New displays,

educational programs and exciting tours make a trip to the museum a great experience for all ages and interests. Want a tour or program? Contact Nona Miller, Curator of Education, for more information about what is available. We’re here to help!

Let's GO!

Summertime is go-time for kids 9-12 with Junior Explorers! The Smoky Hill Museum and Lakewood Discovery Center partner together to offer six engaging, experiential camps. Each camp features a field trip and hands on activities. To find out about a specific camp, or to register, see the Park & Recreation Department's Summer Schedule of Activities.

Plantastic. Monday, June 3 and Thursday, June 6

This is your chance to get your hands dirty while investigating the secret world of plants! Why are they green? How do they breath? Unearth these and other mind-boggling plant facts.

Kawsome Nation. Monday, June 10 and Thursday, June 13

Kansas takes its name from the Kaw, or Kansa people. But how much do we really know? Learn about their homes, language and art. See if you could survive on the harsh prairie, and explore the Kaw Mission State Historical Site.

Going, Going, Gone. Monday June 17 and Thursday, June 20.

Search for answers as to what causes extinction, the animals that we've lost to it and what we can do to help animals survive.

The Educational Lending Library

Check out the newest addition to the Museum’s free Educational Lending Library!

Lions and Tigers and Bears: A Walk on the Wild Side

During the Pleistocene Kansas had its share of frightening and interesting animals including the giant sloth, saber-toothed cat and more. Explore a time of fangs and claws in this visually engaging video. Presenter is Dr. David Burnham with the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute. To learn more about the lending library, including other available videos, see below.

Important information:

Presentations may be checked out for one month with an opportunity for an extension if necessary.

An educational entity is any type of school, from a home school to a university classroom. The presentations shown to educational entities must be shown for educational purposes.

Videos may not be copied in any way.

To use this free service, call the Smoky Hill Museum at 785-309-5776 and ask for Nona Miller, Curator of Education.

Click on a title below to learn more about the presentation, and be sure to visit again as more will be added.

The American Grain Elevator by author Linda Laird.

DC3 by Dr. Steven Rutledge, Atmospheric Science Professor at Colorado State University, and principal investigator for the DC3 project

History of Camp Phillips by Dr. Merle "Boo" Hodges.

History of Schilling Air Force Base by Tim Rogers, executive director of the Salina Airport Authority.

Kansas Train Tales by Kansas author Robert Collins

Oceans of Kansas by Mike Everhart, Adjunct Paleontologist at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History

The Two Greatest Cattle Trails by Dennis Garstang, member of the Wild West History Association.

Understanding the Maya and the 2012 Apocalypse: Fact or Fiction? By Dr. Heather McCrea, Assistant Professor of History at Kansas State University