Old Cowtown Museum Complex

Relive the 1870s at Old Cowtown Museum, a 25-acre, outdoor living history center on the banks of the Big Arkansas River off the Chisholm Trail. Walk the wooden boardwalks to a recreated Old West cattle town. Of the 60 structures on grounds, 27 are considered original, historic buildings. The buildings provide an authentic backdrop for costumed staff to bring history to life for visitors. The Munger House is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Highlights of the 36 exhibits on the Museum’s grounds include historic home tours, working blacksmith, carpentry and newspapers shops, 1880s farm, marshal’s office, law office, church, one-room schoolhouse, general store, clothing store, saloon and cowboy camp. See Wichita’s first jail ( or the “hoosegow” as it was known then). Visit a working farm, circa 1880, complete with longhorn cattle. Authentically costumed history interpreters on the grounds chat with visitors and provide a hands-on, educational experience.

There are 13,003 artifacts in Old Cowtown Museum’s collections. The primary purpose of the collections is to furnish the exhibits in its historic buildings and to demonstrate life in Wichita, Sedgwick County and the Southern Plains during the period of 1865 to 1880. The Museum also has a growing collection of reproductions for the purpose of historical interpretation and demonstration. The historical collection encompasses historical documents and photographs, domestic items, textiles, agricultural items, trades items, scientific equipment and furniture. Our hands-on collection is similar to the historic collection yet most of the items are reproductions or from a later period.