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CHANNUTE, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas is home to many interesting and unique museums.
Hutchinson is home to the Cosmosphere and Strataka Salt Museum. The Big Well Museum is located in Greensburg and the Sternberg Museum of Natural History is located in Hays.
Atchison is home to the newly opened Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, and Abilene is home to the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. But what you may not even know about is his Martin & Osa Johnson Safari Museum, one of the most unique museums in the world.
Martin and Osa Johnson were pioneers in filmmaking and nature documentary. In the early 20th century, the couple first traveled with photographic equipment to places such as Africa and the South Pacific, documenting wildlife and indigenous cultures.
Martin Johnson was born in Lincoln, Kansas in 1884 and raised in Independence. He traveled to the South Pacific as cook and photographer for author and adventurer Jack London.
He had met his future wife, Osa, several years earlier when he photographed his brother, and reunited with Osa when he gave a talk about his trip to London in Osa’s hometown of Chanute.
They soon married, and after briefly making plans to operate a movie theater in Independence, Martin convinced Osa to take a filming trip to the South Pacific. This was the first of many films that were hugely successful for the couple.
The couple were the first to photograph many local cultures and animals in their natural habitat. Additionally, he published several books and gave lectures extensively.
Martin died in a plane crash in 1937 while his wife and wife were traveling from Salt Lake City to California on a lecture tour. After his death, Osa continued her work, becoming a film producer, children’s book author, women’s fashion designer and, with the help of a ghostwriter, published a best-selling memoir, “I Married Adventure.”
She died of a heart attack in a New York City hotel in 1953. The couple had no children.
In 1961, Osa’s family opened a museum to preserve the couple’s work. The museum houses memorabilia, photographs, local artwork and items collected by the couple from their extensive travels, as well as her 30-seat movie theater where visitors can watch the couple’s films.
The museum is located at 111 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chanute.Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm
For more information about the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum, please visit their website.
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