Things to Do in Wichita

In 1919, discouraged that artifacts of Wichita and Sedgwick County were disappearing, the Sedgwick County Pioneer Society began collecting and displaying historical items in the Sedgwick County Courthouse. Nearly a century later, what began as a modest collection of early memorabilia has expanded to nearly 70,000 Sedgwick County and Wichita-related artifacts, which together trace the history of the region from 1865 to the present. Now housed in Wichita’s original, renovated City Hall, the collection’s photographs, clothing, decorative arts, and household items enrich award-winning exhibits that tell tale of the area’s Buffalo-hunting days, Great Depression–era dust storms, and aircraft industry.

The museum is also home to three re-created environments from the region’s past. The garage re-creation holds a 1916 Jones Six automobile, the only such Wichita-built vehicle on public exhibit, and the drug store reproduces the feel of the popular early 20th-century neighborhood gathering place. Over in the Wichita Cottage, seven rooms of a Victorian-style 19th-century home house authentic period items such as a wooden icebox, a gas-and-electric ceiling light fixture, and a phone powered by animosity toward Rutherford B. Hayes.

Stationed inside a vaudeville venue first designed by the Boller brothers in 1928, the Crown Uptown Theatre has continued to nourish creative appetites with delectable dinners and Broadway-style productions since 1977. Concocted by an expert culinary team led by Kevin Gillenwater, formerly of Chester’s Chophouse and Wine Bar, plated entrees are served alongside helpings of soup, salad, and rolls. An enthusiastic waitstaff delivers each meal directly to customers' tables. Crown Uptown Theatre can accommodate up to 400 theatergoers or scarecrows stuffed with recycled playbills during evening performances each Thursday–Sunday, and matinee plays for children every Friday and Saturday.

The approximately 247-acre wilderness zoo houses more than 2,500 animals from nearly 400 different species, including gorillas, penguins, bears, tigers, and elephants. Stop by the orangutan and chimp habitat, or walk down a seashell-strewn path to the penguin cove, which includes a 52-foot-long underwater viewing area for watching Humboldt penguins glide gracefully through the water in search of sealed Tootsie Rolls. Sedgwick County Zoo's continually evolving exhibits showcase cuddlesome creatures from diverse regions including Asia, Africa, and South America.

Mosley Street Melodrama, which brings life to the tradition of dramatic exaggeration, is Wichita’s only audience-participation dinner theater. Arm yourself with enough snark, wit, and emotional breakdowns to cheer facetiously as the villain saves the day; the productions are designed to incorporate audience cheers, boos, and flying fruit while rowdy, wholesome humor makes the entire family guffaw. After doors open at 6 p.m., theater buffs fuel their laughing machines with an all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet provided by Pig In! Pig Out! BBQ. Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, sumptuous side dishes, and coffee or iced tea are available, along with vegetarian options if requested in advance. A bar with specialty drinks, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages is also available.

With its grand reopening in 2005, the Louise C. Murdock Theatre married the technological trappings of a modern cinema to its historic, 80-year-old interior. The theater’s original frescoes and iridescent, art-deco chandelier greet guests as they make their way toward a single 25'x16' screen. Framed by lush red curtains, the digital canvas displays images from a digital projector with high-definition capabilities, accompanied by the boisterous booms of Dolby surround sound. The theater screens a diverse calendar of cinematic fare, including limited-release arthouse films and classic foreign cinema augmented by popcorn and other epicurean goodies from the full concession stand stocked with snacks, alcohol, and more. The Murdock also proudly projects simulcast and prerecorded productions through partnerships with The Metropolitan Opera and the National Theatre, transporting international stage performances to the Murdock without the hassle of getting sandbags through customs.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor Marcio Laselva has a wealth of championships and nine years of teaching experience under his second-degree black belt. He helps his students hone their bodies and minds into sleek, sinewy machines with the help of a qualified and experienced team of instructors, which includes ISKA World Champion kickboxer Marcio Navarro. Far from being just a dojo for training hard-hitting fighters, the 20,000-square-foot, family-friendly gym helps athletes achieve all sorts of objectives, whether decreasing stress levels with calming yoga classes or learning to beat up the ocean with karate courses.

An intense yet addictive fighter fitness regimen lets laymen and women tone and build their bodies like MMA warriors, while capoeira classes seamlessly combine music, dance, and martial arts. Students learn a wide range of disciplines within the gym's welcoming walls, including the art of the fist and foot in tae kwon do lessons and master’s degrees in the sweet science with classes from 47-year boxing vet Johnny "Coach" Papin.