The 10 Best Museums in Lawrence, Kansas (KS)

December 18, 2021 Alice Mieles

Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County and sixth largest city in Kansas. It is located in the northeastern sector of the state, next to Interstate 70, between the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 87,643. Lawrence is a college town and the home to the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University.
Restaurants in Lawrence

1. Booth Family Hall of Athletics

1651 Naismith Dr Allen Fieldhouse‎, Lawrence, KS 66045-4069 +1 785-864-7050 http://www.kuathletics.com/facilities/kan-booth-hall.html
Excellent
86%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 106 reviews

Booth Family Hall of Athletics

Reviewed By R9368JBdavidw - Tulsa, United States

It's a must see for Fans of KU Athletics. The Booth Family Hall of Athletics is an exceptional Shrine to KU Athletics and is located on the eastern section of the historic Phog Allen Fieldhouse on the KU Campus. There are many, many display cases filled with memorabilia, photos, and hanging displays that pays homage to the great and storied athletic traditions and major successes that is the University of Kansas. Seeing the KU Basketball National Championship trophies is great as are the stories and history displayed telling about those championships, as well as Olympic World Championships won by KU in basketball, track and field athletes throughout the years. KU Athletes and teams in a myriad of sports and their major successes are also on display. The 2008 Orange Bowl Championship trophy in football is one of my favorites! Seeing the story of one of the greatest milers of all time, Jim Ryun is a must see too. Another of my favorites is the story of Dr James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, bringing the game to KU and being it's first coach, as well as the exploits of his teams, and how he and Phog Allen made KU the dominant power of jntercollegiate basketball in the US, and how their accomplishments have kept KU as a true blue blood even in today's game! The Booth Family Hall of Athletics is very well done. If you want to see the actual and "original" handwritten rules of basketball by Dr. Naismith...they are literally about 100 feet North of the Booth Hall, in a building (attached to Phog Allen Fieldhouse) called the De Bruce Center. You can see and read the rules as well as listen to Dr Naismith give an early radio interview about basketball. The recording is the only known voice recording of Dr. Naismith!

825 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044-2657 +1 785-843-0080 [email protected] http://www.phoenixgalleryart.com/
Excellent
90%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 20 reviews

Phoenix Gallery

Reviewed By annieholl313 - Lawrence, United States

If you need a gift or just want to be wowed, stop by and walk through this store. So pretty and well organized. Customer service is excellent. They still wrap packages too!

3. Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum

Dyche Hall University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS +1 785-864-4450 http://naturalhistory.ku.edu
Excellent
59%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 106 reviews

Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum

Reviewed By pixiewyfe - Stillwater, United States

We loved this museum! Stayed a little longer just to see it. Nice variety of fossils, modern biology exhibits and displays. Especially interesting was the live bee habitat they host on the 6th floor. The "donation" felt pretty coerced, even though it was a "voluntary donation", but don't mind supporting venues like this.

4. Watkins Museum of History

1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044-2961 +1 785-841-4109 [email protected] http://www.watkinsmuseum.org/
Excellent
47%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
12%
Poor
3%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 34 reviews

Watkins Museum of History

The Watkins Museum of History tells many stories about the diverse people and events of this area. We have an exciting array of programs and rotating exhibits. Our community room can be rented for events. Our expert staff and volunteers can assist with genealogy and local history research.

Reviewed By MarcJana - Las Vegas, United States

Three floors of interesting local historical artifacts housed in a renovated building more than 100 years old. No forced admission charge, but donations are encouraged.

5. Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics

2350 Petefish Dr, Lawrence, KS 66045-7506 +1 785-864-4900 http://doleinstitute.org
Excellent
59%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 61 reviews

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics

This site focuses on politics and on the life of one of the University of Kansas' most famous alumni, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole.

6. Spencer Museum of Art

1301 Mississippi St, Lawrence, KS 66045-7595 +1 785-864-4710 http://www.spencerart.ku.edu/
Excellent
50%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 74 reviews

Spencer Museum of Art

Reviewed By 497claudettej

The Spencer Museum of Art, located on the KU Campus, is a small but well curated art museum that has a good permanent collection combined with ever-changing selections. Parking at the KU Student Union lot across the street is convenient.

7. Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum

716 N 1190 Rd Bloomington Park, Lawrence, KS 66047-9416 +1 785-783-4420 [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/WakarusaRiverValleyHeritageMuseum/
Excellent
50%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
25%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 4 reviews

Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum

The museum sits on the beautiful banks of Clinton Lake in the Bloomington Park area. It is open to the public from May through September on Saturdays and Sundays or by appointment throughout the year. Occasionally, the museum may be closed during regular business hours on weekends for private events. Please call ahead to confirm open status if you are coming from out-of-town. Visitors enjoy rotating exhibits as well as permanent displays depicting the Early Years of the Wakarusa Valley Communities, One-Room Schoolhouse Education, Agriculture in the Wakarusa Valley, and the Angels of Freedom - Underground Railroad Heroes from the area. The museum also offers group tours and facility rental for small groups.

8. Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area

200 W 9th St The Carnegie Building, Lawrence, KS 66044-2641 +1 785-856-5300 [email protected] http://www.freedomsfrontier.org
Excellent
40%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
40%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 5 reviews

Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area

Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area brings together three important national themes: the settlement of the frontier, the Border War and Civil War and the enduring struggle for freedom. FFNHA is one of 49 national heritage areas established by an act of Congress, but run by a non-profit board of directors. FFNHA has two main displays upstairs in the old Carnegie Library building. The larger display in the Heritage Hall tells the story of the "Kansas Question" and how it developed. The second tells the story of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and how it lead to the Civil War. Also in that gallery, two short-term displays: one on the 225th birthday of the Bill of Rights and the other about how Jim Lane "named" the Jayhawks. Admission is free. There is elevator access to the gallery floor.

9. Wonder Fair

841 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044-2657 +1 785-856-3247 [email protected] http://www.wonderfair.com/
Excellent
43%
Good
43%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
14%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 7 reviews

Wonder Fair

Reviewed By CJLawrenceKS - St. Lawrence Gap, Caribbean

such a cute store with different items. stationary, books, paper, to name a few. I have bought a few items here when downtown.

933 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044-2869 +1 785-764-7510 [email protected] http://www.essentialgoodsks.com

Located at 933 Massachusetts in beautiful downtown Lawrence KS, our shop showcases a variety of handcrafted works created by over 250 local and independent artisans, with the majority of them being local or from Kansas. We feature a rotating Gallery (Sparrow Gallery) and participate in Final Fridays Art Walks in downtown Lawrence the last Friday of every month.

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