Education, Youth & Family Programs
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Overview
Reaching the Next Generation
The Overland Park Historical Society is committed to inspiring Overland Park’s youth by connecting them with their community’s rich heritage. Through partnerships with local school districts and educational programming at Discover O.P., OPHS brings Overland Park’s story to life, helping students understand their community’s past, appreciate its present, and see themselves as part of its future.
School Partnerships
Beginning in 2025, OPHS partnered with the Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley school districts to bring Overland Park history into the classroom. The pilot introduced third-graders to the Strang Line through role-playing with authentic historical artifacts. In 2026, the program expanded to middle-school social studies classes, adding the history of aviation in Overland Park as an engaging new lesson option.
Family Activities at Discover OP
History comes alive when children can explore, discover, and experience it for themselves. At Discover O.P., engaging exhibits and hands-on activities invite children and adults alike to step into Overland Park’s story—and discover why the past matters.
FAMILY FUN DAYS – The last Saturday of each month is especially devoted to families. There are added activities for children of all ages and parents including photo ops with vintage apparel and games.
Field Trips & Walking Tours
Field trips to Discover O.P. let students step beyond the classroom and experience Overland Park’s history firsthand. Through interactive exhibits, artifacts, and stories, students connect what they learn in the classroom with the people, places, and events that shaped their community. Walking tours of historic Downtown Overland Park extend that experience into the community.
And field trips and walking tours are not just for youth. For adults, group outings (especially for residents of senior living communities) and walking tours offer an opportunity to reconnect with Overland Park’s past, bringing memories to life and connecting personal experiences with the community’s larger story.
