You may think that there’s nothing to see or do in the midwestern state of Kansas – but you couldn’t be more wrong. After a nearly month-long road trip, I enjoyed an incredible opportunity to visit many of the state’s welcoming and charming small towns and communities. And one of the things that surprised me most – were all of the amazing murals in Kansas.
While all of the Kansas murals I’ve selected for this article stood out to me, there are hundreds of other murals around Kansas that are just as worthy of being on a list. There’s so much talent and creativity behind this public artwork. And for any of the naysayers – seeing all of the murals in places like Wichita, Clay Center, Salina, Geary County, and beyond, definitely made an impact on my personal experience in Kansas.
Having said all of that… here are some of my favorites and where you can find them!
Clay Center
During a recent road trip I accidentally found the murals in Clay Center, Kansas and was completely blown away! This tiny town of less than 4,000 residents is full of incredible artwork including one of the best murals I found during my entire trip through the state.
Sunflower State of Mind was brought to life in 2021. It is gigantic and incredibly impressive. It’s also hard to miss if you’re looking for it. But just in case, it’s located at: 531 Court Street Clay Center, KS 67432.
You can find a link to all of them on the city’s website. (Unfortunately, about a third of them were impossible to photograph since cars were parking directly in front of them the morning I visited.)
Salina
For some of the best murals in Kansas, you absolutely have to check out Artwork Alley in the town of Salina. Located in Salina’s historic downtown, artists have taken over an area between buildings and created some incredible masterpieces!
The alley is located near: 140 S 5th Street in Salina, Kansas. Don’t forget to walk ALL the way around the buildings or you’re likely to miss some of them murals. This one (above) is my favorite showing Kansas native, Amelia Earhart.
One other spot not to miss in Salina is the “Mural at the Mill”. Located at 343 North Santa Fe, this old flour mill has been transformed into a magnificent piece of artwork. The mural by Australian artist, Guido Van Helten, wraps all the way around the mill depicting local children playing a game of ‘Ring Around The Rosie’.
Wichita
Some of the best murals in Kansas can be found in Wichita! Many of the murals are concentrated along East Douglas outside of the downtown area. In fact, once you discover one mural – you’ll start noticing them everywhere up and down the street and along side streets. I spent over an hour just driving around to see how many I could find on my own.
This one intrigued me on the side of a local tattoo shop at 1125 E. Douglas. The artist is Chris Trenary. Another incredible display is the ICT Chalk Talks wall that literally takes over an entire building! It’s so cool. I almost didn’t notice that the windows are covered in paintings as well. It’s located at 111 E. Douglas.
Visit Wichita has an interactive map with most of the murals listed if you want to track them down. The map is a little wonky – so I just wrote down the addresses. But you may have better luck.
Abilene
Abilene may be known as President Eisenhower’s hometown and the world’s largest belt buckle – but the town also has some impressive murals. My favorite find was painted at the Meraki Hair Studio on 3rd Street. (This gorgeous creation was painted by: “Mindy’s Murals” – who is responsible for other notable Kansas murals.)
But you’ll find other great Kansas murals around town that are just as cool including a beautiful buffalo and a Kansas themed postage stamp.
Pittsburg
The southeast college town of Pittsburg has some terrific murals around town! Of course, you’ll find paintings (and sculptures) tributing gorillas – the school’s mascot. However, the best murals in Pittsburg have nothing to do with gorillas at all.
The local tourism office has a brochure if you visit that lists the addresses of all the murals in town. (They said they constantly have to reprint them because so many new murals keep popping up!)
Junction City
You can find murals throughout Geary County, including in Junction City. I found a few that I really liked hiding in the back alleys on Main Street. Including this one that reminded me of my youth – a throwback to Super Mario Brothers! (I even had the theme song playing in my head for the remainder of the day!)
Newton
Some of the best murals in Kansas I found in the town of Newton, Kansas. There were some unique creations that showcased sunflowers, bison, and even The Beatles!
This beauty is located at 100 E. 2nd Street in Newton, Kansas.
Hutchinson
I didn’t make it to Hutchinson but many of my radio listeners suggested the town as a stop for finding great Kansas murals! Their tourism office has a complete website of mural locations.
Leavenworth
The first city of Kansas has its share of murals! This was my favorite – located outside of a comic book store, it’s Spock from Star Trek! Live long and prosper, mural seekers! It’s located at: 720 Shawnee Street in Leavenworth.
If you want to hunt for murals and statues throughout Leavenworth, the city has a guide on their website for you!
McPherson
I found a lot of great Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and even Dr Pepper murals around Kansas. This terrific Coca-Cola mural is located along the side of the historic Opera House in McPherson. It’s tough to see from the street, but not impossible. I had to use the drone to get a nice photo of it.
Fort Scott
If you’re looking for murals in Kansas, you’ll find some good ones in the town of Fort Scott. After you’ve finished touring historic Army fort and exploring the town’s shops and restaurants, be sure to look for some cool murals on some of the walls around the area. This one makes for a great photo, located right downtown.
Galena
While it doesn’t have as many Kansas murals as some of the larger towns around the state, Galena does have a few vintage murals that are worth seeing if you’re driving through on Route 66. There’s a gorgeous Coca-Cola mural in the middle of town, but my favorite is an old (or meant to look old) Pepsi mural that’s still visible on a building down the Main Street.
Have fun checking out all of the beautiful murals in Kansas! I’ve never seen so many murals before in one state!