Wichita's culture and horticulture coexist brilliantly at Botanica, the Wichita Gardens. Whether it's the seasonal wonders that draw you in, like the Summer Annual Display featuring of 25,000 flowers, the Butterfly House with it's unique collection of fascinating species, or the Tuesdays on the Terrace outdoor event that features attractions, live music and great company, there's always something blooming at Botanica. And like the flowers that populate it, the results of such cultural cultivation are nothing less than beautifully breathtaking.
The Wichita Grand Opera offers you a chance to see stellar performances like Puccini's Madama Butterfly and local productions like the 10th Anniversary of There's No Place Like Home in a first-class venue that features stunning acoustics and equally compelling production values. You and your date will enjoy getting close to one another while enjoying the operatic masterworks that are unfolding in front of you on your romantic rendezvous.
There's nothing quite like the spirit of healthy competition, and that tradition of playing and playing hard is celebrated at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. The stories of these exceptional athletes are all presented in various exhibits and attractions that highlight both their personal and professional struggles, and that makes their accomplishments in their chosen sport all the more significant. State records, updates on the current activities of inductees and much more await you at this special collection that will equally entertain devoted and casual sports fans alike.
How about taking a really close look at the planets and the stars? The kids will love seeing Saturn's rings through the 16-inch telescope at the Lake Afton Public Observatory. Once you go through the whole Solar System, enjoy some great interactive exhibits and attractions in the observatory's museum area. The exhibits will describe what you just saw through that ultra-powerful telescope in greater detail.