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Topeka is the capital of Kansas, set on the Kansas River in the gently rolling prairie of the state's northeast, about an hour west of Kansas City. Its name comes from a Kansa and Ioway word often translated as a good place to dig potatoes. Founded in 1854 by antislavery settlers, Topeka played a role in the Bleeding Kansas struggle before the Civil War, and it became the state capital when Kansas joined the Union in 1861. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, chartered here, helped the city grow.
Topeka holds a central place in American civil rights history. The landmark 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which ended legal school segregation, began here, and the former Monroe Elementary School is now the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. Today Topeka has about 125,000 residents and a friendly, affordable character, with a revitalized downtown along Kansas Avenue full of murals, restaurants and shops.
The Kansas State Capitol, with its copper dome and famous John Steuart Curry murals, offers tours up into the dome itself. Visitors can also explore the Kansas Museum of History, the Evel Knievel Museum, the Combat Air Museum and the beautiful Ted Ensley Gardens at Lake Shawnee. The Topeka Zoo and Gage Park's rose garden and carousel are family favorites, and the NOTO Arts District north of the river hosts lively First Friday art walks.
The Kansas State Capitol was completed in 1903 and is topped by a copper dome and the Ad Astra statue of a Kansa warrior. Inside are John Steuart Curry's murals, including Tragic Prelude showing John Brown. Free tours include a climb of nearly 300 steps to the top of the dome.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park is in the former Monroe Elementary School, one of Topeka's segregated schools for Black children. Exhibits explain the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that ended legal school segregation. Admission is free, and rangers offer talks and a short film.
Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site recreates a small 19th century Kansas town around the 1870 Ward-Meade house. It includes a schoolhouse, church, general store and depot, along with a botanical garden. The gardens are free to walk, and the buildings open for guided tours.
Great Overland Station is a restored 1927 Union Pacific railroad depot north of the Kansas River, now a museum about railroads and Topeka's role in western settlement. The grand waiting room has been beautifully restored. It sits near the NOTO Arts District, so combine the two.
The Kansas Museum of History is the state history museum, telling the story of Kansas from Native American life through the Civil War era to modern times. Exhibits include a full-size steam locomotive and a covered wagon. It sits on the west edge of Topeka with nature trails nearby.
The Combat Air Museum at Topeka Regional Airport displays about 40 military aircraft from World War I to the jet age, along with engines, missiles and memorabilia. The planes are housed in historic hangars at the former Forbes Air Force Base. Volunteers are often happy to share stories.
Gage Park is Topeka's largest city park, with the Reinisch Rose Garden, a restored 1908 carousel, a miniature train, a swimming pool and the zoo. It is a popular family spot on summer weekends. Visit the rose garden in late May or June when hundreds of varieties are in bloom.
Lake Shawnee is a large lake in southeast Topeka with fishing, boating, a swimming beach, a golf course and walking trails. On its shore, Ted Ensley Gardens offers free landscaped gardens with waterfalls, tulips in spring and seasonal displays. It is a good spot for a sunset walk.
The Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center in Gage Park is home to animals from around the world, including giraffes, orangutans, big cats and a tropical rainforest dome. It is compact and easy to see in a few hours. It works well with the nearby carousel and children's museum for a family day.
The Kansas Children's Discovery Center in Gage Park is a hands-on museum for children with indoor exhibits on science, art and pretend play. Outside, a large nature play area has water features, climbing structures and a treehouse. It is best for kids up to about ten years old.
Downtown Topeka centers on Kansas Avenue, which was rebuilt with wide sidewalks, public art, sculptures and murals. It has local restaurants, shops and coffee shops a short walk from the Capitol. Look for the street art and Evergy Plaza, which hosts free concerts and events in summer.
The NOTO Arts District, short for North Topeka, is a historic area just north of the Kansas River with art galleries, studios, antique shops and small eateries in older buildings. It is liveliest during the First Friday Artwalk each month. Look for the colorful murals painted on the walls.
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