The Etc. Shop

Watkins Community Museum of History

The Watkins Museum anchors the south end of downtown on Massachusetts Street. The three-story red brick building houses exhibits and artifacts of the area's history, including a display on the history of basketball. Current exhibits include "Early Settlement," which details Lawrence as an 1850'

Kenneth Spencer Research Library

Designed for the preservation and use of rare materials, the Kenneth Spencer Research Library, on the University of Kansas campus, provides a home to some of the finest collections in North America. The library houses three major units:

• Kansas Collection ((785) 864-4274)
  Lawrence, KS Research Centers

Eldridge Hotel

Pro-slavery attacks burned the Eldridge Hotel to the ground twice during the years of "Bleeding Kansas." In the 1863 raid on Lawrence, Kansas, the first goal of Quantrill'

Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum

The Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum has a small but rich collection of local memorabilia including exhibits on the original African-American settlements in the area, the "Border Wars" and the Underground Railroad that passed through the area.

Lawrence Arts

Lawrence is proud of its artists, arts institutions, galleries, and alternative art spaces. During the 1990s, Lawrence ranked 12th in percentage of artists in the workforce, according to the National Endowment for the arts; ranked number 15 in John Villani's The 100