Entry No. 24 — the Wichita file — filed under: oddities
McPherson Museum & Arts Foundation
A free, 26,000-square-foot small-town gem where a local bank president's obsessions accumulated into something genuinely strange: a full Ice Age Harlan's ground sloth skeleton, the first man-made diamond (created right here in McPherson in 1926, decades before GE claimed the feat), cultural artifacts from around the world, and an African Room built around big-game taxidermy — though the rumored MGM lion skin has been pulled from public display since 2016. Rated the #1 attraction in McPherson with recent visitor reviews through late 2025 calling it a surprising find.
The story
From the curb, this looks like a slick, quiet municipal building on East Kansas Avenue. Inside, it is a 26,000-square-foot vessel for small-town obsession, anchored largely by the manic curatorial hoarding of a local bank president. The haul includes a full Ice Age Harlan's ground sloth skeleton unearthed from Kansas soil, Civil War relics, fine art, and an archaeological wing dedicated to the local Quivira region and Wichita Tribe ancestors.
The crown jewel of obscure local lore sits behind glass: the world's first man-made diamond, produced right here in McPherson in 1926—decades before General Electric tried to claim the historic breakthrough. Keep moving and you'll hit an entire room of big-game African taxidermy. (If you've heard rumors about the pelt of the original MGM lion being on display, don't spend your afternoon hunting for it—the museum discreetly pulled the skin from public view back in 2016). Add in a clattering model train layout and lithographs by regional master Birger Sandzén, and you have one of the state's most unapologetically strange cabinets of curiosities.
What it's like
You pull straight into a free lot off the main east-west stretch through town and step into a sprawling, purpose-built facility where admission costs nothing. The place covers four distinct floors, so don't expect a quick ten-minute walkthrough. Bring sharp eyes for the synthetic diamond—it is so small you will practically have your forehead against the glass—and take your time winding from the Ice Age fossil room down to the upstairs gallery spaces. It's fully indoors, quiet, and typically open Monday through Saturday (closed Sundays), making it an easy hour-long run up I-135 from Wichita on a cold or rainy day before heading a few blocks west into downtown McPherson for food.
The move: Spend a free afternoon working through all four floors — start with the Ice Age fossils and try to find the synthetic diamond display (you may need a magnifier), then wind through the African Room taxidermy and Civil War artifacts upstairs, and finish by letting one person narrate the model train layout while the other browses the Birger Sandzen lithographs; grab coffee or a late lunch afterward at one of McPherson's downtown spots, which is only a few blocks away.
📍 Before you go This is a day trip: McPherson sits roughly an hour north of Wichita up I-135, and the museum is a purpose-built modern facility (opened in the 2010s) on E Kansas Avenue, the town's main east-west corridor, with its own free on-site parking lot — easy to pull right up to. Admission is free, and being fully indoors it's a reliable rain-or-winter option. Plan around the weekday-and-Saturday window, since it's typically closed Sundays (confirm before driving up). Downtown McPherson is only a few blocks west, so park once and walk over for coffee or a meal afterward.
- 📍 McPherson
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1111 E Kansas Ave, McPherson, KS 67460
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Red Barn Studio Museum (Lester Raymer) — Drive 15 minutes north to Lindsborg to keep the eccentric collector energy going inside Lester Raymer's packed, hand-built studio universe.
- Coronado Heights Castle — Head slightly northwest to climb a 1930s WPA stone castle perched over the plains where Spanish conquistadors searched for the Quivira region.
- Strataca - Kansas Underground Salt Museum — Trade the ground sloth skeleton for a 650-foot descent into a 275-million-year-old active salt mine half an hour southwest in Hutchinson.
Good to know
How much does it cost to get in?
Admission is completely free, though donations are accepted at the door.
What is the story behind the man-made diamond?
In 1926, a synthetic diamond was successfully synthesized right in McPherson. The microscopic gem is on display here, predating General Electric's famous 1950s synthetic diamond claims by nearly three decades.
Is the rumored MGM lion skin still on display?
No. While the African Room still holds an extensive collection of big-game taxidermy, the rumored MGM lion skin was removed from public display in 2016.
How much time should I plan for a visit?
Plan for 1.5 to 2 hours to comfortably navigate all four floors, the fossil exhibits, the art collections, and the train layout.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Tripadvisor · Roadside America · uplandexhibits.com
last checked: 2026-06-07