Bismarck Inn

Depot and Visitors Center

During its post-Civil War rebuilding, one of Lawrence's main goals was to establish itself as the railroad hub of the Midwest. In 1882, Union Pacific spent $40,000 buying lots in North Lawrence and announced that it would build a new passenger depot. The 1889

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'

Spencer Museum of Art

Seven galleries display selections from the permanent collection of over 17,000 works of art. Special exhibitions drawn from the collection for touring from other museums are displayed in four additional galleries.

Lawrence Community Theatre

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