📷 Balon Greyjoy, CC0Cosmosphere
Hutchinson, KS
A space museum with one of the largest collections of US and Soviet spaceflight hardware outside the Smithsonian, including the Apollo 13 command module. Plan at least three hours; it is a surprise stop on the prairie.
The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson began in 1962, when Patty Carey opened the “Theatre of the Skies.” Today the museum displays significant spaceflight artifacts, including the Apollo 13 command module Odyssey (restored on site from 1995 to 1997), the Mercury capsule Liberty Bell 7, which was recovered in 1999, and an SR-71 Blackbird. In 1998 it became one of the first members of the Smithsonian Institution’s affiliate program. Its restoration department, SpaceWorks, has existed since 1979 and restores spacecraft.
The museum also has a planetarium and camps for young space enthusiasts. It stands on N. Plum Street in Hutchinson, in central Kansas. Plan several hours for the exhibits and the planetarium, and considerably longer if you are a space enthusiast.
- Nearest town
- Hutchinson, KS
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 38.0654, -97.9215
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Hot in July–August. Cold, short days in January–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Kansas State Fairgrounds RV ParkMotorhome stopover1 mi from CosmosphereMotorhomesWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Sand Hills State Park CampgroundCampsite5 mi from Cosmosphere
- Hitchin' Post RV ParkMotorhome stopover9 mi from CosmosphereMotorhomes
- LakesideCampsite10 mi from Cosmosphere
- Cheney State Park Wichita Point CampgroundCampsite22 mi from Cosmosphere
- Camp Wa Ja ToCampsite23 mi from Cosmosphere
All campsites in Kansas · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Cosmosphere?
Cosmosphere is in Hutchinson, KS, at GPS 38.0654, -97.9215. It is about 42 mi from Wichita.
Can you camp near Cosmosphere?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Kansas State Fairgrounds RV Park, about 1 mi away; within 25 mi there are 17 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Cosmosphere?
Cosmosphere is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Kansas on the Santa Fe Trail: space museum, salt mine and Dodge City.
What is there to see near Cosmosphere?
Places worth a stop nearby: Strataca (4 mi), Coronado Heights (37 mi), Lindsborg (38 mi) and Mushroom Rock State Park (46 mi).
When is the best time to visit Cosmosphere?
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)