What Is the Kansas State Historical Society and What Does It Offer?

Updated

The Kansas State Historical Society is the name many people still use for the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS), a state agency based in Topeka that collects, preserves, and shares Kansas history. If you are looking for archives, genealogy records, museum exhibits, or historic sites, this is the organization to start with. Its main public resources are free to browse online, while some visits and programs have their own arrangements—check the relevant location page before you go.

What the organization is

KSHS describes itself as a state agency that "tells the story of our state." It operates under the state of Kansas and works alongside the Kansas Historical Foundation, which supports it through membership, donations, and stores. The "State Historical Society" wording appears in its own site keywords, so treat the two names as the same institution rather than separate bodies.

Main places to visit in Topeka

Location What it offers
Kansas Museum of History Core museum exhibits, a special exhibit ("Celebrating Kansas!"), admission pricing listed on the museum page, a nature trail, and Rural School Days programs
State Archives Research room, online collections, genealogy indexes, and a special exhibit ("See Kansas")
Kansas State Capitol Visitor Center Historic and dome tours, plus the Capitol Store
KSHS offices (6425 SW 6th Avenue) Administrative base; phone 785-272-8681

The museum page notes admission pricing exists but does not state amounts on the homepage, so confirm current prices on the museum's plan-your-visit page.

Research resources you can use

  • Kansas Memory: the society's digital collection, with recently added items highlighted—useful for browsing photographs, documents, and objects.
  • Genealogy indexes: starting points for family history research through the State Archives.
  • Kansapedia: short articles on Kansas topics, good for quick background before diving into primary sources.
  • Online catalogs: search tools for archival and library holdings.
  • Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains: the society's publication.

A practical research path: check Kansapedia for context, search Kansas Memory and the online catalogs for digitized material, then contact the State Archives research room for items that are not online.

Historic sites across the state

KSHS lists 16 state historic sites, including Cottonwood Ranch, Shawnee Indian Mission, Constitution Hall, Fort Hays, Grinter Place, Hollenberg Pony Express Station, Kaw Mission, Mine Creek Civil War Battlefield, Pawnee Indian Museum, Red Rocks, Goodnow House, Marais des Cygnes, Pawnee Rock, First Territorial Capitol, John Brown Museum, Last Chance Store, and the Charles Curtis House. Hours vary by site, so check the individual site page before traveling.

Other services and ways to get involved

  • Historic preservation programs, including the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), Registers of Historic Places, help for property owners, surveys, and Certified Local Governments.
  • Archeology programs, including a field school and contract archeology.
  • Classroom materials and professional support for teachers.
  • Grants help and public records guidance.
  • Free issues of Zephyr, the newsletter, by mail or email.
  • Membership and donation through the Kansas Historical Foundation; shopping at the Capitol Store, Museum Store, and online store.

How to start

  1. Decide your goal: visit a museum or site, research a family or topic, or use preservation/archeology services.
  2. For research, begin with Kansas Memory, Kansapedia, and the genealogy indexes, then email or call the archives for material not digitized.
  3. For visits, open the specific location page for hours, admission, and tour details.
  4. For general questions, use the contact details on kansashistory.gov: 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099; 785-272-8681.