Exploration Place

While the city cheered, one lucky duck floated to victory! Thank you to every single person who bought a duck and helped advance STEM programming in Wichita and beyond. An especially large thank you to Parks Family Dealerships-Parks Motors/Parks Chevrolet for being the presenting sponsor of the 2026 Wichita Duck Race!

Exploration Place is searching for a Director of Education to lead the next chapter of science discovery in Wichita. This is a role for someone who lights up at the chance to spark curiosity – a leader who believes science has the power to change how kids see the world, and who can rally a team around that mission every single day. You’ll set the vision and quality standard for everything we do in education: school programs, live science shows, summer camps, public programming, and community outreach. You’ll mentor a passionate team, build deep partnerships with school districts and community organizations, and steward the KDHE-licensed camp programs that are a hallmark of summer at Exploration Place. The right candidate is structured, resilient, and steady in the chaos – equally comfortable shaping long-term strategy and stepping into a classroom when the moment calls for it. If you believe that wonder is contagious and that great science education changes lives, we want to hear from you. Apply today: https://lnkd.in/gfKHfrHu

It takes a lot of science to make a duck float! Recently, our Video Producer, Nate Jones, combined his technical and engineering skills to create a craft worthy of a rubber duck. Check out all of the work that went into getting the perfect shot.

Thank you to our 2026 Death by Chocolate premier sponsors, Baird and Cargill! Their leadership-level support plays a critical role in bringing this event to life and advancing the future of Exploration Place. We’re proud to partner with organizations that believe in the power of curiosity, learning and community. Join them for a night in Oz, March 7: https://lnkd.in/gt-AE2yj

We’re hiring a Marketing Manager to join our award-winning in-house marketing team at Exploration Place during an exciting period of growth. This is a hands-on role with day-to-day marketing work — including email campaigns, social content, website updates, digital advertising coordination and event marketing. You’ll work within a clear strategy and be trusted to execute, refine and improve how the work gets done. If you enjoy creating, publishing and iterating on marketing that reaches real audiences, and want to be part of a collaborative, mission-driven team, this could be a great fit. https://lnkd.in/ggCqXpdD

Join us in welcoming Garion Masterson to Exploration Place as our new Vice President of Experience & Learning. Garion joins us at a pivotal moment. With our adventure playscape expansion underway, we were looking for a leader whose experience is rooted in outdoor, guest-centered environments. Someone who understands how immersive experiences, learning and operations come together to create places people return to again and again. Most recently, Garion served as Managing Director at Field Station: Dinosaurs, where he helped launch and grow one of Wichita’s most recognizable attractions from the ground up. That experience of building something new, evolving it over time and engaging the community in bold, hands-on ways aligns directly with where Exploration Place is headed next. In his role, Garion will lead teams across visitor services, education, food & beverage and retail, helping shape how guests experience the museum and the playscape as we expand our campus and reimagine what learning looks like outdoors and beyond our walls. We’re excited to have Garion join the leadership team and help propel the future of Exploration Place forward.

*NEW FOR 2026* Exploration Place is launching a new way to connect with our guests - and we’re looking for curious, enthusiastic volunteers to help bring it to life. Our new docent and ambassador roles are designed to add something you can’t replicate with signs or screens: real human connection. These volunteers will help turn galleries, gardens and our brand-new outdoor spaces into places where conversations happen, questions are encouraged and discovery feels personal. If you love learning, storytelling or simply helping people have a great experience, this is a chance to be part of something new, meaningful and deeply woven into how guests experience Exploration Place moving forward. https://lnkd.in/gTMdxECu Training sessions will be provided. This opportunity is available to volunteers ages 16 and older. Come join a community of volunteers that makes "working" fun!

We’re excited to celebrate Erin Manning, MBA, Vice President of Marketing at Exploration Place, who has been named a 2026 Women Who Lead honoree by the Wichita Business Journal. This recognition highlights women leaders across Wichita-area organizations, and we’re proud to see Erin’s leadership and impact recognized alongside so many others in our community. https://lnkd.in/gRtN58qU

Congratulations to Adam Smith, Exploration Place President & CEO, for being named to the Wichita Business Journal's Power 50 list for 2025. This honor recognizes influential leaders in Wichita over the past year and celebrates the business community's innovators and decision-makers. Read more about Adam at https://lnkd.in/gaYwtZib

Exploration Place is hiring for the following full-time positions: • Manager of Partnerships & Sponsorships • Assistant Food & Beverage Manager • Exhibit & Facilities Technician And for part-time Visitor Services Associates. Learn more about these positions and apply online: https://lnkd.in/g3KbiFtu