The 3-star rating is in large part due to safety concerns in this venue, as parts of the interior…read moreare stunning, and the film festival held there was entertaining and pleasantly educational. This beautiful old building is surrounded by scaffolding so you can't really see its architecture, but I didn't see any renovation happening outside or inside, where the walls are covered with gorgeous murals, other detailed artistic painting, and intricate hanging light fixtures. The old-but-comfortable theater-style balcony seats are covered with red velvety fabric. It's a visual feast. However, renovation inside is massively needed, especially for safety concerns. When the lights were turned out for the films it was almost pitch black, with no modern-day dim "safety lighting"...not even enough to navigate if you needed to. And right in front of each balcony seats there's flooring maybe 1' deep for your feet to rest on (not enough), which then drops precipitiously almost another 1' to the next level of floor that you need to reach to walk in or out of the row! While this creates a clear view of the stage for every row of seating, it's very dangerous. To get into the row you need to step down to the lower section to walk across but there's nothing to hold onto except the arm of the seat on the end, and I needed the help of the willing hand of the kind person seated there to feel safe. The stairs to the balcony could accommodate 3 to 4 people across, but you have to be on the outer edge to have a hand railing. One woman tripped at the top of the stairs to the balcony and slammed very hard into the backs of our seats, and her popcorn rained down everywhere, including on us. I don't remember how wide the space is between that last step and the seats, but it seems there wasn't enough, or much demarcation visible between the last step and the floor. We were all rattled by the impact, the noise, and the popcorn, but she was able to get up with help and get to her seat. I'm do remember thinking it would be easy to fall there, and I was glad I wasn't the one who did! The main level has no fixed seats, just very uncomfortable-looking wooden chairs set up in rows. That didn't seem like a good time during a 3-hour film festival! There were two pretty decent bathrooms available on the that floor, and I was told there was one on the balcony level, but I couldn't see it. However, I wouldn't have even tried to navigate from the dangerous seating set-up in the dark to get to any bathroom! The only open concession area was on the main level, in a small dark niche, and unlike modern theaters, there was no food, just beverages (including cocktails), candy and popcorn. The high prices on those were the most modern thing in the building! The eight or so short films in the festival were all human-interest stories of one or more persons and their interactions with and adventures in nature. All were inspiring and interesting, all had some scenic nature and landscape views, and I think all included water elements. But none were quite what I expected, as I had learned about the "Wild & Scenic Film Festival" at a viewing of the stunning panoramic "Wings Over Water" on the Extreme Screen in Union Station in KC a few nights before. Wild and scenic nature at its finest! This fundraiser for nature and environmental causes was well put-together and organized by volunteers, and I think very successful, because as far as I could see, the theater was packed, and many people had attended it for years! Water One was the main sponsor, joined by many other generous partners. Raffle tickets were sold for one lucky person to win a large kayak, and everyone received a free ticket for a prize raffle with a plethora of good items, including several wooden bird and bat houses, nature-and-on-the-water clothing items, quality t-shirts and water bottles, and many more worthy prizes winners could choose from. I was one of many lucky free ticket holders, and very happy with my surprise gift bag containing a soft "There is no lemonade without water" t-shirt, a WaterOne recycled plastic bottle that claimed it "kept 1,085 plastic bottles out of the environment," and a small zippered clip-on pouch full of First Aid essentials!

Many good memories at Liberty Hall over the decades, but if I'm keeping it real, there are better…read moreplaces to catch a show. In college, we used to rent movies here where you could find a collection unlike anywhere else. I saw movies here, using a phone flashlight to navigate the pitch black upstairs seating. I saw shows here, and the location on Mass is second to none. Came up a few weeks back and it felt good to be back here, but also.. sweatier than I remember? The place was packed and it was almost impossible to move. The sound from the band was AWFUL, I wondered if it was all the mixing board or what. I think the reality is we were under an overhang and it causes the bass to echo and reverberate. The show ended up being pretty decent, but I wasn't loving the vibe necessarily. I think if you are catching something here, getting ticketed seats upstairs is the way to go. All in all, it's fine, but I won't be scrolling the website here to find the next show to see.

Love love love this beautiful Kansas farm. I am updating an older review because I've learned that…read morethey have retired the strawberry fields and picking, which is a bummer. They still do blueberry picking in June, so keep eyes on their socials and website. Maybe it's the Kansas in my blood, but it's really, really beautiful around this farm (much more so than nearby Missouri farms). Rolling hills, green tree canopies, dirt roads and big sky all while being surprisingly close to Lawrence. This farm was such a fun experience to pick strawberries at, and I'll go step-by-step in just a sec, but I have to shout out that I really appreciated the simplicity of this experience. Some of the u-picks and pumpkin patches go overboard with cheesy rides, hastily-made plywood games, etc. Some may love those, I don't always. I prefer to let the nature and friendly people around provide the fun, and Wohletz shines in that regard. Bring cash! That's important and while the berries are priced fairly, you don't want to be stuck with a basket you can't cover. Again, we gravitate to this area a lot anyways, but the rural land around Lawrence really is a special place. I'm just now realizing we drive up this way for strawberries in the spring, trail runs in the summer, pumpkin picking at Schaake's Pumpkin Patch in the fall, and cut a Christmas tree at Strawberry Hill Tree Farm in the winter. Enjoy Wohletz and if you miss their prime picking season, they are also available at the OP Farmers Market on most days!

