Old Cowtown Museum

Old Cowtown Museum is a history museum in Wichita with more than 50 historic and reconstructed buildings spread across the riverside grounds. The structures represent how settlers and cattle workers lived and worked during the 1800s.

The museum was founded in 1952 on land where cattle herds passed through during the 1860s and 1870s. Its creation honored the area's importance as a major livestock trading route that shaped the region's growth.

The site reflects how settlers and workers experienced daily life in the 1800s, with people in period clothing showing actual tasks and routines inside the historic structures. You can watch blacksmiths, farmers, and homemakers doing the kinds of work that filled their days.

The best way to explore the grounds is on foot, as the buildings are spread across the property. Plan to spend several hours visiting the different structures and the working farm area.

The farm at the museum operates as it did in the 1800s, with Durham cows, sheep, and chickens that visitors can feed and interact with directly. This living aspect makes the experience far more tangible than simply viewing old objects.

Location: Kansas

Inception: 1952

Address: West Museum Boulevard

Website: http://oldcowtown.org

GPS coordinates: 37.69379,-97.36225

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:05