Your local American Red Cross is in urgent need of blood donations. Step up and save lives! The Watkins will host a blood drive on Tuesday, July 30. To make your lifesaving appointment, download and use the Blood Donor App, call 800-RED-CROSS, or visit RedCrossBlood.org.All donors receive a Fandango Movie Ticket code via email good […]
Join us on Wednesdays in July as Bon Bon holds East Lawrence History Salons at the Cider Gallery, featuring Dennis Domer and guests. Chef Simon Bates and Codi Bates have planned inspired evenings of food, drink, and conversation while raising funds to support the Embattled Lawrence book series. This is a continuation of the first […]
Your chance to own a beautiful piece of Lawrence history! This reproduction print is an early depiction of Lawrence, Kansas, in 1854-55. The framed and matted print measures 41.5 x 29". Tickets are $10 or 3 for $20. Enter as many times as you'd like. All ticket proceeds will go toward the Watkins Collections and […]
Step back in time to the thrilling, terrifying days of the Civil War. Local historian John Jewell will lead you on a downtown walking tour of sites and stories from William Quantrill's devastating raid on Lawrence in 1863, a defining event in the city's history. Tour goers get a free information packet full of maps, […]
Now in its 29th year, Civil War on the Border is Lawrence’s largest annual history event. This year’s theme is the Civil War in art. We’ll have special exhibits, talks with distinguished historians, bus and walking tours, and a display of the "Watkins Mystery Flag." Tickets for paid events are available via the links below. […]
Here is your chance to experience Quantrill's Raid in art, view a rarely seen artifact, and think like a museum curator! Get your tickets here or pay at the door. Art historian and Watkins Director Steve Nowak will provide a behind-the-scenes look at Art of Tragedy: Depictions of Quantrill's Raid. Additionally, you'll be able to view […]
About 75 flags from Kansas' involvement in the Civil War are in the collections of the Kansas Historical Society. Tattered and torn, these irreplaceable pieces of Kansas' past need your help. Boone Dodson, KHS curator, will speak on the long-running project to Save the Flags. Most flags in the collection represent various Kansas regiments, but […]
In their new book Zouave Theaters: Transnational Military Fashion and Performance, Carol E. Harrison and Thomas J. Brown chart the rise and fall of the Zouave uniform, the nineteenth century’s most important military fashion fad for men and women on both sides of the Atlantic. Originating in French colonial Algeria, Zouave fashion spread to America in […]
Our annual memorial service for the victims of Quantrill's Raid will be followed by a new presentation by clothing historian and tailor Eric Smallwood. Using original pieces from the collection of the Merchant Tailor Museum, Eric will discuss the evolution of menswear during the mid-1800s. This talk will be a follow-up to his highly popular […]
Military uniforms, badges, flags, and other material objects have been used to represent the identity of Americans throughout history. In her new book The Fabric of Civil War Society, Shae Smith Cox examines the material culture of America’s bloodiest conflict, offering a deeper understanding of the war and its commemoration. Join us on the Watkins Museum […]
The Watkins Museum offers an exciting way to experience the history of early Kansas! In this unique tour, you'll explore sites in Lawrence that witnessed the stirring events of Bleeding Kansas. This tour involves stopping and walking at three different locations. Those wishing to remain on the bus may do so. Sponsored by the Lawrence […]
Over three million Americans served in the Civil War, including twenty thousand Kansans. Join us in-person and online as historian Will Haynes tells stories of the adventures and harsh realities of soldier's lives. This presentation will quote from soldiers' eyewitness accounts and also feature original Civil War artifacts from the Watkins collection. This event is […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! Our first topic of the year will be "I am a Story" (personal and community storytelling). Topics will be explored using hands-on activities, art projects, and will be multisubject when appropriate. Parents may attend class, or this can be a drop off program. […]
This program will be held in-person and also livestreamed on the Watkins Museum Facebook and YouTube.
Hands-On History is a project-based educational program for middle and high school students aged 11 – 16 years. The program is cumulative and offers students the opportunity to create a unique exhibit display for summer 2025 in the Watkins Community Gallery. Content and lessons are adapted from the Facing History & Ourselves curriculum, and designed […]
