Kansans can take their grandchildren to many attractions for free this summer thanks to a program called Sunflower Summer.
Participating attractions include the Cosmosphere, Botanica, Exploration Place, Eisenhower Presidential Museum, Boot Hill Museum and dozens of other museums, state parks, historical sites, theaters and more.
The program, sponsored by the Kansas Department of Education, provides a child and up to two adults with free tickets to the attractions.
The program works through a phone app that can be found and downloaded at sunflowersummer.org. The parent or legal guardian of any Kansas child enrolled in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade can create an account for that child. Grandparents can be added to the account by the child’s parent or legal guardian, but the grandparent must first download the app and register.
And don’t wait too long or the opportunity may be gone. Denise Kahler, a spokeswoman for the education department, said the program is funded through Aug. 15 or until money runs out.
Here’s a complete list of participating attractions:
Art & Theater
History
- Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum
- Boot Hill Museum, Inc.
- Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
- Eisenhower Presidential Library*
- El Quartelejo Museum & Jerry Thomas Gallery and Collection
- Fick Fossil & History Museum
- Fort Larned National Historic Site
- Johnson County Museum
- Kansas Museum of History
- Kansas State Capitol
- Kiowa County Historical Museum & Soda Fountain
- Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum
- Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
- Mid-America All-Indian Museum
- Miners Hall Museum
- Nicodemus National Historic Site
- Old Cowtown Museum
- Pawnee Indian Museum State Historic Site
- Pony Express Barn & Museum
- Sternberg Museum of Natural History
- The Big Well Museum
*Requires reservation online through their website prior to entry with code SUMMERFUN
Attractions & Landmarks
- Cosmosphere
- Curious Minds Discovery Zone
- Evel Knievel Museum
- Exploration Place
- Flint Hills Discovery Center
- Kansas Aviation Museum
- Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
- Lee Richardson Zoo
- Mid-America Air Museum
- Rolling Hills Zoo
- Sedgwick County Zoo
- The Topeka Zoo
- Wright Park Zoo
Nature Areas
- Botanica, The Wichita Gardens
- Cedar Bluff State Park
- Cheney State Park
- Clinton State Park – OK Kids
- Cowley Lake Waterfall
- Crawford State Park
- Cross Timbers State Park
- El Dorado State Park
- Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center
- Fall River State Park
- Flint Hill Trails State Park
- Hillsdale State Park
- Lehigh Portland Trails
- Little Jerusalem State Park
- Lovewell State Park
- Meade State Park
- Milford State Park
- Monument Rocks Natural Area
- Perry State Park
- Pomona State Park
- Santa Fe Trail Center Museum & Research Library
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
- Tuttle Creek State Park
- Webster State Park
Sunflower Summer Family Camp-out
Tuttle Creek State Park, Manhattan, Thursday, July 22nd