Discover Lawrence

Discover Lawrence through its nature, art, and urban history. The visiting conditions vary considerably for planning purposes: Baker University Wetlands are open to the public for exploring daily from dusk to dawn, admission to the Spencer Museum of Art is free for everyone, and free parking is available at the Lied Center of Kansas during events. Museums, performance offerings, and the trail network add further highlights. Plan your stay around the topics that interest you, and factor specific visiting conditions into your plans.

Nature, Biodiversity, and Trails

Prairie Park Nature Center is located in a 100-acre nature preserve on the east side of Lawrence. Baker University Wetlands offer another connection with nature: 278 bird species, 98 other vertebrate species, and 487 plant species have been recorded there. The operator may update these figures. The three figures refer to separate groups: birds, other vertebrates, and plants. This provides a more nuanced picture of the recorded diversity than a single combined figure. The wetlands are open to the public for exploring daily from dusk to dawn. This time window is a useful planning detail if nature activities are a focus of your stay.

You can also plan to make outdoor activity a focus of your visit. Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture maintains more than 70 miles of biking, walking, and/or hiking trails, spread across 37 individual trails. The total mileage describes the size of the network, while the number of trails indicates how it is divided; together, these figures provide an overview. Since infrastructure and figures can change, it is a good idea to check the latest information when planning a specific route.

Museums and Art Collections

At the KU Natural History Museum in historic Dyche Hall, several approaches to natural history take center stage: the museum features the famous panorama, a living paleo garden, exhibits on Kansas wildlife, interactive displays, and fossils. Compared with the species figures for the wetlands, the focus here is on museum exhibits and displays—a different way to explore nature in Lawrence.

Admission to the Spencer Museum of Art is free for everyone; no tickets are required. The Haskell Cultural Center and Museum art collection includes works by Native American artists and Haskell University students. These venues offer different cultural highlights: natural history at the KU Natural History Museum, a collection with clearly identified contributor groups at Haskell, and a free museum visit at the Spencer Museum of Art.

Classes, Exhibitions, and Performing Arts

The Lawrence Arts Center brings together several formats: it offers more than 750 classes across all disciplines each year, presents 25 exhibitions in its galleries annually, and stages more than 50 productions in dance, theater, and film each year. These annual totals may change. Classes, gallery exhibitions, and productions represent different ways to engage with art. If a particular format interests you, check the latest program details before planning a visit.

The Lied Center of Kansas gives students and community members the opportunity to experience and engage with performing arts by internationally renowned artists. Its “Beyond the Stage” program includes master classes, conversations, and presentations, providing opportunities to interact with and learn from outstanding artists. These include internationally renowned musicians, dancers, actors, and filmmakers. Program details may change; check event dates if you have a specific interest. Free parking is available in the Lied Center of Kansas parking lot during events. Since parking policies may change, it is a good idea to check the latest parking information before your event.

Local History on Mass Street and in South Park

The 600 to 1200 blocks of Mass Street are listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of Lawrence’s historic district. Most buildings in these blocks were built between 1856 and 1953. These are two distinct historical reference points: the register listing applies to the specified blocks, while the construction period applies to most of the buildings there. South Park has also been part of Lawrence’s history since the city’s early days.

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