Rice County Historical Society
Coronado Quivira Museum
Lyons, Kansas
Explore Our Exhibits
Three Stories. One Place.
Santa Fe Trail
Wagons passed along the Santa Fe Trail through Rice County from 1821 to 1871
Learn moreOur History
About Coronado Quivira Museum
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!
Rice County, Kansas
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.
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Coronado Quivira Museum
105 West Lyon Street, Lyons, Kansas 67554, United States
620.257.3941Get directions →Hours of Operation
| Mon | Closed |
| Tue | 10:00 am – 04:00 pm |
| Wed | 10:00 am – 04:00 pm |
| Thu | 10:00 am – 04:00 pm |
| Fri | 10:00 am – 04:00 pm |
| Sat | 10:00 am – 01:00 pm |
| Sun | Closed |