Film Screening: Garden City, Kansas

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Life, liberty, and the struggle for America. Join us as we partner with director Bob Hurst on a free screening of his acclaimed documentary, Garden City, Kansas. The film is […]

Free

Author Talk with Margie Carr: “Kansas City’s Montgall Avenue”

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Margie Carr’s Kansas City’s Montgall Avenue: Black Leaders and the Street They Called Home is the extraordinary, century-old history of one city block whose residents shaped the changing status of Black people […]

Tiny Tours: Ways to Have Fun! Amusements in Lawrence

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Each month throughout the school year, the Watkins Museum’s education team offers interactive hands-on activities based on Lawrence history for children ages 3-5 who have not entered school. Tours include […]

Researching Your Ancestors from Scotland and Ireland

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Update: This class is sold out. Thank you for your interest. The first class in our 2023-24 genealogy series. First offered in 2019, this topic is very popular! The presentation […]

$15 – $25

Book Talk: Forgotten Senator Preston B. Plumb

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Senator Preston B. Plumb is little known today, but in his lifetime he was a legend. Plumb smuggled guns for the Free State movement, pursued Quantrill's raiders, and served Kansas […]

Free

Walking Tour of Black Jack Battlefield

Black Jack Battlefield 163 E. 2000 Road, Wellsville, Kansas

Experience the Battle of Black Jack in a walking tour led by legendary 19th century abolitionist John Brown (AKA local historian Kerry Altenbernd). The tour will involve an explanation of […]

Free

Haunting Humanities

Abe & Jake's Landing 8 E 6th St., Lawrence, Kansas

Haunting Humanities--the one-of-a-kind series of presentations, activities, games, and performances during the spooky season--returns to Abe & Jake's! For Haunting Humanities 2023, the Watkins will partner with Bleeding Kansas living […]

Free

Walking Tour: Growing Downtown Lawrence 1850-1910

This walk through downtown Lawrence lets us learn about the early entrepreneurs, architects, social and business leaders who laid the foundation for our city. Just for good measure we'll add […]

Halloween at the Watkins

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Our biggest event of the year returns! Drop by the museum for trick-or-treating and a ghostly scavenger hunt with prizes.

Free

Book Talk: Abolitionist of the Most Dangerous Kind

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

A controversial character largely known (as depicted in the movie Glory) as a Union colonel who led Black soldiers in the Civil War, James Montgomery waged a far more personal and […]

Free

Using Find-A-Grave for Genealogy Research

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

In this new class, we'll explore this powerful, free website. We'll discuss how to navigate the site to find additional family members and how to collaborate with others by adding […]

$15 – $25

Author Talk with Tom Clavin: “The Last Outlaws”

Watkins Museum of History 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS, United States

Don't miss your chance to meet bestselling author Tom Clavin as he discusses his latest book, The Last Outlaws: The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang. Copies will be […]

Free