Old Cowtown Museum Museum

Address: 1865 W Museum Blvd, Wichita, KS 67203, USA

Website: https://www.oldcowtown.org

Hours: Varies seasonally; typical museum hours Wed-Sun 9am-5pm (check official site)

Admission: Adult admission approximately $10-$12 (museum-run sites often vary); historic buildings may have separate fees

Old Cowtown Museum is a living-history museum in Wichita, Kansas, that recreates a frontier cattle town from roughly the 1860s to the 1880s on about 23 acres.

The museum presents a reconstructed Main Street, period buildings and interpreters in period costume who demonstrate trades, household skills and frontier life. Programmes include seasonal events, guided tours and staged demonstrations such as mock gunfights and cattle-related activities aimed at interpreting regional history.

The museum was developed in the mid-20th century to preserve and interpret Wichita’s frontier and cattle-era heritage and has expanded its historic building collection and programmes over time.

Old Cowtown sits on the west bank of the Arkansas River, west of downtown Wichita.

• Living-history demonstrations: Features costumed interpreters and regular living-history demonstrations that recreate daily life in a frontier cattle town.
• Size and buildings: The site spans about 23 acres and includes a collection of historic and reconstructed buildings representing Wichita in the late 19th century.

Old Cowtown Museum is 4-5 miles west of downtown Wichita. From I-235 take the Kellogg exit (US-54/400) west to Seneca Street, then follow local signs to Museum Boulevard. Local buses serve routes into the general area but driving or rideshare is the easiest option for most visitors.

• Allow at least three hours to walk the reconstructed town and visit working exhibits.
• Check the museum's calendar for living-history demonstrations-blacksmiths, print shops and period medicine talks add real texture.
• Weekdays are quieter; summer weekends attract families and school groups.