Emporia State museums featured in 2026 Sunflower Summer program

Emporia, KS (06/28/2026) — Emporia State University is once again a featured destination in the Sunflower Summer program offered to Kansas residents by Kansas Tourism.

The program offers free admission to attractions across the state for school-aged Kansas students in pre-K through 12th grade. Kansas families can choose from more than 200 participating locations, including museums, zoos, historical attractions and more.

Emporia State locations include the Schmidt Museum of Natural History, which features approximately 600 taxidermy mounts of birds, mammals, reptiles and fish from Kansas, along with more than 2,500 bird and mammal skins from across the United States. The Schmidt Museum is located in Science Hall Room 043.

The second location on campus is the Johnston Geology Museum, located in Science Hall Room 106. The museum features geological specimens predominantly from Kansas, with highlights including a Cretaceous mosasaur, a giant ground sloth and a mastodon tusk.

Eligible Kansas families can download the Sunflower Summer app to claim tickets to participating venues. One adult receives free admission with eligible students. Tickets are redeemed at participating venues upon arrival. Each user can redeem tickets once per venue during the 2026 season.

A map of the ESU campus is available online at emporia.edu/maps. The ESU venues are closed on holidays and weekends. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The 2026 season runs from July 9 through August 2.

For more information about the Sunflower Summer program, visit SunflowerSummer.org.

About Emporia State University

Emporia State University offers a range of academic programs through its seven schools: Applied Health Sciences, Business and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Library and Information Management and Library and Archives, Science and Mathematics and Visual and Performing Arts, along with The Teachers College.

ESU stands out for its innovative education practices. It ensures accessible education by offering in-state tuition rates to full-time undergraduate students from all lower-48 United States. Additionally, full-time undergraduates benefit from flat-rate tuition - students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours with at least one credit hour on campus pay a flat rate.

For more information on how to build your future at Emporia State University, please visit www.emporia.edu.

Media Attachments