Lawrence Area Activities and Museums

Upcoming SFnal Activities in and Around Lawrence

Here are some local goings-on of interest to SF/F people in town for our educational programs:

KU SUA Film Series
Woodruff Auditorium, Kansas Union. Sponsored by Student Union Activities. Click here for the SUA website. Call 864-SHOW.

KU Campus Lectures
These are part of the regular lecture series on campus with tons of stuff SFnal types find interesting. Check out the KU Events Calendar to see what's happening on campus. During the regular semester, you'll find world-class lectures on everything from astrophysics to zoology, cheap movie listings, art shows, and much more. And non-movie events are almost always free.

KU Museums and Observatories

Natural History Museum
1345 Jayhawk Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Call 864-4450.

Art and Design Gallery
302 Art and Design Building. 1-4:30 p.m. Sun., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Wed., 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs. and 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fri. Closed Saturdays, holidays and March 20-27. Call 864-4401.

Clyde W. Tombaugh Observatory
Operated by the KU Astronomy department. Although the former observatory is being relocated, it is currently on the roof of the KU Stadium in the Campus Observing Station. You can use the observatory the last Friday of the month 7:30pm-9pm, depending on when it gets dark. If it is cloudy that Friday night, it will be open Sunday night instead. During daylight savings time, it is open 9pm-10:30pm. The observatory is closed in the summer except through special arrangement. KU also has other observation sites; check this link for current schedules.

NEKAAL Observatory
Come to a Public Open House at Farpoint Observatory. NEKAAL members will be there to answer your questions as you feast your eyes on amazing sights and have a great time. To learn more, check out their Star Party page. Driving instructions to Farpoint are located on the observatory page. Check this link for current schedules.

Spencer Museum of Art
1301 Mississippi St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Wed., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Closed every Monday. Current shows:
"Daguerreotype to Digital: Photographs from the Collection." North balcony gallery. Ends July 22.
"Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Art of the Early 20th Century." Asian Gallery. Ends May 22.
"Tokyo: The Imperial Capital Woodblock Prints by Koizumi Kishio, 1928-1940." Kress Gallery. Feb. 5-March 20.

Spencer Research Library
1450 Poplar Lane. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Noon-4 p.m. Sat. Closed Sundays. Call 864-4334.
The Spencer Research Library's North Gallery also offers a view of some of KU's great rare book collections and a view of the Memorial Campanile, looking north from the crest of Mount Oread.

Watson and Anschutz libraries
Watson: 1425 Jayhawk Blvd. Anschutz: 1301 Hoch Auditoria Drive, south of Budig Hall. 8 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Thu., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-midnight Sun. Closed holidays. (Jan. 18 and 19: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.) For other library hours, call 864-8900.

Wilcox Classical Museum
103 Lippincott Hall. By appointment only. Call 864-3153. Continuing exhibit of full-size replicas of well-known works of Greek and Roman sculpture and antiquities such as vases, coins, small sculptures, lamps and architectural terra cottas.

Dino Lab at Kansas City's Union Station Science City
Union Station and the University of Kansas have formed a partnership to develop this unique laboratory, the largest of its kind in America. For the first time anywhere, the whole scientific process involved in prepping dinosaur specimens will be on full public display. You can see it all, from the delicate work of extracting the ancient bones encased in rock, to pouring plastic replicas. For more information, see their website.

Lawrence Science Fiction and Fantasy Interest Group

We have noticed that one thing missing in Lawrence is a regular get-together for fans of SF/F. The Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, KaCSFFS, is a great organization, but it usually meets in Kansas City. For more frequent get-togethers, and to extend KaCSFFS westward, the Center has decided to organize a local group.

We still need to decide on a regular day when all can meet, and we're always looking for someone to take the initiative to suggest activities! Things people suggested that we do as a crew:

• Reading-discussion group. Some members have described a preference for short stories though we might also discuss books if we have interest. There's so much good SF out there right now!
• Sharing books and book recommendations.
• Movies at the theater... and/or movies (those we missed) at home theaters.
• Chatting about SF/F and everything else over coffee with like-minded folks.
• Dinners out with like-minded folks.
• Attending local lectures, readings, and so forth.
  

Our LiveJournal Discussion Group

Drop me an email if you live in or near Lawrence and would like to join us: