Fox Theatre in Hutchinson, architecture meets live entertainment. Designed by the Boller Brothers, the Art Deco theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the State Register. It offers a subscription series and a Fox film series.
At the Hutchinson Art Center, art camps and workshops are offered for aspiring artists of all ages. The focus is not just on viewing art, but also on taking part in your own artistic activities.
Parks, Trails and Wildlife Encounters
For outdoor activities, Carey Park offers several options: a public 18-hole golf course, a water park, fishing ponds and the Sam Martinez Trail. At Dillon Nature Center, the one-acre pond is used for fishing and canoeing. If you’d like to explore a trail on horseback, Sand Hills State Park has five horse-friendly trails ranging from 1.2 to 3.8 miles. Check trail conditions before you set out.
The Hutchinson Zoo showcases wildlife habitats in naturalistic enclosures and exhibits. The Animals & Man Exhibit offers the chance to interact with domesticated animals from around the world. A personal animal encounter includes one-on-one interaction with an animal and its keeper. The general animal exhibits and encounters therefore differ in format: the former focus on habitats and displays, while the latter offer direct contact with an animal.
Discover more destinations: Hutchinson, South Hutchinson, Nickerson, Finney, Ford County, Gove County, Grant, Norton County.
For the main travel overview: Kansas.
