Kansas Art Museums & Galleries

Kansas Grassroots Art

Kansas Art Exhibits - Tragic Prelude by John Steuart Curry
While Kansas is best known as a leader in grassroots or outsider art, Kansas also has several outstanding art museums. All but one of the art museums on this page are free.

The image at the top of this page is a detail from Tragic Prelude, John Steuart Curry's famous John Brown mural in the Kansas State Capital in Topeka. The Capital building has many murals by John Steuart Curry, Jerome Fedeli, and Lumen Martin Winter. The Capital is open Monday - Friday and admission is free.

Kansas has many art galleries and a page devoted to them may be added to KansasTravel.org in the future. For the present time, you may enjoy the many pages devoted Kansas Folk Art or Grassroots Art.

Fredonia, Kansas - The Stone House is an art gallery run by the Fredonia Arts Council. It was built in 1872 and is the oldest house in Fredonia. It has lovely thick walls an woodwork, accented above the front door by stain glass window which was created by an artist in residence. Stone House Gallery - Fredonia, Kansas
Greensburg, Kansas - The 5.4.7 Arts Center is the first LEED Platinum building that was designed and constructed by students. Platinum is the highest rating level for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System.

The 5.4.7 Arts Center is a community arts center intended to raise awareness of fine arts, both visual and performing, make arts accessible to everyone and provide an environment to create and learn through classes, exhibits and performances.

5.4.7 Arts Center -  Greensburg, Kansas
Hay, Kansas - The Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art at Fort Hays University moved to this impressive space in the Old Power Plant building in 2019. The Gallery is attached to the Schmidt Art & Design Center where the works of many artists associated with the university is displayed. You may also see artists and designers at work in the various classrooms and labs.
Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art - Fort Hays State University
Hutchinson, Kansas - The Hutchinson Art Center is operated by the Hutchinson Reno Arts and Humanities Council. The free gallery includes a permanent collection, a changing program of special exhibits and a large gallery of two and three dimensional art which is available to purchase. Hutchinson Art Center Gallery - Hutchinson, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas - The Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art has seven galleries displaying selections from the University of Kansas permanent collection of more than 25,000 works of art. Special exhibitions are displayed in four additional galleries. During the school year, the Spencer offers workshops and art lectures almost every day of the week.

Open every day but Monday, admission to the Spencer Museum of Art is free.

Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art
Liberal, Kansas - Baker Arts Center is in an attractive, former home in a quiet residential area. There are three galleries on the main floor, but all though the Center advertises that it has a large collection that includes original works by renowned artists, the galleries are all devoted to temporary exhibits.

Open Sunday and Tuesday - Friday. Admission to the Baker Arts Center is free.

Baker Arts Center - Liberal, Kansas
Lincoln, Kansas - The Lincoln Art Center is a modest sized art center that has been open since 1993. It has a main gallery which hosts exhibitions by local, state & regional artists (occasionally national exhibits). The Center also hosts community activities, classes, and the Lincoln Arts and Humanities Foundation permanent collection. Lincoln Art Center - Lincoln, Kansas
Lindsborg, Kansas - The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery on the Bethany College campus honors Birger Sandzén, a Swedish born artist and a faculty member at Bethany College from 1894 to 1946. Sandzén Gallery - Lindsborg, Kansas
Lucas, Kansas - The Grassroots Art Center in Lucas, promotes self taught artists from around the state of Kansas, with an emphasis on the folk artists who did most of their work in Lucas. The Center occupies three late 18th Century buildings downtown Lucas.

Open year around, admission $7 for adults.

Grassroots Art Center in Lucas, Kansas
Manhattan, Kansas - The Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art boasts the largest collection of work anywhere by Kansas artist John Steuart Curry with over 900 drawings, sketches, prints, and paintings.

Open every day but Monday, admission to the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art is free.

Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art - Manhattan, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas - The  Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art is a spectacular facility at Johnson County Community College. At 38,000 square feet the Nerman is the largest contemporary art museum in the 4 state area.

Open every day but Monday, admission to the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art is free.

Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
Topeka, Kansas - The Mulvane Art Museum is located on the north end of the Washburn University campus. When we visited the modest museum, it was displaying none of its own collection, just two temporary photograph exhibits.

Open every day but Monday, admission to the Mulvane Art Museum is free.

Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas - The Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University has only 2 small galleries and a couple of hallways. But the Ulrich Museum has a large collection displayed outside: the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection, more than 70 pieces spread across Wichita State University's campus. It includes art by Burton, Jiménez, Moore, Nevelson, Oldenburg, Rickey and Rodin.

Open every day but Monday, admission to the Ulrich Museum of Art is free.

Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State Universty
Wichita, Kansas - The Wichita Art Museum is the largest Kansas art museum. The permanent collection includes more than 6,000 works of art, but large portions of the museum are devoted to traveling or temporary exhibits.

Open seven days a week, the Wichita Art Museum is free on Saturdays.

Wichita Art Museum

Kansas Travel Index page Kansas Travel & Tourism Home

Kansas Art Museum page copyright 2005-2022 by Keith Stokes