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Spencer Museum of Art
View of the Spencer Museum of Art in 2016.
The entrance in 2016
Former name University of Kansas Museum of Art (1928-1978)
Established 1928; 97 years ago (1928)
Location 1301 Mississippi Street
Lawrence, Kansas 66045
Type Art museum
Accreditation American Alliance of Museums
Collection size ~47,000 objects
Visitors 100,000 annually
Architect Robert E. Jenks
Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
Owner University of Kansas

The Spencer Museum of Art is an exciting art museum located at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. It's a place where you can explore amazing artworks from all over the world!

History of the Museum

How the Museum Started

The museum's story began in 1917. A kind art collector from Kansas City named Sallie Casey Thayer gave over 7,000 pieces of art to the University of Kansas. Most of these artworks came from Asia and Europe. Her goal was to help people in the Midwestern United States learn more about fine arts.

In 1928, the university officially opened the University of Kansas Museum of Art. Thayer's collection was the main part of this new museum, which was located in Spooner Hall. As the years went by, especially in the 1960s under director Marilyn Stokstad, the museum grew too big for its space.

A New Home for Art

In 1978, another generous art collector from Kansas City, Helen Foresman Spencer, made a big gift. Her donation helped build a brand new home for the museum. The new building was designed by Robert E. Jenks, an architect who had studied at the university. He designed it in a classic style using Indiana limestone.

To honor Helen Spencer's gift, the museum was renamed the Spencer Museum of Art. Charles C. Eldredge was the director when the new building opened. Later, Elizabeth Broun worked as a curator and even served as acting director for a short time. Since then, only three people have led the museum: Jay Gates, Andrea Norris, and Saralyn Reece Hardy.

Growing Collections and Renovations

The Spencer Museum of Art continued to grow. In 2007, it received over 9,000 objects from the former University of Kansas Museum of Anthropology. This huge addition included many cultural items from around the world, with a special focus on Native American art.

In 2016, the museum completed a big renovation project. The architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners led this work. They updated more than 30,000 square feet of the museum. They also added two new important spaces: the Stephen H. Goddard Study Center and the Jack and Lavon Brosseau Center for Learning. That same year, the museum received a large grant of over $450,000 to support research. Three years later, they received another $650,000!

More recently, in May 2021, the fourth-floor galleries closed for a second phase of renovations. This phase, also designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, brought new ceilings, lighting, and beautiful oak floors to the galleries. A new 1,150-square-foot space called the Ingrid & J.K. Lee Study Center was also added. This center has special drawers and glass cases to show off larger artworks. These improvements allowed the museum to rethink how they display their collection. The updated galleries reopened in November 2022 with four new exhibitions, showing a wider variety of art and artists. This second phase of renovations was supported by over $4 million in gifts and grants.

Art Collection Highlights

The Spencer Museum of Art is home to more than 48,000 different art objects. These artworks come in many forms and styles. The collection includes a wide range of American and European art, from very old pieces to modern ones. It also features amazing Asian art from different time periods.

Murphy Art and Architecture Library

If you love books and learning, the Murphy Art and Architecture Library is a great place to visit. It's located on the first floor of the Spencer Museum of Art building.

Museum Directors

Here are the people who have led the Spencer Museum of Art over the years:

  • Marilyn Stokstad (1961–1968)
  • Charles C. Eldredge (1971–1982)
  • Elizabeth Broun (1982–1983)
  • Jay Gates (1983–1987)
  • Andrea Norris (1988–2004)
  • Saralyn Reece Hardy (2005–present)

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