Wunderbar! Lawrence Oktoberfest is finally back, and Watkins staff will be on hand with family activities. We'll have coloring, Turner exercises, a sheet of German phrases, a guide to researching German ancestry, exhibit panels about the Lawrence Turnverein, and a root beet stein hoist for kids! Get your tickets at this link.
Our popular genealogy classes are back! Genealogy expert Alisa Branham will provide clear guidance on how to start and organize your family history research, along with advice on which DNA tests are best for beginners. A handout will be provided, including a list of great how-to books, helpful videos and links to various online resources. […]
Spend an eerie evening at VIBE in Downtown Lawrence playing trivia amongst friends! The trivia game will include six rounds of questions ranging from local folklore to general Halloween and Fall knowledge. It will be a fun and frightening time! Teams must be 3-5 people. A cash bar will be available. The $25.00 fee covers […]
Federal and state census records are filled with useful information for genealogists. Understanding how to interpret and analyze these records is a key skill for building your family tree and learning more about the context of your ancestors’ lives. Alisa Branham's class presentation will show various census examples, including the recently released 1950 US Census; […]
Due to the success of our January 10 Genealogy + Local History Spotlight, we're hosting another one! Researching your house’s history, delving into genealogy, or exploring Kansas’s storied past? Join us to get acquainted with resources for digging into local and family history. Meet Lawrence Public Library staff at the Watkins Museum for an introduction […]
German genealogy research is so complicated, expert researcher Alisa Branham will cover this topic in multiple classes. This introductory class will cover basics and the particular challenges of German history and genealogy record such as locating your ancestors, changing political boundaries, terminology, and reading old German script. A useful handout (or two!) will provided to […]
German genealogy research is so complicated, expert researcher Alisa Branham will cover this topic in multiple classes. This introductory class will cover basics and the particular challenges of German history and genealogy record such as locating your ancestors, changing political boundaries, terminology, and reading old German script. A useful handout (or two!) will provided to […]
DNA is a powerful tool for genealogy research, helpful for confirming your ancestry or identifying family members in situations like adoption. In this class, genealogy expert Alisa Branham will cover the various companies with a primary focus on AncestryDNA, and we will illustrate how to work with the “matches” to your family tree. Case studies […]
In this special three-part exhibit, audiences will encounter the harrowing experiences of Kansans in WWI using first-hand accounts, artifacts, and interactives. The ticketed experience features the traveling exhibit, Life in the Trenches, developed by the Smoky Hill Museum in Salina, KS, with two additional artifact-rich exhibits, How the War Was Told: Propaganda in WWI and Roll of Honor: The […]
Join local historian Jeanne Klein for a tour of historic Oak Hill Cemetery. Jeanne will draw on her years of research to present this new tour on Black Civil War Veterans. The tour will start in section 1 and travel throughout the other historic parts of the cemetery. Please park and meet along the south […]
IMPORTANT UPDATE: All seats have been reserved. Add your name to the waiting list here. Part of the Lawrence Juneteenth Celebration: a new bus tour developed by the Watkins Museum of History. Join us as we travel to three historic sites in Lawrence and learn stories of heroism and tragedy from Lawrence's early days as an […]
Update: This tour is sold out. Thank you for your interest! What was it like living in Lawrence during the New Deal and the Great Depression? As we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Douglas County Historical Society, we invite you to join us on a journey of historical discovery down Mass Street. Experience events […]
