Flint Hills Discovery Center 315 South 3rd Street Manhattan, Kansas 66502 (785) 587-2726 18-64: $12  2-17: $7 Military, College Students, Educators & 65+: $10 Tuesday - Saturday: 10AM-5PM    Sunday: Noon-5PM Flint Hills Discovery Center Map

Flint Hills Discovery Center - Manhattan, Kansas

The Flint Hills Discovery Center opened in Manhattan, Kansas in April 2012. Rather than being located in the Flint Hills outside the city, the Discovery Center is the focal point of the South End Redevelopment in Manhattan. The displays are very well done. Much of the museum / learning center is devoted to children, and it is priced to be reasonable for families.

The Carl and Mary Ice Prairie Playscape features themed areas. In Exploring the Land kids can identify prairie flowers, see live animals, and explore wind on the prairie. In Working the Land, we learn how people have adapted to the land with skills like stone fence building and cattle ranching. Sharing the Land shows how the food we eat is produced on the prairie and transported across the country and world.

Multi-media is used through the Discovery Center, including am immersive theater showing a the 15 minute video, "Tallgrass Prairie:
Tides of Time." It is included with admission and plays every 30 minutes at the top and bottom of the hour throughout the day.

The most innovative thing we found was an interactive kiosk at the main entrance to the building. The "Flint Hills Gateway" lets you use a touch screen to plan a visit to attractions and businesses in the Flint Hills, then print or email it to yourself. 

copyright 2012-2026 by Keith Stokes