Entry No. 80 — the Wichita file — filed under: history
Old Cowtown Museum Overnight Ghost Hunt
Old Cowtown is a 23-acre living-history museum of 54 relocated and re-created 1800s buildings, and after closing it occasionally becomes a guided overnight paranormal investigation. Sessions run roughly 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. with provided equipment, a beginner training class, and access to the buildings flagged as most active, including the Murdock House, the jail, a mortuary, and a church. It runs only on scheduled hunt nights and frequently sells out, so it is waitlist-and-book-ahead rather than walk-up.
The story
By day, Old Cowtown operates as a 23-acre living-history complex in Riverside, packed with 54 relocated and reconstructed 1800s buildings meant to show how prairie Wichita was built. But once the daytime staff lock up and the sun drops, the gates open again for a very different crowd—a small group let in after dark for a guided overnight paranormal investigation.
The hunt runs roughly from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. You start with a beginner training session on how to operate the handheld gear before pulling a kit and fanning out across the complex. The investigation zeroes in on the structures flagged for the highest activity, including the Murdock House, the old town jail, a wooden church, and a mortuary.
You didn't hear it from us, but sitting in pitch darkness inside a relocated 19th-century mortuary at 1 a.m., taking turns asking questions into empty corners, feels entirely detached from a typical museum visit. Without electric lights or daytime chatter, the 23 acres turn into a dead-silent grid of squeaking original floorboards.
What it's like
Expect to arrive before 8 p.m. to check in and hand over collateral—like your phone or car keys per group—to check out your provided ghost-hunting gear. After orientation, you'll spend six hours pacing through unlit 1800s rooms in the dark. Do not count on showing up at the gate; hunt nights are scheduled sporadically, sell out rapidly, and require a ~$20 deposit per person ahead of time.
The move: Spend a late night roaming candleless 1800s buildings with handheld ghost-hunting gear, taking turns asking questions in the dark of the Murdock House.
📍 Before you go Scheduled event nights only and often sold out / waitlist. Roughly 8 p.m.-2 a.m., ~$20 deposit per person, collateral (phone/keys) held per group, equipment provided.
- 📍 Riverside / Central Wichita
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1865 Museum Blvd, Wichita, KS 67203
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Keeper of the Plains Ring of Fire — Watch the fire burn over the river confluence at dusk before slipping into Cowtown's unlit grounds down the road.
- Giant's Footprint at Oak Park — Check out the giant-footprint-shaped lily pond hidden in Riverside's wooded park nearby earlier in the afternoon.
- MoonStone — Browse Delano's metaphysical shop on Douglas for oddities before going on an after-dark investigation.
Good to know
What time does the ghost hunt start and end?
Sessions run roughly from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on select scheduled event nights.
Do I need to bring my own ghost-hunting equipment?
No, gear is provided as part of the event, though you will need to leave collateral (such as car keys or a phone) while borrowing it.
Which Cowtown buildings do you investigate?
The tour grants access to buildings considered hotspots for activity, including the Murdock House, the jail, a mortuary, and a church.
Can I buy a ticket at the door?
No. These events operate on a strict schedule, frequently sell out, and require booking in advance with a ~$20 deposit.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: wichita.gov · hauntedrooms.com · Official site · wichitabyeb.com
last checked: 2026-06-23