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Located at the crossroads of the United States, Wichita has grown from an Old West cattle town to the Air Capital of the World.
Early Wichita's heritage is the centerpiece for Museums on the River, a museum district where visitors also experience art, science and botanical life. Old Cowtown Museum opens a window into the days when cowboys brought Texas Longhorns to town via the Chisholm Trail. Just blocks away stands The Keeper of the Plains. The 44-foot bronze statue majestically rises above the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers on the grounds of the Mid-America All-Indian Center, honoring the Native Americans who lived in the region before the arrival of settlers. The district also includes Exploration Place, a hands-on science museum, and Botanica, the Wichita Gardens with 80,500 flowers in 22 gardens covering 9 1/2 acres.
A visit to the Kansas Aviation Museum shows the city's evolution into the Air Capital of the World. Along with a chronicle of the region's aviation history, the museum displays examples of Kansas-built aircraft.
The annual nine-day Wichita River Festival draws an estimated 350,000 people to parades, bathtub races and one of the region's largest fireworks displays. The city’s cultural diversity is celebrated with events such as Cinco de Mayo, the Black Arts Festival, Asian Festival and Native American Pow Wow.
The Old Town red-brick district is an area of turn-of-the-century warehouses converted into businesses, restaurants, condominiums and nightclubs. Regional shopping areas include Bradley Fair and NewMarket Square. Wichita also offers collegiate and minor-league sports, theater and other cultural events.
Phone: 800-288-9424
Website: www.gowichita.com
