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.

First its not a donation its 7 for adults they demanded it at the door…read more You have to pay! lots and lots of stuffed animals and fossils no minerals gems rocks went through it in 15 - 20 minutes tops enjoyed UMKC better

Very cool underrated historical place. If you are wanting to learn about the Civil War or how…read moreAmerica abandoned slavery, this is the place to come to. There's lots of history I could get into but you can learn all beforehand or at the place, as there are several historical signs to check out. I also highly recommend going upstairs where it has been used for meetings. They do have a small gift shop. Be sure to check the hours before coming here. And also, be sure to visit the Democratic Headquarters, which is not far from here in this town.

Sept 2015, while visiting some historical sites in Missouri, we found Lecompton on the map and…read moredecided to check out the Old Capital area of Lecompton. The birthplace of the Civil War since it was drafted in the building there called Constitutional Hall. History: Lecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 625. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861. This time period was known as Bleeding Kansas. Lecompton was founded in 1854 and planted on a bluff on the south bank of the Kansas River. It was originally called "Bald Eagle", but the name was changed to Lecompton in honor of Samuel Lecompte, the chief justice of the territorial supreme court.[8] In the spring of 1855, the town became the capital of the Kansas Territory. President James Buchanan appointed a governor and officials to establish government offices in Lecompton, and construction began on an elegant capitol building. The first post office in Lecompton was established in September, 1855 In the fall of 1857 a convention met in Constitution Hall and drafted the famous Lecompton Constitution, which would have admitted Kansas as a slave state. The constitution was rejected after intense national debate and was one of the prime topics of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The controversy contributed to the growing dispute soon to erupt in civil war. The Lecompton Constitution failed, in part, because the antislavery party won control of the territorial legislature in the election of 1857. The new legislature met at Constitution Hall and immediately began to abolish the pro-slavery laws. The free-staters briefly attempted to move the territorial capital to Minneola, Franklin County, Kansas through a vote, although the resulting bill was later vetoed by Kansas territorial governor James W. Denver, and ruled void by Jeremiah S. Black, Attorney General of the United States. As such, Lecompton remained the de jure territorial capital until the victorious free-state leaders officially chose Topeka as capital when Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861. The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861.

Excellent display of American History of the Air Combat of the US Armed Air Forces. Among the…read moreactual air craft on display there is a vast amount of original aircraft fine art paintings.

Had a nice morning getting my nerd on (visiting family in nearby Topeka) & learning about combat…read moreaviation. Who knew any of this stuff? I did find a plane with Boston roots (101st Tactical Fighter Squadron--The Irish Guard) from "Logan Field" c. 1962. It's scheduled to be repainted to its original markings, complete with shamrock. I also didn't realize Amelia Earhart was born in Kansas. And the irony of putting Rosie the Riveter on a kitchen apron (see the cute gift shop) isn't lost on me! A wonderful outing for history buffs all sorts! Go!

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.

Apart from feminine hygiene products in the Men's room (who are these really for? Imho, if a man is…read morebleeding out of his holes he's got serious medical problems), the museum is a pretty nice place to visit.

Everywhere I visit, I love checking out the local museum of history to learn the regional past…read more Watkins did not disappoint, and highlighted well what a visitor with limited time ought to know about the city's history really well. Perhaps a minor suggestion is the addition of signage that indicates where to start if one wants to explore and learn in chronological order, but I did figure it out and had a really nice time.

We spent at least an hour and a half here and I easily could have stayed longer but we had to move…read moreon. The Watkins Museum is housed in the beautifully restored Watkins bank and mortgage building, itself an important part of Lawrence history. They have some wonderful exhibits about the history of the city and I found the one about Quantrill's raid to be particularly interesting. Lots of fun artifacts and some interactive displays to entice children to take an interest in history too. The price is right--it's free but I would encourage visitors to leave a nice donation.

Maybe I shouldn't came here on a rainy day but this place is really cute. It's handicapped…read moreaccessible too! It's a beautiful, free recreational space that's well taken care of. Beautiful aesthetics and it's really quiet. You could fully explore this place in a few minutes. Great casual visit.

