The McPherson Museum & Arts Foundation occupies a handsome building in the downtown area and covers both local history and fine arts. The history galleries trace McPherson County from its Native American prehistory through frontier settlement and the wheat boom, with a good collection of pioneer-era tools, photographs, and domestic objects. The art galleries rotate exhibits of regional and national artists.
Two exhibits stand out: one on the local origins of synthetic diamond manufacture, and another on the McPherson Meteorite, a sizeable iron-nickel meteorite found in the county in the 19th century that is displayed in the geology section. The museum is a well-maintained small-city institution that punches above its weight. Admission is low; it is closed Mondays.