Mulvane Art Museum

Mulvane Art Museum A free art museum at Washburn University. The Mulvane Art Museum is located on the campus of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. We're glad you're here.

Open to the public since 1924, it is one of the oldest art museums west of the Mississippi River. The Mulvane houses a collection of almost 6,500 objects in a broad cross-section of materials and techniques. The mission of the Mulvane Art Museum is to empower diverse communities to connect, appreciate, and think openly about art as a means for communicating human values. It functions as a hub for

creative thought and academic discourse centered on art. Through art exhibitions and public programs, the museum facilitates community conversations about wide-ranging themes and socio-cultural issues. As an academic museum, the Mulvane collects, preserves, and interprets works of art with special consideration to the educational and cultural needs of Washburn University. The Mulvane serves the broader region beyond the university through outreach programs in public schools and on-site educational opportunities for children, families, and members of our community. When posting:

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Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! We're celebrating by sharing this lithograph by master printmaker Sergio Sánchez Santamar...
09/15/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! We're celebrating by sharing this lithograph by master printmaker Sergio Sánchez Santamaría, whose art bridges historic and contemporary Mexico.

Sergio Sánchez Santamaría
"Jaguar Warrior," 2017
lithograph
Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University

During your next visit to the Mulvane Art Museum, be sure to experience our latest exhibition in the Rita Blitt Gallery,...
09/12/2026

During your next visit to the Mulvane Art Museum, be sure to experience our latest exhibition in the Rita Blitt Gallery, "Malleable: Sculptures by Rita Blitt," on view from July 31, 2026–February 13, 2027.

This exhibition highlights the fluidity, versatility, and innovation of Blitt's sculptural practice. Assemblages and acrylic sculptures from the 1960s to the '80s demonstrate her boundary-pushing experimentation and intuitive creative process. Her works invite you to see the beauty in unorthodox materials and everyday objects.

Admission is free and families are welcome! We hope to see you soon.

📷 All pictured artworks are by Rita Blitt.

In case you need a reminder, here are our regular open hours. Step into the Mulvane for a break from the heat and explor...
09/08/2026

In case you need a reminder, here are our regular open hours. Step into the Mulvane for a break from the heat and explore our current exhibitions or get creative in the Art Lab. We'll see you soon!

🎂 Happy birthday to American artist Rita Blitt (b. 1931)! Through painting, drawing, sculpture, and film, her art explor...
09/07/2026

🎂 Happy birthday to American artist Rita Blitt (b. 1931)! Through painting, drawing, sculpture, and film, her art explores sources of inspiration like nature, music, and dance.

Rita Blitt
"Celebrating Fall in Aspen," 2003
acrylic on canvas
Rita Blitt Legacy Collection
Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University

Jordan or LeBron? The debate of the century is happening at the Mulvane Art Museum.Whether you’re Team MJ or Team King J...
09/04/2026

Jordan or LeBron? The debate of the century is happening at the Mulvane Art Museum.

Whether you’re Team MJ or Team King James, you can’t deny the power of a perfect shot. Our current exhibition, "ICONIC: Sports Photography by Walter Iooss Jr.," features legendary images that capture these two greats. Decide for yourself who truly takes the crown.

Iooss Jr., Walter, "Michael Jordan, Highland Park, IL," 1996, archival pigment print. Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University.

Iooss Jr., Walter, "LeBron James, San Francisco, CA," 2009, archival pigment print. Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University.

Today we're celebrating the abundance of creativity in our state with a look at Kansas artist Larry Schwarm (b. 1944) 🌻 ...
09/03/2026

Today we're celebrating the abundance of creativity in our state with a look at Kansas artist Larry Schwarm (b. 1944) 🌻

Raised on a farm in Kansas, renowned photographer Larry Schwarm has spent decades capturing rural life in the state. From farmers to prairie burnings, his photographs document the people, places, and practices that make the heartland distinctive. They trace the ways that our interactions with the landscape have both changed and stayed the same over time.

Larry Schwarm
"Flint Hills at sunset along Sharpe's Creek Road, Chase County, Kansas," c. 1990
chromogenic print
Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University

Earlier this month we hosted a homeschool co-op and happened to run into artist Hong Chun Zhang! Zhang is the artist beh...
09/02/2026

Earlier this month we hosted a homeschool co-op and happened to run into artist Hong Chun Zhang! Zhang is the artist behind Journey to the West: A Survey of Hong Chun Zhang’s Art, 1996–2026 the current exhibition in the main gallery. While there visiting with a colleague, she pivoted and gave an impromptu gallery talk with the families. It was remarkable and the kids were so engaged. Sometimes timing is perfect!

Thanks to all of the friends and families who joined us on Saturday for our Washed Ashore community celebration! We want...
09/01/2026

Thanks to all of the friends and families who joined us on Saturday for our Washed Ashore community celebration! We want to give a special shout out to Washburn Ecobods for their contributions to The Washed Ashore Project in Topeka. The Washburn EcoBods are a group of Washburn University students who volunteer to facilitate a more Earth-friendly campus environment which can serve as a model for others. Along with the Topeka Zoo and The Rotary Club of Topeka, they played an integral role in the Topeka Public Schools Monarch Butterfly sculpture project. We are so glad they could be with us to celebrate!

We are thrilled to be hosting StoneLion Puppet Theatre today at the Mulvane Art Museum as a part of Washed Ashore: A Com...
08/29/2026

We are thrilled to be hosting StoneLion Puppet Theatre today at the Mulvane Art Museum as a part of Washed Ashore: A Community Celebration of Art to Save the Sea! Recycled puppet workshops are happening right now and until 2pm today. Join us and stay for a visit to the Art Lab and Galleries, which will be open until 4pm!

We have an incredible face painting artist onsite!  Shea Freeman is here until 2pm with a variety of ocean themed option...
08/29/2026

We have an incredible face painting artist onsite! Shea Freeman is here until 2pm with a variety of ocean themed options for our Washed Ashore community celebration. Free and open to the public!

Address

1700 SW College Avenue
Topeka, KS
66621

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 7pm
Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm

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