Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan

First of all, I would like to personally thank Director, Susan Adams for providing me with a lot of helpful information prior to my visit. I’ve wanted to visit The Flint Hills Discovery Center for a number of years, and I’m SO glad that I’ve finally been able to! There’s a film in a small theater that provides guests with a historical background about The Flint Hills. The exhibits are VERY hands on, and are all about the preservation and culture of The Flint Hills. It’s a VERY serene and calming environment, as are The Flint Hills. This would be a great place to bring a group of students on a field trip, and there’s a lot of fun activity sheets for them to engage in. I would also point out that this can also serve as a community center because there’s several rooms available to hold any kind of event. The kids have a great deal of fun on the second level in The Prairie Playscape. If you go up to the third level, that takes you outside to where you have amazing views of The City of Manhattan. On the first level, as soon as you enter, is a gift shop with all sorts of unique Kansas products. The staff are VERY friendly, knowledgeable and can assist you with ALL things Manhattan.

A must visit for all ages! The exhibits are well done and informative on the history of the prairie. The movie is amazing with great visuals and special effects. For us the highlight was the pollinator gardens surrounding the building! Make sure you go up to the 3rd floor for the view and then take the stairs down around the outside to read all about the native plants and see the bees and butterflies at work!