Once, not
that long ago, a seemingly endless sea of tall grass covered
well over 150 million acres of what is now the central United
States – from Texas to Canada and Kansas to Indiana. Today less
than 4% of the tallgrass prairie remains, and it is here in the
Flint Hills of Kansas and the Osage Hills of northern Oklahoma.
The Flint
Hills Discovery Center celebrates the importance of the
tallgrass prairie, through a presentation of its geology,
biology and cultural history. With 7,000 s.f. of dynamic
permanent exhibits, visitors will learn the importance of this
rare eco-system, its rich biological diversity -- how the first
Native peoples lived here in harmony with nature for 13,000
years, and how Euro-Americans adopted grazing as the principle
economy of the Flint Hills that has essentially saved it up to
today.
The story of
the Flint Hills will be told through permanent interactive and
multi-media exhibits, changing temporary exhibits, a special
high definition theatrical film, and dynamic programs including
classes, workshops, lectures and performances.
The Flint
Hills is a place of subtle beauty, but it continues to face many
challenges. Our goal is to inspire people to celebrate, explore
and care for the Flint Hills now and for future generations –
because we are the custodians of the last stand of tallgrass
prairie in the world.
