Kansas Oil Museum
383 E Central Ave
El Dorado, KS 67042
Summer Hours (Memorial Day – Labor Day)
Tuesday – Friday: 10AM – 4PM
Saturday: 9AM – 5AM
Winter Hours (Labor Day – Memorial Day)
Tuesday – Friday: 10AM – 4PM
Saturday: Noon – 5PM
Admission
Adults: $8.00
Seniors: $6.00
Students 6-18: $4.00
Children Under 6: FREE
The Kansas Oil Museum is features an impressive collection of local land history, petroleum education, equipment, and boomtown structures. The museum does an excellent job at covering the breadth of the petroleum industry in Kansas, from the techniques and tools of oil discovery and collection, to the lives of the workers in the oil fields. Along with historic oil derricks, wells, storage, and signage, the museum yard includes an original lease house, land man office, and boomtown stores.
Oil History in El Dorado, Kansas
El Dorado’s oil activity can be traced back to 1915 when it becomes the first site where an oil field is discovered using scientific / geologic mapping. By 1918, 12.8% of national oil production (9% of global production) is sourced from the El Dorado Oil Field, the largest single field producer in the USA. It’s timely and impressive production lead it to be dubbed “the oil field that won World War I.”
Oil operations continues in El Dorado today. The El Dorado Refinery produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products with a capacity of 135,000 barrels a day. It is located on the southwest edge of El Dorado.
Visiting the Kansas Oil Museum
The Kansas Oil Museum boasts an expansive collection of oil field historic records, artifacts, and educational dioramas. The collection is split between an indoor collection featuring the development of oil production in the region as well as local history. Outside, visitors can explore the 10-acre property featuring oil field equipment spanning the last hundred years as well as a recreation of an oil boomtown and other historic structures.
Kansas Oil Museum Indoor Collection
The indoor portion of the Kansas Oil Museum is opened year round for visitors to learn about the history and science of oil exploration and production. Exhibits include dioramas of oil rigs, drill bits, oil samples, oil field maps, and so much more.
Kansas Oil Museum Outdoor Collection
The 10-acre outdoor area features restored oil field equipment from the past 100 years including wells, rigs, and holding tanks. One corner of the outdoor collection includes a historic oil boom town including a company office, grocery, school house, and more.
