Maxima Precision

While exploring the city, be sure to take time out to visit a true symbol of Wichita. You'll find the Keeper of the Plains monument in the heart of the city, where the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers meet. The statue was erected in 1974 to commemorate the United States Bicentennial.

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center allows visitors of all ages to journey from the earth to the moon. Aside from viewing actual spacecraft that make up the multidimensional exhibits and attractions, you can see rocket demonstrations as well as out-of-this-world features in the IMAX theater. Some of the most influential and pioneering figures are spotlighted in the Hall of Space Museum and other astronomically-themed displays. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop to purchase your very own astronaut costume!

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.

Instead of heading to the cold and impersonal metroplex to catch a new movie, add a touch of vintage class to your romantic evening with your sweetie by checking out a play, a movie or a concert at the Orpheum Theatre. It opened in 1922, and since then, the structure has not only brought entertainment to several generations of audiences, but the building itself has become somewhat of a star in its own right. The 1,300 seat venue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is roundly considered to be a vital part of Wichita's cultural and architectural heritage.