Beautiful, tasty blueberries. All the people working at the farm are so very kind. A wonderful…read moreplace to be!

Mass Street is full of shops & boutiques in which to stop and part with some of your hard-earned…read moremoney, and Wonder Fair is no different. Well, actually it is, because it's full of cool stuff. Think gift shop + art shop + boutique curio, and maybe that *starts* to describe the space. There are plenty of keepsakes, art supplies, and gift ideas that will run your tab up very quickly. It's all good stuff, mind you, but it's almost like they should have an "I'll take one of everything package". The front of the store is mostly boutique-ish and has a small up and downstairs. You can find gifts for just about anyone, and this is the kind of place where you can stuff stockings or get something unique for that special someone. If you need ideas, then ask one of the staff who are always willing to help. If you need specifics in the art department, then there is a station in the back to help you with various items such as paper types or other supplies. The unique nature of some of the items leads to perhaps some higher prices, but the value is spot on. You're finding gifts, not clipping coupons, so enjoy and shop a little. For everything that you think might be marked a little high, just remind yourself that you probably aren't going to find that in very many other places. And that's the fun of shopping: just browsing when you have the time and maybe the resources, looking at things that you didn't know you were going to find, and in this case, helping a great small business thrive.

This is my kids' favorite store when we visit Lawrence. Mainly to visit the shop cat Dave, but also…read morefor the fun craft options upstairs or sticker selections in the back of the store. They also have the haunted bathroom which is fun although I have to say I've never experienced it. If you need a new shop for unique gifts you should definitely check it out.

Have never been to a pottery studio before so have nothing to compare it to but the classes have…read morebeen easygoing. The instructors are kind and the big doggo is always a joy to see. Probably expect having to do more than one class to completely finish a piece yourself, I usually do a class to start something new and then go to an open studio another day to trim it and get it ready to be fired the first time, and then I'll do another class once it's fired and glaze it, then start something new while I'm there. It's a process but I find it very enjoyable :)

We have been disappointed with our experience here. We took a family class and the instructor was…read moregreat, however wasn't clear what next steps were. After talking with the owner it was made clear that we needed more sessions to get a finished product. I came back today to see what options we had to finish but learned our projects we paid for had been tossed. **disclaimer we are not pottery pros and the owner acted like we should be

Visited Arterra for an event recently--what a beautiful space. It feels uniquely Lawrence in the…read morebest way: modern, inviting, and full of personality. I was just a guest, so I can't speak for the hosts, but from where I stood, everything was spot on. The space was open, easy to navigate, and had that rare mix of elegance and comfort. The food and beverages? Fabulous--no rubber chicken here. If I were planning an event, this is exactly the kind of place I'd want. Stylish, spacious, and effortlessly well-run. Arterra nails it.

On Saturday evening, I attended a wedding here and was beyond impressed with the level of…read moreattentiveness, friendliness of staff, gorgeous decor and delicious food. The inside was elegant and tastefully decorated. They allowed the bride and groom to put their own touches on the wall by hanging engagement pictures and decorations. The ceremony was outside and I was surprised by how comfortable the chairs were. I also appreciated the shade tents they put up to block the sun for the guests. Dinner, drinks and appetizers were delicious. The staff came around to make sure you had everything you needed without being too pushy. This would be a great place to have an sort of event or wedding. I really enjoyed being a guest.

small but mighty. for a small college museum i was very impressed with the collection.read more

Really enjoyed this museum and it's free. Take advantage of a nice experience to see some…read moreinteresting things. The staff is friendly and they validate your parking.

I had been here once when I was in elementary school I believe. There is a parking lot around the…read morecorner but it is very pricey, your best bet is try and find a spot on the street. There is a lot to take in (4 floors worth). There is a large section of fossils that accordingly to the displays were found in KS, which is mind blowing that there were dinosaurs this close near us. I really liked the large collection of taxidermy birds that allows you to see a bunch of the local verity in person. This museum covers everything from fossils, life reptiles, germs and more. It is well worth the suggested $7 donation at the door.

Have visited Lawrence, KS a number of times over the last 18 years and had never gone to this…read moremuseum. Made a point of doing so today, while in town again. It is a very nice museum, with an incredible amount of items on display and presented well. Would recommend it to anyone interested in natural history and such. It is free ... and they do recommend a $7 donation. Donate the $7, it is well worth it.