Downtown Wichita - 120 E. 1st St N.

The LUX is set on developing a unique sense of community and place in Downtown Wichita while keeping true to the building's original 1950s character. It's modern, Downtown living—in a city that is in the midst of a great revitalization! Join us.

Become a part of a Downtown community at The LUX.

Downtown Events

"Evita"
Thursday, August 28
Roxy's Downtown

Evita charts the young and ambitious Eva Peron’s meteoric rise to sainthood. Set in Argentina between 1934-1952, the Tony-winning musical follows Eva Duarte on her journey from poor illegitimate child to ambitious actress to, as wife of military leader-turned-president Juan Peron, the most powerful woman in Latin America, before her death from cancer at age 33.

Well-known numbers from Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical masterpiece include “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” “Oh What a Circus,” “Buenos Aires” and “Another Suitcase in Another Hall.”


More Info
Wichita Wind Surge vs. Arkansas Travelers
Thursday, August 28
Equity Bank Park

See the Wichita Wind Surge take on the Arkansas Travelers at Equity Bank Park. 


More Info
The Hidden Beauty of Seeds & Fruits
Thursday, August 28
Botanica Wichita

The Hidden Beauty of Seeds & Fruits on display at Botanica August 4 - October 25.

The Hidden Beauty of Seeds & Fruits displays the carpology collection of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh like never before. Photographer Levon Biss painstakingly examined 3,500 historical specimens to select just 115 for inclusion, highlighting those with the most striking evolutionary adaptations and stories. Many of the specimens date back to the early 19th Century and were collected by the pioneering botanists of their time, including those on the Challenger Expedition in 1872. Throughout history, scientists have used herbaria to help them interpret the diversity of plants and fungi. Crops, poisonous plants, garden plants, medicinal plants, tiny herbs, giant rainforest trees —all kinds of plants and fungi are represented. Herbaria act as ‘libraries’ of plant material and are crucial in helping us to determine which plants grow where and how we can differentiate them. The images presented by Levon allow the audience to appreciate and study these tiny specimens in levels of detail normally only available with the use of microscopes. Using his photo stacking techniques and bespoke camera system, Levon is able to capture unprecedented levels of detail from specimens far too small to view with the naked eye providing us with an insight into an unseen world


The Process
The specimens within this exhibition vary widely in size, ranging from fruits the size of a football, down to tiny seeds just millimeters long. The vast majority of the specimens on display are from the smaller end of this spectrum and therefore required a specific photographic technique called ‘photo stacking’ to capture the level of detail and clarity shown in the photographs. One of the inherent problems with high magnification photography is that it produces a ‘shallow depth of field.’ This means there is very little in focus within the image at any one time. To overcome this, Levon attaches his camera to an electronic rail that he can automate to move forward in tiny increments as low as a few microns between pictures. This creates a large stack of images that are then blended together, retaining only the areas that are sharp to produce a final photograph that is fully focused from front to back. The smaller the specimen, the more magnification is required and therefore a larger stack of pictures are needed to create the final photograph. The smallest images within this exhibition will have been made from hundreds of individual photographs, but it is not uncommon for Levon combine thousands of images to create a single photograph, a process that can take several weeks.


The Hidden Beauty of Seeds and Fruits: The botanical photography of Levon Biss from the collection of The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. This exhibition is organized by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. 
 


Contact Dr. Lynette Zimmerman at (316) 264-0448 or lzimmerman@botanica.org
More Info
Plant & Sip Thursdays
Thursday, August 28
GROW Plant Bar

Every Thursday come plant & Sip!

$2 OFF our signature Cocktails & Mocktails. 

BYOP-Bring your Own Pot, purchase a plant from us & Pot it for FREE at our Plant bar. (Soil only) 


Contact Heather Giesen at (316) 869-7474 or heather@growgiesenplantshop.com
More Info
Barbie You Can Be Anything: The Experience
Thursday, August 28
Exploration Place

Barbie is the ultimate career guide having had more than 200 jobs over the last 60 years. Explore a variety of careers and learn the story of real-life women who broke barriers in their industry. Discover your career with Barbie You Can Be Anything: The Experience!

Exhibit Features

Barbie dolls and their accessories encourage imaginative play. The kind that teaches us no matter our gender, ethnicity, or background, we can make the world a better place by doing work that excites us, challenges us and brings us fulfillment. This exhibit has something for everyone!

  • Snap some photos in the life-size interactive doll box
  • Learn the history of Barbie, featuring Ruth Handler & multi-generational Barbie display
  • Meet the real-life Barbies who paved the way for women and continue to make strides today
  • Step into roles where you can explore a variety of future occupations, like Rock Climber, Fashion Designer, Artist, Chef and more in the You can be anything themed areas

 

Career Exploration

Experience five themed areas to try out activities associated with a wide variety of roles and careers.  Each area will highlight a particular role type: Leader, Problem Solver, Creator, Nurturer, or Adventurer. As you explore, you will see displays celebrating real life role models that fill these roles at their jobs every day as well as Barbie dolls that represent various career options. Try on 15 different careers through role play and hands-on and digital interactives.

  • Archaeologist
  • Artist
  • Beekeeper
  • Builder
  • Chef
  • Doctor
  • Farm Vet
  • Fashion Designer
  • Film Director
  • Pilot
  • President
  • Robotics Engineer
  • Rock Climber
  • Surfer
  • Wildlife Photographer

 

Meet our Role Models

Learn about some of the inspiring role models who worked long ago to pave the way for women, and some continue to break boundaries today.

  • Laurie Hernandez
  • Katherine Johnson
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Amelia Earhart
  • Florence Nightingale

 


Contact Erin Manning at (316) 660-0605 or erin.manning@exploration.org
More Info