Building Buddies at The Flint Hills Discovery Center
2025-09-20 - 2026-01-04 | Flint Hills Discovery Center, 315 S. 3rd St., Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
GRAB YOUR HARD HAT AND PUT ON YOUR SAFETY VEST!

Plan, renovate, decorate, paint, tile, build, and more at the Flint Hills Discovery Center’s new temporary exhibition, Building Buddies, opening on Saturday, September 20. The Building Buddies exhibition portrays a small community where everyone is busy working on their homes. Different characters, “buddies”, invite young children to play, explore, collaborate, create, and learn while improving the neighborhood.
Grab a helmet and a safety vest to wear throughout the exhibition before you:

Organize and plan a house with Peter the Architect
Help Eva brighten up her bungalow inside and out
Build a doghouse for Winston the Bulldog
Help Pipa Longpipe finish renovating her home
Climb and build with Billy the Brick Layer
Construct a chimney to keep the Walltons safe and warm

“Building Buddies is more than just play—it’s hands-on problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity in action”, says Sally Dreher, Curator of Education. “Every paint stroke and block stack introduces kids to the core ideas of STEAM, helping them see how science, technology, engineering, art, and math are all around them. It’s a fun and powerful way to spark curiosity and confidence in the next generation of creators”.
Building Buddies provides an immersive discovery environment that encourages the development of science and process skills at an early age and provides development skills and learning opportunities including large and fine motor skills, imagination and pretend play, logical thinking, and social interaction.
Building Buddies is on display through January 4, 2026. Regular admission rates apply.
Building Buddies was developed by Loodo Exhibits, and touring in partnership with Sciencenter.
Thank you to our sponsors McCownGordon Construction; Tim and Angie Schultz; The Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation; Visit Manhattan; Hamm Foundation; Economy Electric; Bayer Construction and Larson Construction, Inc.; Thermal Comfort Air; BBN Architects, Inc.; and Orazem & Scalora Engineering, P.A.
Learn more at www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/buildingbuddies

Santa Claus Visits at Manhattan Town Centre
2025-11-28 - 2025-12-24 | Manhattan Town Center, 100 Manhattan Town Ctr, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
Capture the Holiday Magic with Santa Claus at Manhattan Town Center

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year at Manhattan Town Center in Manhattan, Kansas — where the holiday spirit comes alive and cherished memories are made. From enchanting décor to heartwarming moments with Santa Claus, every visit is designed to be unforgettable.

Dates: November 28 – December 24, 2025
Location: Manhattan Town Centre, 100 Manhattan Town Center, Manhattan, KS 66502
Event Overview:
Bring your family to capture magical holiday memories with Santa Claus at Manhattan Town Centre! Visits are free, and walk-ups are welcome. Families can also reserve time slots online for convenience.
Santa Hours:
• Monday–Friday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Sunday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Christmas Eve: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Special Themed Events:
• Santa Paws (Pet Photos) – Dec 2 & 9
• School Colors Night (K-State Day) – Dec 3
• Pajama Night – Dec 10
• Storytime with Santa – Dec 16 (TBD)
• Caring Santa (Sensory-Friendly) – Dec 7 & 14, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
For more details or images, please visit our event page:
https://www.thesantapeople.com/manhattan-kansas-santa-visits-manhattan-town-center
