Windows on Collection – Riverfest Memorabilia
Annually during the city’s Wichita River Festival, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum features all of the past Wichita Riverfest buttons on display in our lobby’s Windows on Collection exhibit. Celebrate this 10-day annual local event, by checking them out! Get discounted admission all week long with the new 2025 button!
Windows on Collection: Electric Guitars
The first time an electric guitar was played for an audience was in Wichita, KS, when band leader and guitarist Gage Brewer debuted the instrument on Halloween 1932 at the Shadowland Dance Hall. The world’s most popular musical instrument made its debut in Wichita, and since then, Sedgwick County has
Victorian Cottage Summer
A featured exhibit of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum includes “A Wichita Cottage.” This exhibit authentically recreates a typical middle-class Wichita home of the late 19th century complete with Victorian adornment and the emerging technology which would soon change domestic life and society in general. Seven individual rooms compose this
Victorian Cottage Mourning
A featured exhibit of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum includes “A Wichita Cottage.” This exhibit authentically recreates a typical middle-class Wichita home of the late 19th century complete with Victorian adornment and the emerging technology which would soon change domestic life and society in general. Seven individual rooms compose this
Windows: “Portraits From the Museum Collection” Preview
The Museum’s collection includes a variety of portraits, most of which depict people of Wichita and Sedgwick County. They are created for many reasons: from sentimental to celebratory, for public or private viewing, as memorials, and as icons. Until the 1840s introduction of photography, portraits were rendered by hand in
Thrift Finds in the Museum Collection
Since 1939, the Historical Museum has been actively collecting and preserving artifacts central to telling our local history’s stories. These artifacts are acquired in a number of ways, including purchases from local thrift shops. Thrift Finds in the Museum Collection features objects fortunately discovered by Museum staff at local thrift
Portraits From the Museum Collection
The urge to create or possess a visual representation of a specific person – a portrait – is present throughout history. Portraits are created for many reasons: from sentimental to celebratory, for public or private viewing, as memorials, and as icons. Until the introduction of photography in the 1840s, portraits
Window Exhibit: Post No Bills!
The “Show Poster” was an essential form of advertising for public events throughout the United States during the 20th century. The overuse of posters led to city ordinances restricting their placement. Ordinances were emphasized by official signs reading “POST NO BILLS.” The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum recently acquired a collection
Victorian Cottage Christmas
A featured exhibit of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum includes “A Wichita Cottage.” This exhibit authentically recreates a typical middle-class Wichita home of the late 19th century complete with Victorian adornment and the emerging technology which would soon change domestic life and society in general. Seven individual rooms compose this
Miniature Christmas Trees
Starting with the Wreath Festival and lasting through to the New Year, the Museum maintains its holiday decorating tradition with garlands and ornaments strewn over the stairs and through the second floor. There, visitors will find an exhibit of miniature Christmas trees, created by Wichita artist Sylvia Jackson. With incredible