Strataca

Strataca, known until 2013 as the Kansas Underground Salt Museum (renamed on June 4, 2013), is a museum in a salt mine in Hutchinson, Kansas. The address is 3650 East Avenue G; older guidebook entries give 3504 East Avenue G. It lies about 650 feet (roughly 200 meters) underground, and a double-deck elevator takes about 90 seconds to descend. On the opening year, Wikipedia gives 1986 at the present location, while its infobox says 2007.

The salt deposit is about 275 million years old, and the mine covers some 980 acres and has operated since 1923. The chambers are 11 to 17 feet high, supported by salt pillars about 40 feet wide; the temperature is about 68 °F (20 °C) at roughly 45 percent humidity. The optional “Dark Ride” is a tram trip through chambers beyond the museum area with a brief stop in complete darkness, where you can fill a bag with salt crystals.

In a non-public part of the mine, a company stores original film negatives and other items. Wikivoyage gives a minimum age of four for going underground. Please check hours and prices in advance (as of October 2026).