Group Tours

At A Glance

  • Group Rate $5.50 each.

  • Student Rate (Thomas Co.) Free

  • Student Rate 6-16: $3 each

  • Student Rate Over 16: $5.50 each

  • Located Near I-70

  • Museum + 7 Historic buildings

  • Gift Shop

  • Open 9-5 M-F, 1-5 Weekends

  • Tours are self-guided

  • To schedule your group visit, please call 785-460-4590 or email business@prairiemuseum.org

Tour Information

Every year, the Prairie Museum hosts group and bus tours from across the region and the greater United States. We would love to welcome your group to book a tour.

All tours are self-guided and at your own pace.

Weather permitting, we accept tours year-round. May through mid-October is our peak season for tour groups.

What to Expect:

The Prairie Museum is located on a 24-acre campus, which includes the main museum building and 7 outdoor buildings with additional exhibits. Our site features the Cooper Barn, the largest barn in Kansas; the Eller House, a 1930’s homestead; the Nicol School, a one-room schoolhouse; the Sod House; the Lone Star Church; the Vacin-Tubbs Barn; and the White Family Harvest Exhibit.

The Prairie Museum features the Kuska Collection, an impressive collection of dolls, glassware, ceramics, toys, coins, furniture, and much more.

Among the most distinctive items on display are a Rochard Doll, one of only 5 complete dolls known to exist; Vaseline glass, which glows in the dark; a Tiffany Lamp; Meissen Ceramics; an Ancient Tear Jar; and many items that tell the story of Thomas County and life in Northwest Kansas.

The Museum Mart, located at the front of the museum, features a large book shop stocked with books by local authors as well as Kansas and Midwestern-themed books. The gift shop has all your gift-giving needs covered with a large collection of toys, household decor, Kansas-made items, jewelry, souvenirs, and more.

The museum’s Garvey Educational Room features local and regional artists. This display changes every 6-8 weeks.

The museum is great for all ages, from children to seniors. We strive to make the museum as wheelchair friendly as possible. Registered service animals are permitted.

We recommend allotting 2 hours to enjoy the whole museum.

All tours are self-guided.

If you are interested in having a partially guided tour of the Cooper Barn, please call or email us with your preferred date and time, and we will check if staff are available to fulfill this request. We have a small staff, so we apologize that we may not be able to fulfil this request at all times.

Location:

The Prairie Museum is conveniently located just off I-70 in Colby, KS. Exit 54 provides the quickest and easiest access to the museum.

This nearby access to I-70 makes the museum an ideal stop while visiting other attractions located along the interstate.

We are also located near KS 25, US 24, and US 83.

The museum is located approximately 1 hour from the Colorado border.

Cost and Payment:

We offer a special rate for group and bus tours.

Group rate is $5.50 per person. Bus driver and tour leader/manager receive complimentary admission. You must call or email to reserve your date/time to receive this discounted rate.

Pre-payment 30 days ahead of your tour is encouraged, especially during our peak season (May- October).

You can also make arrangements to pay upon arrival.

If your group consists of individuals from Thomas County, KS, you are eligible for our Thomas County admission rate.

Special Considerations:

Due to interior space limitations, staffing, and parking requirements for large buses, we can only accept up to approximately 4 buses (120-150 visitors) at one time.

Group tours are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to book at least 2 months ahead of your planned visit.

Friday afternoons are our most commonly booked day and time. We encourage you to consider mornings or other weekdays when planning your tour.

The museum is open 9-5 Mon. through Fri. and 1-5 Sat. & Sun. We are located in the Central Time Zone. The museum is closed Mondays from November 1st through March 31st.

School Tours:

The Prairie Museum features many kid-friendly and hands-on experiences for children of all ages. The Kansas Kid’s Corner features many fun and educational activities. Children can put on a puppet show, take a photo as a character from the American Gothic painting, ride the electric car, ride Sandy the Horse, and operate a model train, just to name a few activities.

There is no charge for students from Thomas County.

Our student rate for those outside Thomas County is $3 for students 6-16. Students over 16 will be given the group rate of $5.50. Teachers and supporting staff/chaperones are given complimentary admission.

Many of our student groups use the Garvey Educational Room or Cooper Barn to enjoy their lunch break. Please inquire when booking your tour if you are interested in using either space.

Children must be supervised during their visit. Please call 785-460-4590 or email business@prairiemuseum.org to schedule a time for your visit.

Ready to Book?

Call us at 785-460-4590 and ask for Macaila or Jenny. Or email us at business@prairiemuseum.org to schedule your visit or request additional information.

We ask that you have your preferred date, time, and approximate number of visitors available when scheduling your tour.