Our museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of Reno County, Kansas, and the surrounding region. Through our exhibits and programs, we offer visitors a chance to explore the past, learn about local culture and traditions, and make connections to the present day. Read more about our current exhibits below.
The “Reno County Is” exhibit highlights important and influential people in Reno County’s history for the last 150 years. The title of this exhibit has two meanings. First, Reno County is made from the collective history of everyone who has lived here. Reno County is because of these people. The second meaning can be thought of as the answer to the question “What county is producing individuals that impact their town, state and country?” Reno County is.
Newly remodeled gallery that allows guests to get a closer look at various models of transportation from a classic Schuttler wagon to a rare 1903 Ford Model A.
The main gallery is currently undergoing major renovations! We are busy creating a space that is optimal for telling the story of Reno County and beyond. Currently on display is an assortment of artifacts highlighting pieces of Reno County history from the 1800s and 1900s. Updates to come on progress.
The Children’s area is the Reno County Museum’s interactive, historical, and fun children’s exhibit. We are updating the children’s area with new and exciting ways to play and learn about local history. A BNSF train, Carey Salt Co. cart, and a Gleaner combine cab are some newly finished play stations. In the combine, children can sit in the driver’s seat and drive! This is an excellent opportunity to introduce children to agriculture. Three new sections in the room are currently being designed and worked on that touch on Hutchinson’s history for interactive play areas. Updates to come on progress. The children’s area is open during normal business hours and closes at 4:45 p.m. each business day.
Check out our Reno County Historic walking tour today! Enjoy walking in beautiful Downtown Hutchinson with the stories of historic buildings and sites at your finger tips. Just visit pocketsights.com or download the app on Google Play or App Store (Apple) set your location and then you are on your way to experience the past through todays eyes. While you’re there, check out some the other Reno County Tours like the Reno County Ghost Towns, Hutchinson Sculpture Tour and the Hutchinson Art tour.
Pat Mitchell was the official historian for Hutchinson. During her life, Pat accumulated over 10,000 photographs and a variety of objects covering Hutchinson’s history. Upon her death in 2001, the collection was transferred to the Reno County Museum. The staff has spent the last several years cataloging and digitized these items. So far, nearly 3000 photographs have been scanned and are currently being hosted on the Wichita State University Servers.
Historic Voices is a program that brings stories to life through video. With the help of the Hutchinson Community Foundation, we were able to create this program for the Reno County Community to tell their stories.
If there is an individual you would like to see featured, please send us a message or email our curator, David Reed at david@renocomuseum.org.
THE RENO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS A 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION THAT IS COMPRISED OF THE RENO COUNTY MUSEUM AND STRATACA-KANSAS UNDERGROUND MUSEUM.
