Coronado Quivira Museum

Coronado Quivira Museum — Lyons, Kansas

Kansas Heritage — Coronado Quivira Museum poster
Vintage fire truck parade museum exhibit
Black and white vintage theatrical stage
Museum diorama Iron Age settlement
Storefront window mural covered wagons pioneer history

Old City hall building then and now. The old city hall building was erected in 1916 at 217 East avenue south, Lyons, Kansas.

archaeology of rice county, kansas past/present

Museum interior storage shelving artifacts
Staircase museum storage shelving
Empty museum room interior
Cast iron wood burning stove museum exhibit
Vintage mining cart museum display
Group of people museum gathering event

archaeology of rice county, kansas past/present

Archaeological metal artifacts with scale ruler
Tobias Site Mound archaeological map
Archaeological excavation site
Aerial view archaeological excavation
Ancient ceramic vessel archaeological dig
Chain mail archaeological specimens

Contact Us

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Better yet, see us in person!

Coronado Quivira Museum

105 West Lyon Street, Lyons, Kansas 67554, United States

620.257.3941
Get directions

Hours

MonClosed
Tue10:00 am – 04:00 pm
Wed10:00 am – 04:00 pm
Thu10:00 am – 04:00 pm
Fri10:00 am – 04:00 pm
Sat10:00 am – 01:00 pm
SunClosed

About Coronado Quivira Museum

Our History

For decades, early Rice County farmers found artifacts of a population who lived long ago. Archaeologists and ethnologists later ascertained the artifacts belonged to proto-Wichita tribes who lived in today's central Kansas from the 1300s to the early 18th-century. Lyons news editors Paul Jones and Horace Jones, along with other researchers connected these proto-Wichita to the mythical Quivira sought by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, and ultimately, the establishment of the Rice County Historical Society Coronado Quivira Museum.

Besides our core exhibits, the museum typically hosts traveling exhibits and also showcases museum artifacts in special exhibits.

Join us for ongoing presentations and events! Visit our Facebook page to see what is coming next!

Museum diorama historical settlement exhibit
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado

Spanish conquistador who visited Rice County in 1541

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Quivira

Quivira

Ancestors of today's Wichita tribe living in Rice County from 1425 to 1700

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Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe Trail

Wagons passed along the Santa Fe Trail through Rice County from 1821 to 1871

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Also explore the early days of Rice County

In 1871, the AT&SF Railroad and the state of Kansas organized Rice County. Settlers claimed land along either side of the AT&SF right-of-way that the railroad had been given to build its line westward. Many came from Scandinavia, Germany and the Volga area of Russia. Today, Rice County's economy is based primarily on agriculture and, to a lesser degree, oil, manufacturing, and other commerce. Artifacts pertaining to Rice County can be found in our lower level by our research library.

Vintage early 1900s automobile museum display

Discover Even more with our Online collection!

Coronado Quivira Museum PastPerfect Online

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Voices from the Past: Addie A. Rumsey's 1877 Letter - Part 1

Voices from the Past: Addie A. Rumsey's 1877 Letter - Part 1

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