Topeka, Kansas – History and family-friendly adventure meet in this capital city

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The regal Kansas State Capitol building on a winter day

Topeka

This main city has both history and fun things to do with the whole family.

Some say that Topeka, the name of Kansas’s main city, means “a good place to dig potatoes” in the Kansa-Osage language. The city doesn’t grow many potatoes anymore, but it has many museums, restaurants, and events that are all about history, art, and excitement.

 

A Spot in History
Take a walk of the Kansas State Capitol building from 1903 and enjoy the beautiful architecture and murals by the famous painter John Steuart Curry. People know Topeka for the U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which helped end school segregation based on race. To learn more, go to the National Historic Site interactive museum. The Victorian Charles Curtis House Museum (only open by appointment), the Col. John and Mary Richie House (a stop on the Underground Railroad), the Combat Air Museum (with a flight simulator), and the Kansas Museum of History (with an Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe locomotive from the 1880s) are some other great places to visit in the city.

From traditional to international food
Topeka is proud of its wide range of dining choices, which include classic, unique, award-winning barbecue, and well-known chain restaurants. Want to eat something fancy? At the RowHouse Restaurant, which is in a renovated row house from 1876, you can enjoy a prix fixe meal. Blind Tiger is the city’s first microbrewery and is known for its flagship beers and char-grilled “tiger” steaks.

Bring together the arts and adventure
Topeka is a great place for art lovers. The Great Mural Wall, the North Topeka Arts District (NOTO), which has a busy Friday Artwalk, and the Mulvane Art Museum at Washburn University are all must-sees. The Great Mural Wall is a community art project that is inspiring and fun for everyone. To have more fun, go to an event at the Kansas Expocenter, which can be used for many things, or watch a car race at Heartland Park. The Topeka Zoo in Gage Park and the famous Yesterdays Motorcycle Museum are both great places for families to visit.