Over 60 stories beneath the ground in Hutchinson, Kansas is Strataca, a super unique museum within a working salt mine. Hutchinson is a little over three hours from Kansas City, once known as the “Paris of the Plains,” and Strataca is one of its top attractions. There are few other working salt mines in the world that allow people to visit, so it’s a pretty special experience.
The salt deposits here were discovered in the 1880s, and they’re used primarily for rock salt. They were formed around 275 million years ago, and to help give a sense of the grand scale of this massive geologic formation, it’s got 37,000 square miles of salt, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. And Strataca itself has 150 miles worth of tunnels.
Of course, you won’t be able to explore all of them during your visit to the mine, but there are different options to see some of the coolest parts of the mine. You’ll start by checking in at the above ground lobby, and you’ll get your hard hat, a rebreather (just in case), and watch the required safety video — one of the rules is to not lick the walls. From there, you’ll take a double-decker elevator down 650 feet into the darkness.
Strataca has exhibits on mining history and Hollywood film memorabilia
After a 90-second ride, the elevator opens up into Strataca’s mining gallery, a large, lighted cavern with exhibits on the history of the mine and the salt itself. When you visit, you’re not actually in the part of the mine where the salt is being actively mined, but there’s plenty of evidence that the glittering caverns were once active work sites. Once a piece of equipment was brought into the mine, it didn’t come out, so you can see some of the historic machinery throughout the museum. They also have some of the trash that was left behind by workers over the decades, like empty soda cans, and even half a sandwich, which look like they were just dropped there yesterday. 
It’s 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the mine all the time, so it can be a particularly nice place to visit during summer, when temperatures outside can get well into the 90s. With its temperature combined with its steady humidity of around 48% and protected location deep underground, the salt mine makes for the perfect place to safely store and preserve all kinds of documents and artifacts. That includes film reels, costumes, and props from hit Hollywood movies, some of which are on display. You can see one of George Clooney’s “Batman & Robin” costumes, one of Matt Damon’s “Monument Men” costumes, props from “The Matrix,” “Men In Black,” “Twister,” and more.
What to know about visiting Strataca
Strataca is closed on Mondays and Thursdays, and the base package is their Salt Blast Pass ($25 for adults, $18 for kids). It’s a self-guided experience that takes about 2.5 hours and includes access to the Hollywood displays, mining gallery, and two different rides. One of those rides is the Salt Mine Express, a 15-minute narrated train ride into a part of the mine that was last used in the 1950s. The other is the Dark Ride, a guided 30-minute tram ride, which takes you deeper into the mine, and includes a moment of complete darkness. You’ve never known true darkness until you’re deep underground. You also get a chance to mine some salt for yourself.
They have a couple of add-on options for more time underground. The Salt Safari adds on an hour, and it takes you on a guided ride deeper into the mine. On weekends, you can go on the Lantern Tour, where you’ll get to explore a part of the raw mine on foot. They hold special events throughout the year. Ever wanted to run a 5k 650 feet under the ground? You can do that here. At the holidays, they put up miles of twinkling lights for their aptly named Season of Lights celebration. They’ve also got an event center underground where they host their popular “Murder in the Mine” dinner theater nights. These themed, interactive events are for adults only.
After you check out Strataca, if you’re looking for more unique Kansas destinations, visit Lindsborg, which is America’s Little Sweden. And there’s the fun folk art in the small town of Lucas.
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