Post #6, A Little Slice Of History

Greetings Readers! I don’t know about you but I have a personal weakness for museums. I have always looked forward to field trips in my school days just to go out and explore whichever museum we were heading to. Something about just having a little slice of the past right in front of you was always intrigued me. When I moved to Topeka I was pretty stoked to find out that there quite a few museums in town.

My favorite museum is a bit of a hidden treasure. The Holley Museum is located inside the Ramada Hotel on 6th Avenue. The museum is only five rooms but they pack a punch. It is a military museum that covers events from WWI, WWII, Vietnam war, etc. There are plenty of dioramas displayed showing battles, planes, ships, etc. It’s an interesting collection that was started by Mr. Holley. He used to house all of these dioramas and collectibles in his basement working on dioramas became a passionate hobby of his. When he passed, his wife gave his collections away and they became the museum of today. Over the years other individuals have donated pieces to the Holley museum. The admission is free and there is an audio guide on loop to help you navigate.  

Another of my favorite museums here is The Great Overland Station. Although it’s mostly used to hold events there is still plenty to see. One room in particular has model trains. The station holds events such as the “Painted Quilts Across the Flint Hills.” Perhaps the biggest event that happens at the Overland Station is the Railroad Festival. Every year it holds a family-friendly festival. There are merchants from all over that sell jewelry, bags, and other accessories. They have live re-en actors that give people a look at life during the old prairie times. There is also a stage with music and a second stage with Native American dance and songs. Of course there are train carts, mini-train rides, etc to explore as well!

Washburn University also houses an art museum. Mulvane art museum showcases many pieces throughout the year. Many Art seniors have displayed their work at Mulvane. Mulvane also offers classes to all ages and abilities. They have their classes listed on their Washburn page. They also hold special events. On April 16 they will have a free event at the ArtLab where you can create a cherry blossom painting to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC.

These are probably my favorite, but there are other museums in town. The biggest ones are the Kansas Museum of History and Forbes Field's Combat Air Museum. Both are filled with knowledge and are a must see. The Charles Curtis Museum is a brick mansion filled with Kansas history artifacts and memorabilia. There is also many historical sites. The most famous one being the Brown vs Board of Education. The building gives you a look at the landmark case and the time period in general. Admission is free too!