Exhibits
Permanent Exhibits
The Riley County Historical Museum has two permanent galleries, the East and Centennial Galleries, consisting of approximately, 2,000 SF of open exhibition space. These exhibits have been carefully curated in-house and showcase the vast and diverse history of Riley County, Kansas, its people, and their ways of life.
“The Land and the People,” located in the Museum’s East Gallery provides visitors with an overview of the rich history of Riley County through displays of historic photographs and fascinating artifacts. You will discover what it was like to be a pioneer on the Kansas prairie as you view exhibitions on early settlers such as Isaac Goodnow who helped develop freedom on the Kansas frontier. Other topics in this exhibition include the history of the Kansa Indians, early settlers, agriculture, and business development in Manhattan.
“Celebrating a Century of History and Heritage: The Riley County Historical Museum,” on exhibit in the Museum’s Centennial Gallery showcases over one-hundred artifacts and photographs significant to the history of the Riley County community. Some of these notable objects include a section of the original seating from the Wareham Opera House, a penny-farthing bicycle owned by Guy Varney, and a hand-carved sunflower clock made from local wood for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.
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Centennial Gallery
Land and the People
Foyer
Temporary Exhibits
Opposite the Museum’s permanent galleries, is a small temporary exhibit space exists, which gives our Curators the opportunity to introduce new and dynamic exhibits more on a more frequent schedule. These exhibits often showcase a special, historic event or landmark anniversary, relevant topics occurring in our community, or general historic topics of interest.
The temporary exhibit currently on display at the Museum is “Faces of Innovation: Medical Pioneers of Riley County.” – Closing in Spring 2024.
From its pioneer days to modern times, Kansas has been a bastion of innovation due to its geographic location and the strong-willed residents who have called it home. Regarding medicine, prolific doctors and surgeons such as Dr. E.L. Pattee, Dr. William Clarkson, and Dr. Belle Little operated state-of-the-art facilities implementing novel treatments that greatly benefited life in the Flint Hills. This exhibit will highlight the accomplishments of these professionals and the changing technology used in their practices.
Current Temporary Exhibits
Past Temporary Exhibits
Traveling Outreach Exhibits
The Museum has a number of small, temporary exhibits installed at a number of locations throughout various Riley County communities. These traveling exhibits typically are on display for 3-6 months before they are rotated out for new content. Below is a list of those currently installed and where they can be visited.
Riley County Courthouse at 100 Courthouse Plaza, Manhattan:
“Faces of Innovation: Medical Pioneers of Riley County Promotional” (Closes Fall, 2023)
If you are interested in hosting one of these outreach exhibits, please reach out to us and submit a request. Requests will be honored in the order in which they are received. We do ask that exhibits be in public space and there is no admission fees charged to guests. Additionally, the Riley County Historical Society & Museum reserves the right to deny any request we feel does not meet the mission of our organization. Please review our mission statement here.
