Open Thursday - Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

There are butterflies of the world with the largest having a wing span of over 7-1/2" The Wings of the Night exhibit displays moths never seen during the day. The beetle exhibit, where you can see beetles with very large horns used in fighting, should be of interest. Many fossils are on display from the large cheek teeth of the Platybelodon, a large elephant like mammal weighing in at 4.5 tons that was common in Kansas 25 million years ago, to the thumbnail size marine fossils. Shells from the sea, is an example of the beauty of what we can find on our ocean floors. Beautiful, one of a kind, crystals and other minerals are on display. A must see is Bill and Janet's National Award winning lapidary art where you can see exquisite butterflies carved from petrified wood of many colors, rock spheres, polished slabs of beautiful fortification agate, and hand made knives of different types of steel, including the beautiful muticolored Damascus, all with semiprecious stone handles. Birds and animals help found out the rest of the displays.

Many displays have historical information on the display such as the old Bison skull. Where did the bison originate, how did it get to America, what was its importance to Native Americans, its rise, fall and finally what we see today?

The museum is loaded with nature books (trees, shrubs, flowers, weeds, insects of all kinds, fossils of the world, beautiful shells, etc) for those that would like to dwell deeper into a particular area.

If you have any interest in nature make sure this visit is on your calendar and come visit Bill and Janet and see their world class exhibits.

From Olpe take US 99 North to Emporia and visit the Johnston Geology Museum at Emporia State University. Located at ESU Cram Science Hall, 14th and Merchant St. Open 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday - Friday & 8:00 am to Noon Saturday (when the university is in session). Admission Free.

From Emporia take 50 west for 2 miles to Girl Scout Road, turn north, go 2-1/2 miles, turn west and go 1/2 mile to Theater Rd, turn right (north) 4 miles to Americus. Stop in at Marlow's Woodcuts, 706 Locust St, follow the signs.

From Americus go north on Main St (Road F) about 9-1/2 miles to Bushong. Bushong is almost a Ghost Town, it is still populated but has a few old buildings on the main street. Continue north to Hwy 56, turn left (west) towards Council Grove. There are a lot of things to see and do in Council Grove. Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park, Council Oak, Guardian of the Grove, Kaw Mission S.H.S., Madonna of the Trail, Neosho Riverwalk, Ten National Park Service Stations, Original Santa Fe Trail, Terwilliger House, Santa Fe Trail ruts and more.

Take Dunlap Rd, SE end of Council Grove, to Dunlap, good article in "Faded Dreams" ghost town book, approx 8 miles. Stay on Dunlap rd going south out of Dunlap approx 2 miles, turn right on DD Ave and take this road to Lake Kahola. Stop and look for fossils. Take FF Ave west from Lake Kahola back to 177 south through tall grass prairie, Cottonwood Falls, Chase County Courthouse, Bazaar (mostly deserted) then back home.