Watkins Museum of History

The Watkins Museum of History in Lawrence, Kansas, will expand digital access to its collections. This project will increase the amount and variety of collection materials available online, introduce new ways to present digital content, and expand the variety of museum platforms that make digital resources accessible to the public. This work will focus on producing at least 10 new offerings. Potential examples include a digital finding aid so that researchers can better access content in the Liberty Press Kansas LGBTQ magazine, an online exhibit to make photos from the historic 1903 Kansas River flood accessible in time for its 120th anniversary, and a distance learning lesson to incorporate World War I propaganda posters and letters into history or language arts curricula. This project addresses the community need for more digital access to the collections that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.