Help your neighbors in need! Now through January 31, we are once again partnering with the Ballard Center on a winter clothing drive. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM, drop off coats, hats, gloves, and scarves at the bins inside our front and side entrances.
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 […]
Tiny Tours is a popular, free museum series for kids age 3-5 and their grownups. Activities offer a play-based approach to learning and include stories, crafting, and more! Register your child by contacting Education Coordinator Shannon Hodges at [email protected]
One of our most popular events returns! Bring the kids inside for holiday-themed crafts and activities, including the famous WATKINS HOBBY HORSES and the return of a new favorite, the Ellie on the Shelf scavenger hunt. Then grab seats outside to watch the Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade. Featuring craft activities courtesy of:Spencer Museum of ArtDole […]
A holiday favorite returns! From 9 AM-4 PM on December 7, bring the kids to the Watkins to search for little versions of our mascot, Ellie the Electric Car, throughout the building. Then be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card to The Toy Store!
Two large concrete wrens once stood at the entrance to a building at 8th and Vermont Streets in Lawrence. What did these birds represent and what happened to them in the wake of a devastating 1966 fire? Join us on Monday, December 9, to hear a presentation on the history of Bowersock Mills and its […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
Tiny Tours is a popular, free museum series for kids age 3-5 and their grownups. Activities offer a play-based approach to learning and include stories, crafting, and more! Register your child by contacting Education Coordinator Shannon Hodges at [email protected]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
Remember the First Ladies is a groundbreaking book showing the evolutionary role of first lady and its historic importance on the American presidency. The book shines a light on the influential women who broke barriers and made a mark on our country and, at times, our world, during their tenures in the White House. Join us as author […]
We invite you to a special version of the annual "Celebration of William Stafford." This year, the poetry community will gather to mark not only the 111th birthday of famed Kansas poet William Stafford but also beloved local poet Ronda Miller, who recently passed away. Readings by numerous poets will include Stafford's work, Miller's work, original […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
Dr. Blair Schneider, Associate Researcher and Science Outreach Manager for the Kansas Geological Survey, will give an update on the Oak Hill Cemetery Potter's Field Remembrance Project. She'll also discuss research on other cemeteries in the area and how the project uses geophysics to identify unmarked graves. They are working on a story map for […]
Karl Ramberg, a respected local artist for many years, will bring his legendary craftsmanship to the Watkins on February 26. Join us for a one-of-a-kind evening as Karl tells stories of his work on the restored Wren, the KU Grotesques, and other projects and give a live stone carving demonstration! For everyone attending the event […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
Tiny Tours is a popular, free museum series for kids age 3-5 and their grownups. Activities offer a play-based approach to learning and include stories, crafting, and more! Register your child by contacting Education Coordinator Shannon Hodges at [email protected]
As the 160th anniversary of the University of Kansas approaches, there is no one better to celebrate with than KU expert Curtis Marsh! Join us as Curtis shares stories of KU history and traditions from his book KU-Phoria and offers copies for sale and signing. This event will be a slam dunk for KU alumni, […]
Hemp: it's an amazing plant! Melissa Nelson is the co-owner and field research scientist at Performance Crop Research and co-owner of South Bend Industrial Hemp. In connection with the Watkins exhibit Honk for Change, Melissa will discuss the differences between CBD, fiber and grain hemp and bring a variety of hemp products for you to […]
Author Michael J. Travis will tell stories of his lifelong passion: Kansas Baseball! Go back to the late 1800s and the birth of Walter Johnson and George Sweatt, Humboldt kids who played ball at the highest level but in different leagues due to racism. Learn about the sixteen-year-old signed by the Kansas City Athletics, who […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
Tiny Tours is a popular, free museum series for kids age 3-5 and their grownups. Activities offer a play-based approach to learning and include stories, crafting, and more! Register your child by contacting Education Coordinator Shannon Hodges at [email protected]
This year, Library of Congress education specialists are visiting Kansas communities. They're holding free events for community members to discover a variety of the Library’s online collections found at loc.gov, with demonstrations on accessing those collections. The Library is collaborating with local museums and public libraries to host these community events, which include learning sessions on […]
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
The City of Lawrence and the Watkins Museum invite you to the annual Lawrence Earth Day Fair! This free event will happen in South Park and feature lots of earth-friendly crafts and activities for you and your family. Organizations that wish to participate may apply here:
Bring your kids age 5-10 for a class based on local history! 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. Class registrations may be purchased by the school year, September to May, or for individual classes. […]
