What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 8pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Spencer Museum of Art

Name: Spencer Museum of Art
Address: 1301 Mississippi Street, Lawrence, KS, 66045, US
Telephone: +17858644710
Rating: 4.4

Home
United States
Lawrence, KS
Spencer Museum of Art

The Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas stewards a collection of 48,000+ works that represent different types of art from around the world.
(412)

Admission is always free.

09/04/2026

Registration is open for this year's Indigenous Arts Initiative, free, artist-led workshops! 📢

🕊️ Sept. 14-16: Rhonda Holy Bear will lead a hands-on workshop and share a presentation on the relationship between Lakota philosophy and artistic expression.
🎥 Sept. 19: Filmmaker Stacey Rice will share a behind-the-scenes look into working in the entertainment industry, offering practical strategies for advocating for yourself.

The Indigenous Arts Initiative is a partnership of the Kansas Arts Commission, Spencer Museum of Art, KU Film and Media Studies, and the Lied Center of Kansas - Performing Arts Center.

Learn more and register at the link in comments. ⬇️

09/03/2026

Rest in Power, Gloria Steinem, a cultural and feminist icon who passed away September 2, 2026. Steinem fought for women’s empowerment, paving a path toward equal rights and inspiring women all over the world to pursue their own paths. ✊🏼✊🏿

These two photographs portray Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes, co-founders of the Women’s Action Alliance, which amplified the voices of feminist activists and established shelters for abused women. 📸

Dan Wynn
“Body and Soul: Gloria Steinem and her partner, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, demonstrate the style that has thrilled audiences on the Women’s Liberation lecture circuit,” 1971
gelatin silver print
Gift of Esquire, Inc., 1980.0862

Daniel Bagan
“Gloria & Dorothy,” 2013
inkjet print
Museum purchase: Barbara Benton Wescoe Fund, 2018.0225

09/02/2026

Happy birthday to Romare Bearden, born this day in 1911! 💐

Bearden was a multi-faceted artist best known for his collages and photomontages often inspired by personal memories. As a participant of the Civil Rights Movement he was devoted to supporting emerging Black and underrepresented artists.

Romare Howard Bearden
“In the Garden,” 1980
color lithograph, Arches® paper
Anonymous gift, 1980.0198.01

09/01/2026

Academic Programs Coordinator Youngin Arial Kim says working at the Spencer Museum has provided valuable opportunities to interact with the KU community and hone the public speaking and communication skills required for museum work.

“Preparing tours for classes in various disciplines while considering different learning goals has helped cultivate my ability to lead interactive sessions based on close observation of artworks while fostering active discussions.”
— Youngin Arial Kim, PhD student in art history

08/31/2026

Today we’re taking a closer look at the “Ad Astra per Aspera” section of our “Looking After" exhibition. Named after the Kansas motto—To the Stars through Difficulties—this section highlights works related to Kansas or created by Kansan artists. 🌻

In this photograph, Patricia DuBose Duncan features the cottonwood tree. Standing tall, cottonwoods alerted early Kansas homesteaders to water sources as they traveled across land. The cottonwood was named the official state tree of Kansas in 1937.🌳

Patricia DuBose Duncan
“Cottonwood Trees,” 1976
chromogenic color print (Ektacolor™)
Gift of Patricia DuBose Duncan, 1987.0142

08/30/2026

Happy National Beach Day! 🏖️

Take a moment to imagine yourself at this beach. Breathe in the sea breeze, listen to waves lapping against the rocks, and absorb the view of the tree-lined coast. 🌊

Thomas Andrew Nicholas
“Monterey Beach,” 1977
color lithograph
Gift of Hal M. Davison, Class of 1949, 1998.0536

08/29/2026

Happy birthday to American artist Marjorie Schick, born this day in 1941! 🎁🎉

Schick was a jewelry designer and longtime professor at Pittsburg State University in southeastern Kansas. She created large, animated accessories that blur the line between sculpture and jewelry. “Night Bloom” is a pair of painted wood earrings that can be worn or displayed in a wood relief that mimics the form of the earrings. 🫟

You can experience this work in our Michaelis Gallery!

Marjorie Schick
“Night Bloom,” 2003
wood, paint, plastic laminate, stainless steel wire
Gift of Robert A. Hiller, 2017.0122.a-e

08/28/2026

The Spencer’s exhibition, “Street Nihonga: The Art of Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani,” has landed at the University of Hawaii at Manoa! Curators Maki Kaneko and Kris Ercums attended the exhibition opening on August 23. 🛬🌺

The show remains on view in Hawai'i through December 10 before traveling to Japan, reflecting Mirkitani's own transpacific journey.

08/26/2026

Surround yourself with art from the Spencer's collection that relates to sending and receiving mail the old-fashioned way in our Brosseau Center installation "Mail from Home." 📬

Drop in tomorrow (8/27) from 12–3PM to write postcards or send well wishes to someone important in your life. 💌

H.C. Westermann
“Dear Gert (get well card),” 1972
pen, watercolor, wove paper
Gift of Richard M. Hollander, 1987.0083

08/25/2026

We are excited to announce our new, free digital guide available through Bloomberg Connects! 🎧🖼️✨

Our guide features a variety of tours, audio content, and videos to enhance your on-site experience or plan your visit. Access content through the free Bloomberg Connects app or a web browser at the link in the comments.🔗

Address

1301 Mississippi Street
Lawrence, KS
66045

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 8pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	12pm - 5pm
Sunday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+17858644710

Website

http://spencerart.ku.edu/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Spencer Museum of Art posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Lawrence?