Collections | bkeeganportfolio

/Collections

Collections serve as the heart of all museum functions. These collections are the basis for a successful museum's exhibitions and programming. As curator, I have lead a team of volunteers in increasing the oganization of the collection and the standardization of museum best practices. In turn, the research, exhibition, and educational value of the collection has increased dramatically.

Qunatrill's Raid relics As the central part of Lawrence's historical identity, Quantrill's Raid factors highly in the history on display at the Watkins Museum of History. In organizing for the museum's core exhibition all of these artifacts were rediscovered in collections. They serve as material examples of Lawrence's key historical event.	CORE protest flyer This document is a flyer made and distributed by CORE during a 1948 protest of segregation in restaurants near the University of Kansas campus. Improper storage made the document appear to be missing until it was uncovered during an inventory of accessions information. Now it serves as a fundamental artifact in telling the Civil Rights history of Lawrence, KS and the University of Kansas.	Bread bowl This bowl was brought to Lawrence, KS by a woman escaping slavery in Missouri. Thought to be missing for years, the bowl was found after a thorough search. It now serves as a central part in sharing the African-American perspective of Lawrence's Bleeding Kansas history.
Elizabeth Miller Watkins exhibition The organization and use of the collections has created positive feedback and connections within the Lawrence community. The examination table and head/footboard were donated to the museum in recent years as the strengthened ties between collections and exhibitions caught the attention of potential donors. The folding screen at the back was provided as a loan by a local collector who was pleased with the museum's turn around in care and quality.	Archival storage shelf One of the museum's organized, labelled, and cataloged collection storage shelves.	Watkins Hospital examination chair Examination chair used in the original Watkins Student Hospital on the University of Kansas campus. The hospital was founded by Elizabeth Miller Watkins, a philanthropist who gave money for two scholarship halls and Lawrence's city hospital.
South Pacific artifacts Ethnographic material collected by Richard Treece during his WWII naval service in the Pacific

/Collections

Qunatrill's Raid relics

CORE protest flyer

Bread bowl

This bowl was brought to Lawrence, KS by a woman escaping slavery in Missouri. Thought to be missing for years, the bowl was found after a thorough search. It now serves as a central part in sharing the African-American perspective of Lawrence's Bleeding Kansas history.

Elizabeth Miller Watkins exhibition

Archival storage shelf

One of the museum's organized, labelled, and cataloged collection storage shelves.

Watkins Hospital examination chair

Examination chair used in the original Watkins Student Hospital on the University of Kansas campus. The hospital was founded by Elizabeth Miller Watkins, a philanthropist who gave money for two scholarship halls and Lawrence's city hospital.

South Pacific artifacts

Ethnographic material collected by Richard Treece during his WWII naval service in the Pacific