Here’s 5 surprising artifacts at the Wichita historical museum. Noontime visits are free
Now through May 30, admission is waived during lunchtime at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main.
You’re invited to bring a sack lunch or pick up takeout from a nearby restaurant, enjoy your food and drink in the adjacent Heritage Square Park and then walk through the museum’s four floors of exhibit space at no charge.
“We want to introduce the museum to downtowners who don’t know about us,” said Eric Cale, the museum’s director. “Additionally, we hope this helps neighboring downtown restaurants lacking outdoor seating by giving everyone a safe outing option.”
Free admission is granted anytime between noon to 1 p.m. on weekdays and 1 to 2 p.m. on weekends through the end of May. Capacity restrictions are still in place but you can call 316-265-9314 for a reservation to guarantee entry.
Wondering what there is to see at the museum?
The collection tops 80,000 objects relating to Wichita and Sedgwick County from 1865 to today — photographs to fashions, business records to furniture.
Here are five artifacts you might be surprised to see on display there:
1948 functioning telephone booth: One of the most popular and interactive displays in the museum is a functioning phone booth on the ground floor near the elevator. Purchased to be a prop in an exhibition on transportation and communication, the booth has remained on display for the past five years and continues to introduce new generations who otherwise haven’t seen a phone booth or operated a rotary dial phone (yes, there are instructions posted).
There’s a phone book from 2013 inside the booth, though Cale said most end up calling the cell phone of a friend or family member standing nearby.
“We even offer a dime at the front desk if you need it to make a call,” he said.
1935 American National Lincoln tandem pedal car: This is just one of the 45 pedal cars in the temporary exhibition “Metal to the Pedal” on display in the Slawson Gallery on the fourth floor through the end of summer. The history of the automobile was reflected through the creation of miniature pedal cars built for children.
See models spanning five decades — from a 1924 fire truck to a 1967 cherry red Ford Mustang — all from the personal collection of Wichitan Bob Guenthner. Among the gems: the 1935 American National Lincoln tandem car, a 1931 Gendron Packard 6-wheel car and a 1934 American National truck that converts into a dump truck, fire truck, wrecker, spice delivery truck or army field ambulance.
Each vehicle in the exhibit is numbered and a printed gallery guide includes corresponding descriptions. Where possible, there are also photographs next to the pedal car showing the full-size vehicle they replicate. You can access the guide as well as videos of Guenthner talking about individual cars at wichitahistory.org.
1932 Ro-Pat-In Electro Spanish guitar: This instrument is listed in a book of 150 most important guitars ever made and was used in the world’s first documented electric guitar performances, surprisingly, right here in Wichita.
Wichita orchestra leader Gage Brewer acquired the first pre-production electric guitars from a California inventor and played them at several performances in Wichita in October 1932. This 1932 Ro-Pat-In Electro Spanish guitar is believed to be one of only five known to still exist from the first production run of the company now known as Rickenbacker International.
The 1932 Electro is regularly on display and will be included in a new temporary exhibition opening May 7. “Turn It Up to 90! — The 90th anniversary of the Electric Guitar and its World Debut from Wichita” will explore Wichita’s connection to the genesis of this most popular musical instrument, featuring dozens of historic electric guitars not usually on display at the museum, including one from Wichita native and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh.
1916 Jones Six Automobile: John J. Jones sold Wichitans Model T Fords as the local Ford dealer, then decided to make his own cars and trucks, starting the Jones Motor Car Company in 1914 at a factory on North Broadway.
The 1916 Jones Six on display in a recreated garage is a seven passenger touring car that is believed to be the only one on public display and one of fewer than 10 known to exist. One of the most interesting elements of the exhibit is the video of news footage from 1979 when the vehicle was rolled onto a flatbed that was then lifted by crane through a removed window to its permanent home on the museum’s top floor.
1890 building: Founded in 1939, the museum has occupied the original Wichita City Hall building since 1980. Cale considers the building, built between 1890 and 1892, the museum’s premier artifact.
“It’s such a standout building, and many communities have lost buildings like this across Kansas,” he said.
Featuring a Richardsonian Romanesque style and designed by architects Willis Proudfoot and George Bird, the building was referred to as the “Palace of the Plains” when completed and you still hear people refer to it as castle-like.
The best place to see anything that resembles the original interior is the third floor mayor’s office exhibition that replicates what the office would have looked like in 1890. But the exterior of the building showcases original features, including a six-story clock tower, round towers with conical roofs at each corner, Roman arches and carved stone detailing. Don’t miss the face carved above the entrance, said to a likeness of John Carey, the mayor in 1890.
If you go
Address: Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main
Museum hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Museum is closed on Mondays.
Admission: free during lunchtime (noon-1 p.m. weekdays and 1-2 p.m. weekends) through May 30, otherwise $5 for adults and $2 for ages 6-12
Information: https://www.wichitahistory.org/ Capacity restrictions are still in place but you can call 316-265-9314 for a reservation to guarantee entry.
This story was originally published April 16, 2021 at 5:01 AM.