Fun for the Family

Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education National Historic Site
Monroe Elementary School
17th & Monroe
Sumner Elementary School
330 SW Western
(785) 234-1030 or 1-800-235-1030
These schools were the focus of the 1954 Supreme Court case, Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education that ended the doctrine of "separate but equal." Both schools are listed as National Historic Landmarks, and Monroe Elementary School is one of the nation's newest national parks.
Gage Park
635 SW Gage Blvd
(785) 368-3700
This 160-acre park is home to the World-Famous Topeka Zoo, the Reinisch Rose Garden, the historic Carousel, the Helen Hocker Theatre, and countless recreational facilities, including tennis, swimming, softball, and volleyball.

Kansas Museum of History
6425 SW 6th
(785) 272-8681
The Kansas Museum of History, located on a branch of the Oregon Trail, features the story of Kansas as told through exhibits, videos, and programs. Visitors can learn about the prehistoric tribes that roamed the plains and the present day people who have made the Kansas plains the breadbasket of the world.

Kansas State Capitol
10th & Jackson
(785) 296-3966
Built in 1866, the Capitol houses Kansas' most famous works of art by native-born John Steuart Curry. The House and Senate Chambers are full of native oak, cherry wood, and marble from Kansas, Italy, Belgium and Tennessee. Guides are knowledgeable about the history and lore of the government.

Lake Shawnee Recreational Area
3137 SE 29th
(785) 267-1156
Lake Shawnee is a man-made, 411-acre lake offering fishing, boating, sailing and swimming. Within the 1,600-acre park surrounding the lake are foot trails, fish hatcheries (for stocking the lake), a golf course, a marina, tennis courts, shelter houses, horseback trails, baseball fields and gardens.

Topeka Zoological Park
635 SW Gage Blvd
(785) 272-5821
Intimate views of nearly 400 animals from all over the world add to the reputation of the Topeka Zoo as one of the nation's finest small zoos. Major exhibits include Hill's Black Bear Woods, Animals & Man (a new Pachyderm Yard), Tropical Rain Forest, Discovering Apes, Lions Pride, and the Children's Zoo & Playground.

Combat Air Museum
Forbes Field
(785) 862-3303
This museum displays operational aircraft from every armed conflict since powered aircraft have been involved. Much more than a collection of aircraft, the Combat Air Museum houses a wide variety of military and aviation-oriented memorabilia.

Historic Wade-Meade Park
124 North Fillmore St
913-295-3888
Historic Wade-Meade Park is as lovely as it is historic, with a restored mansion, a cabin, a train depot, a one-room schoolhouse, and botanical gardens.

Z Bar / Spring Hill Ranch
Route 1
316-273-8494
Offer wagon tours and visits to the Flint Hills.

Golfland / Sunsplash
20005 West 153rd St
913-764-3204
A family-oriented golf and water theme park.