Free or $5-and-under things to do this summer in Wichita
So, here’s a challenge: find summer activities for kids and families that are free or cost $5 or less.
It turns out there are a whole lot of things to do around Wichita that fit the bill. Here’s a sampling:
Museum musings
Wichita has some great museums, and several offer free admission, either daily or on special occasions.
Old Cowtown Museum (oldcowtown.org), a living history museum that shows life as it was in the late 1800s, has free admission on Sundays. Visit on June 8 or Aug. 10 to catch a vintage baseball game.
The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum (wichitahistory.org), housed in Wichita’s early City Hall, also has free admission on Sundays. For a special treat, visit July 20, when the museum will have a free birthday party and ice cream social to celebrate the founding of the city and the county.
The historical museum also offers free workshops on portrait drawing and cursive writing. The portrait drawing workshop, which ties in with the museum’s current portrait exhibition, will be held June 14 and 15 and is recommended for ages 15 and older. Reservations are required.
Once taught in schools, cursive writing is becoming a lost art. Thanks to the museum’s workshops, my grandkids can read and write in this style. This summer’s cursive writing workshops are scheduled for 1-3 p.m. July 15 and 16 for ages 7-12 and 1-3 p.m. July 18 for those 13 and older. To make reservations for the workshops, email edu@wichitahistory.org or call 316-265-9314.
The Wichita Art Museum (wam.org) is free to visit from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays with extended hours until 9 p.m. Fridays. This summer’s touring exhibition features iconic photos made by Gordon Parks. Admission for the latter is free for students and $12 for adults. Admission to the Parks exhibition will be free for everyone on Saturday, July 12.
It’s always free to visit the galleries at Mark Arts (markartsks.com) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. The arts education center also offers free public programming, such as yoga sessions and its monthly Art Together program, held from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of the month. Each themed monthly program features a story time, interactive activities and a performance or other similar activity.
Outdoor arts
Enjoy watching performances in parks or exploring new art sculptures for free this summer.
For a colorful backdrop for a selfie or group photo, check out the newest addition to the Ulrich Museum of Art’s (ulrich.wichita.edu) sculpture collection on the Wichita State campus. It’s a large-scale sculpture in bright neon colors with what looks like a flickering flame that was installed this spring as part of the museum’s 50th anniversary celebration. Another selfie favorite is back this summer, too: Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture returned at the end of 2024 after getting conservation treatment and being mounted on a pedestal. Both are near McKnight Art Center.
This year’s Shakespeare in the Park production is “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” with performances June 6-22 at various parks. According to the company’s website (wichitashakespearecompany.org), it’ll be a “decidedly ‘80s production.”
Wichita’s Metropolitan Ballet will give free 45-minute performances of “The Jungle Book” Wednesday-Sunday, June 11-15. Most performances will be outdoors in Wichita and the nearby communities of El Dorado, Mulvane, Augusta and Maize. For a complete schedule, visit facebook.com/metropolitanballetinc.
Music in the air
You won’t even need to leave your car to listen to the carillon concerts performed downtown at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum. For several decades, organists have climbed the clock tower to play the carillon as part of a holiday concert series. This year’s summer concerts are at noon on Fridays, May 23 (for Memorial Day) and July 3 (for Independence Day). It’s best to park and roll down your windows or find a spot on a nearby sidewalk to enjoy the sounds.
The long-running Summer Concert Series at Bradley Fair (bradleyfair.com/events) remains a popular, family-friendly thing to do on Thursday nights. This year’s lineup features Elton Dan & The Rocket Band on June 5, Lucky People on June 12, The Canterberries on June 19, Josue Estrada on June 26, and Rudy Love & The Encore, followed by a fireworks show on July 3.
Natural and animal attractions
The Great Plains Nature Center (gpnc.org) has several free daytime activities, but for something different, check out its nighttime activities. On the last Thursday of the month, learn about native plants during the hourlong Wandering Wildflower Walk that starts at 6 p.m. You can see outdoors around the center in a new light during its Moonlit Mania event from 9 to 11 p.m. on July 25.
