The Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology offers exhibitions on cultures from around the world and archaeological objects predominantly from the American Midwest and Southwest
Our Purpose
The museum has two main functions; to support the educational mission of the Department of Anthropology and Wichita State University and to be a teaching museum operated by students enrolled in the university's Museum Studies Program, which includes the Graduate Museum Studies Certificate. This program gives potential museum professionals hands-on experience in museum administration, operations, and exhibitions. The museum's collections include a wide range of cultural, archaeological, and biological objects. Museum artifacts are not only used within the Department of Anthropology, other departments, campus wide, use the museum's collection for research.
The museum is funded primarily by private donations and is continually working to fund student scholarships, student positions, exhibitions, field collecting expeditions, curation supplies, equipment, and acquisitions. If you are interested in helping the museum with the donation of objects or funds please contact Rachelle Meinecke, the Museum Director or contact the Wichita State University Foundation.
Museum History
The Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology began in 1966 as the Museum of Man, at the bequest and initiation of Dr. Lowell D. Holmes, Professor of Anthropology at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. Over the next 33 years it grew slowly and became known throughout the campus as a small but interesting museum. The collections and exhibitions include cultural items from around the world and archaeological objects predominantly from the American Midwest and Southwest. In 1999, the Department of Anthropology and the museum moved to a new location in Neff Hall.