Such a cute spot to wander for a few minutes or meditate. It's a small space so not good for groups…read moreor events.

A quaint rock structure built nearly 170 years ago that originally housed the Democratic party…read moreheadquarters. This was when the Democrats were the pro slavery party and were trying to force Kansas into the union as a slave state. My goodness; how times have have reversed the major party roles over the last century and a half! Ironically Lecompton uses the image of Lincoln in their promotional tourist signs, very strange since Lecompton was the headquarters of his enemy - strange. Thank goodness for the Free Stater Jayhawks to save the day. The building itself is not worth the trip here, but bundled with the Territorial Capital and Constitution Hall, it's worth a 5 mile drive off the interstate or 10 miles from Lawrence.

Orginally opened in 1984, the museum was Closed for three years to Completely revamp the Entire…read moremuseum with exhibits designed by award winning Dimensional Innovations (The Amelia Earhart Museum and Atlas9 are two of their amazing designs), the Kansas Museum of History reopened in winter 2025 and it is amazing! The Why Kansas Gallery acts as the crossroads of the 5 other galleries(plus a special events space) with themes of What Is/Was Kansas, Bleeding Kansas, Connecting Kansas, Making Kansas and Changing Kansas. Sit in a traditional teepee, play engineer on a 1880 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe train (which now has several cars open to explore, several airplanes, and look down into a log cabin from a new elevated ramp... don't miss this! It is easy to miss! Lots of fascinating information on the fight for statehood and freedom, women's suffrage,, civil rights, industries and SO much more plus interactive exhibits(actually smelling the stockyards was a highlight..LOL). Such a rich history. Lots of imaginative play areas for kids inside and out, plus an authentic one room school house and restored Indian mission visible on the nature trail with a swinging bridge. They gave us a scavenger hunt at the front desk that takes you through the whole museum and if you finish it you earn a fun souvenir button or snall toy :) Even if history isn't your thing this museum is vibrant colorful fun and informative and is a true gem and a worthy day trip for any and all.

This sucks. 80% poster boards. Very few actual items being displayed. So much better when downtown…read more Moved west and quality declined severely. Completely redone and so much worse once again. Terrible for kids due to limited displays. No kids want's or can read hundreds of poster boards. Takes about 10-15 minutes to see the items being displayed and a week to read all the posters.

This is museum is an incredible gem! I would have never expected a museum of this caliber in this…read moresmall town. The exhibits are thoughtfully designed. This 1888 Santa Fe train depot interprets railroad history and local history through thematic rooms, some of which are interactive. The upstairs has an old general store, a one-room school (which kids can play in), an old soda fountain, an industry room, a Victorian parlor, and an old farm house kitchen. The downstairs has rotating exhibit space and an experiential exhibit about Bleeding Kansas, as Franklin County was the site of a massacre led by John Brown, which fueled the Civil War. My young son especially enjoyed the large model train layout! Great staff provides an overview of the museum upon entry. There is a modest entry fee. The site is accessible.

Really cool to see somewhere so profound in our history. The sign was being repaired when we went,…read moreand the parking was a confusing but it was a beautiful day and worth the stop.

Ranger Lawson and Ranger Jeff welcomed me from the moment I stopped into this historic building…read more Ranger Lawson directed me towards the exhibits and made himself available if I needed. The exhibits were amazing. The videos and interactive media were all functioning. DYK there were actually five cases that were combined and argued in front of the Supreme Court in 1954, combined they were known as the historic Brown vs Topeka Board of Education that ended segregation of schools in the U.S. in 1954. The Hall of Courage is an interesting exhibit that shows videos of discrimination on both sides. It attempts to mimic the feeling that folks back in the 1950s and the Jim Crow South had to deal with. The building also has a recreation of a kindergarten in Topeka during the 1950. Where teachers believed that play was the highest form of learning. So children could let their minds run free and creativity develop their curious minds. The Legacy Room has plenty of exhibits. I particularly liked the Wall of Courage, that highlight post-Brown heroes, and the Protest in Music exhibit that had songs from Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, to Public Enemy. I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about the case and be on the grounds where the one of the cases originated. This location presents the information well, and visitors cannot help but feel proud about the event.