Don’t overlook exploring the nearby Chisholm Creek Park, one of Wichita’s largest parks. Featuring native and restored prairies, wetlands, ponds and woodlands, it’s not your typical city park. Its tree tunnel is a popular backdrop for photos.
See more than 25 species native to Kansas at the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit at 700 N. Nims in Riverside Park — Wichita’s original zoo location. In addition to the daily noontime feedings where onlookers are welcome, three other regular activities are planned at the exhibit during the summer. Storytime readings about animals will happen at 11 a.m. on Fridays, May 30-July 25. Riverside Play Days at 11 a.m. Saturdays, May 31-July 2, feature 30 minutes of nature-related activities. Since beavers are typically nocturnal, the exhibit’s resident beaver will be the featured attraction of Monday night programs in June and July. Called Walka Čhápa, the program will start at 6:30 p.m. For more information, follow the exhibit’s Facebook page (facebook.com/KansasWildlifeExhibit).
Admission to the Sedgwick County Zoo (scz.org) on Tuesdays in July will be $5 as part of its long-running Twilight Tuesdays series. Home to 3,000 animals from nearly 400 species, the zoo is open for extended hours on Twilight Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Movie mania
There are plenty of opportunities to see second-run movies for free or at dramatic discounts.
Exploration Place (exploration.org) has extended its free Riverflex movie series this year to every Friday through Oct. 17 (except for July 4 & Oct. 3) at its outdoor amphitheater. Food trucks and seating are available at 6 p.m.
Several movie theaters are offering discounted days this summer. AMC’s Summer Movie Camp promotion (amctheatres.com/offers) is showing animated films on Mondays and Wednesdays from June 23 to Aug. 13; tickets are $3. Derby Plaza Theater (derbyplazatheaters.com/summer-movies) will feature a different second-run film multiple times weekly during June and July; tickets are $2. Regal’s Summer Movie Express promotion (regmovies.com/promotions/summer-movie-express) runs June 10-Aug. 6; tickets are $1 tickets.
There’s also a free opportunity to watch an iconic, Kansas-related film: The Wichita Art Museum (wam.org) is screening Gordon Parks’ 1969 semi-autobiographical film “The Learning Tree” (Rated PG) at 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 11.
Parks, pools and libraries
Local or state governments make several free or reduced-fee recreation and educational summer opportunities possible.
Check out free attraction passes or things to do at your local library. The attraction passes available through libraries in Wichita and surrounding communities are extremely popular, and sometimes you can put them on hold. The Wichita Public Library sets aside a few passes for the more popular attractions for its “Lucky Day” collection — if you’re visiting a branch and looking for a pass for a particularly popular attraction, be sure to ask a librarian because it might be your lucky day.
The Wichita Public Library also has various nontraditional things that can be checked out, like backpacks with bird-watching items, telescopes, programmable robotics and more. Visit wichitalibrary.org/things for a listing.
Wichita Park and Recreation (wichita.gov/327/Park-Recreation) recently released its mobile app for users to get real-time event updates, register for classes and programs and purchase tickets for swimming pools.
Here are a couple of things to note on the Park and Rec calendar:
Even newcomers are welcome for a free afternoon of tennis during Wichita Park and Recreation’s Party at the Net from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, at Riverside Tennis Center.
Wichita’s public swimming pools and themed splash parks open May 31. Admission is $3 for kids and adults. For those who plan to visit frequently or need multiple tickets, a better deal is to buy a pack of 50 admission tickets for $110 or 25 tickets for $60. Free swim days are offered once at each of the six Wichita public pools, starting with College Hill on May 31 and ending at Aley Park on July 12.
The popular state-funded Sunflower Summer program — where families can get free admission to attractions across the state, is back but it’s been shortened to run from July 12 to Aug. 3, rather than all summer long, because of budget cuts. Participating venues will be announced in June. More info: sunflowersummer.org