Meet the team striving to create a vibrant Missouri where the humanities are accessible to all.
Over 50 years dedicated to helping Missourians explore the people, places, and ideas that shape our society.
The study of how people connect to the human experience through history, culture, and traditions.
A legacy of grantmaking and leadership. Read the magazine!
In-person community or statewide events, festivals, and symposiums.
Major grants, mini grants, and grant guidelines.
Programs, workshops, and anthologies promoting veteran stories.
Small Town Showcase and workshops for communities.
Center for the Book and reading programs.
Check our videos, podcasts, and TV.
Missouri Marvels considers our state’s role in the intricate relationship between discovery, innovation, and the human experience.
Learn more about our upcoming Katy Trail Read & Ride Event.
Missouri Humanities strives to implement and support initiatives that highlight Native stories and voices.
Join us for a retrospective look marking the 30th anniversary of the Great Flood of 1993. The 1993 flood of the Missouri River and its tributaries was undoubtedly record-breaking. In its wake, the Great Flood left a landscape permanently changed. The disaster would go on record as the worst flood in United States history when […]
Neosho Arts Council is debuting their new Murals of Neosho Guide and Descriptive Audio Tour. Everyone can now visit the town’s murals in person or online while watching and listening to a descriptive audio tour of each piece. The audio descriptions will guide viewers through the work using descriptive language while weaving in historical and […]
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm About the Exhibit: Missouri Humanities, in conjunction with the Smithsonian, are proud to present Crossroads: Change in Rural America. In 1900, about 40% of Americans lived in rural areas, By 2010, less than 18% of the U.S. population lived in rural areas. In just over a […]
Step into the Wild West with our Jesse James Bank Museum AR Experience! The Jesse James Bank Museum, located on the historic square in Liberty, Missouri, was the site of the nation's first successful daylight peacetime bank robbery. While the robbers were never caught, the crime was attributed to the infamous James Gang. Visitors will […]
Since 1949, professional photographers from around the country, including Missouri, have captured images of life in rural Missouri towns as part of the Missouri Photo Workshop, established at the Missouri School of Journalism. SHSMO is hosting an exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of the workshops. Visitors can study more than 100 images taken in 51 […]
SHSMO’s robust digitization program provides more online access to newspapers, photographs, maps, letters, and other manuscripts. Senior archivist Heather Richmond and newspaper librarian Katie Ziegler will offer tips on getting the most out of these digital collections, whatever your research goals. The workshop will cover navigation of our digital collections website and our digital newspaper […]
The College of Arts & Science invites you to save the date for the Center for the Humanities Grand Opening Thursday, September 28, 2023 4–7 p.m. Center for Missouri Studies State Historical Society of Missouri 605 Elm Street Columbia, MO 65201 The new Center for the Humanities will promote the humanities by supporting collaborative and […]
Local sports historian, author, and documentarian Ed Wheatley joins the Field House Museum on Friday, September 29 from 4:00 to 6:00pm to sign copies of his books on St. Louis sports history, including The St. Louis Cardinals: Everything You Need to Know (2023); St. Louis Sports Memories: Forgotten Teams and Moments from America’s Best Sports […]
The Historic Bethel German Colony hosts several events each year to bring people into the community. The Fall Market held Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2024 features historic home tours, vendors, local shops, weaving and rug hooking demonstration, a variety of food vendors, and live music by The Shortleaf Band. Hours: Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-3pm. Admission is […]
The Historic Bethel German Colony hosts several events each year to bring people into the community. The Fall Market held Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2024 features historic home tours, vendors, local shops, weaving and rug hooking demonstration, a variety of food vendors, and live music by The Shortleaf Band. Hours: Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 10am-3pm. Admission is […]
Presentation Description: "Filipinos at the 1904 World’s Fair: A Legacy of Race and Empire" One of the most popular attractions at the 1904 World’s Fair was the Philippine Exhibit, a 47-acre site that for nine months became home to over 1,000 people on display. Ria Unson, St. Louis-based Filipino American artist and researcher, traces the […]
Presentation Description: "Then and Now: Conversations with an Enslaved Woman" History gives us the tools to analyze problems in the past so that there is a better understanding of the present and future. But what happens if someone from the past comes to us in the present to discuss where we are now! Caroline is […]
Celebrate your German heritage with a fun family event at the German Cultural Hall, 3652 S. Jefferson Avene German Food Trucks - The German Cook | German Children's Craft by Missouri History Museum | German Singers and Dancers, Skits, Trivia Contest, Fashion Show, and even the film Exploring Missouri's German Heritage
Celebrate your German heritage with a fun family event at the German Cultural Hall, 3652 S. Jefferson Avene German Food Trucks - The German Cook | German Children's Craft by Missouri History Museum | German Singers and Dancers, Skits, Trivia Contest, Fashion Show, and even the film Exploring Missouri's German Heritage
Program Description: "Oral History for Everyone" Drop modern Greece into the middle of America. That’s roughly the size of the Ozarks: 50,000 square miles. But the Ozarks has one-tenth the number of residents. I’ve spent 40 years working as an oral historian traveling from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, to Saint Louis; Little Rock to Columbia and many […]
Presentation Description: "Missouri’s Utopian Communities" Nineteenth-century Missouri was home to several alternative communities, often termed “utopian communities” for their emphasis on social betterment and a different way of life. But although their neighbors sometimes considered these utopians odd or eccentric, they were often within the mainstream of progressive social thinking of the time. Steve Wiegenstein […]
Presentation Description: William C. Quantrill, The Father of Post-Civil War Missouri Banditry During the American Civil War, Captain William C Quantrill commanded a band of Confederate irregulars who reeked death and destruction throughout the Missouri and Kansas borders. Tactical and technical perfection was a trademark of his organization. Prior to the war, Quantrill was a […]
Presentation Description: "Cemeteries and Memory: Confederate Monuments in Cemeteries" Cemeteries are seen as both sacred spaces and secular tools for articulating and preserving the collective memory a community wants to preserve. The monuments, cemetery design, and gravestones hold a version of a community’s collective memory. When additional monuments are placed in these spaces, they become […]
The first-ever Heartland Book Festival will take place in the heart of downtown Kansas City's Library district October 6 & 7. The inaugural Heartland Book Festival – co-presented by Missouri Humanities, the Kansas City Public Library, and the Missouri Affiliate for the Library of Congress’ Center for the Book – also will offer an array of […]
This two day festival has a little something for everyone. From carnival rides to craft booths to a Civil War reenactment. Spend some time on the historic Harrisonville Square enjoying fair food, a parade, and a student art show. You are guaranteed to have a good time!
he Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library will be celebrating our 11th Annual Liberty Days: A Living History Timeline Adventure on Friday, October 6, and Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day on the museum grounds. This event is open to the public and admission is free. Liberty Days […]
he Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library will be celebrating our 11th Annual Liberty Days: A Living History Timeline Adventure on Friday, October 6, and Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day on the museum grounds. This event is open to the public and admission is free. Liberty Days […]
Each year the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site honors the memory of Dr. John Y. Simon. This year’s lecturer is James Bultema, president of the Ulysses S. Grant Association and Presidential Library in Starkville, MS. Grant was the most photographed American of the 19th century. Pulling from 45 years of researching and collecting images […]
Discover the meaning behind the symbols found on the headstones at the Carver Family Cemetery.
Discover the meaning behind the symbols found on the headstones at the Carver Family Cemetery.
A new series of free programs will be held at noon on the second Tuesday of each month at the State Historical Society of Missouri. The program series History on Elm launches January 10 with SHSMO Art Curator Joan Stack, who will present “Ten Missouri Works That Help Us Understand Our History.” Stack will provide […]
The Missouri Veterans Suicide Prevention Team and Library have partnered to provide suicide prevention training. Learn how to recognize the warning signs of suicide and to get help. For adults. RSVP at mymcpl.org/events or by calling Grandview Branch at 816-763-0550
The civil rights movement is often defined narrowly, relegated to the 1950s and 1960s and populated by such colossal figures as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Many forget […]
The Fall Festival at the Saxon Lutheran Memorial is held on the grounds of one of the original homesteads of the German Saxon immigration of 1839-40. Visitors will be able to go through the log cabins original to the site as well as cabins from the area that have been moved to the location. There […]
Witness a partial annular solar eclipse through learning, hands on activities, and observations.
Come chat with a park ranger as they "paint a picture" of George Washington Carver and his artistic creations.
On August 5th, 2023, a warm summer afternoon, a trio of friends (Patriot Paranormal) gathered at the Chariton County Historical Society and Museum to begin an “investigation” of the building. After initial meet and greets and a walk through of the building, they began setting up equipment for the evening. Right away, the building showed […]
Dr. Jeremy Neely, assistant professor of history at Missouri State University, will bring to life the Civil War era in Missouri through the personal correspondence of Henry and Lucy Fike. Their letters will give an unique perspective of a husband and wife struggling to survive the war and keep their relationship alive.
About the Program: The Field House Museum is pleased to welcome Victoria Cosner, co-author of the book Missouri's Mad Doctor McDowell: Confederates, Cadavers and Macabre Medicine, on Friday, October 20 at 1:00 pm. Just in time for the Halloween season, Cosner will share the tale of body snatcher and bona fide mad scientist Dr. Joseph […]
LitUp 2023 is an all-day event that brings Kansas City-area teens together with authors, poets, illustrators, and other creators. LitUp will include a keynote presentation, author conversations, creative workshops, and panel discussion featuring local teen creators. Everyone who attends will receive lunch, books by visiting authors, and a LitUp bag full of giveaways. To register […]
The Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park is holding their annual boutique on Saturday, October 21. Shop for creative, architecture and design inspired gifts and enjoy the beautiful Ebsworth Park. (the house will not be open for tours during the sale).
The Pow Wow allows Native American families and individuals to, share their culture and traditions and encourages socializing, hearing their language spoken, learning about Native American arts and crafts, singing, dancing, and upholding proper etiquette. The Pow Wow also serves as a way to encourage the continuation of the cultural aspects of Native Americans and […]
The Gothic Tales of Soulard Tour is Sunday, October 22, and it begins promptly at 3:00 p.m. This is a Limited - Invite Event and is part of your membership benefits! Non-members - reach out to chrissy@mohumanities.org and see how easy it is to become a member. Each Member is entitled to bring one guest, […]
This 82-minute PBS documentary revisits the complex life of Helen Keller, who was deaf and blind, and used her celebrity and wit to champion rights for women, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty.
This year's meeting will include the dedication of the John F. Bradbury memorial display in the Old Phelps County Courthouse. Available also is a tour of the Dillon Log House, and original Jail.
Join the Cass County Public Library Harrisonville Branch and the Cass County Historical Society for an evening with The Mob Museum in Las Vegas! This virtual program will focus on the connections that Kansas City had to the mob bosses that built Las Vegas. Participants are welcome to sign in from home on their own […]
Join Neosho Arts Council for a free screening of the award winning documentary series "Art In the Twenty-First Century: Bodies of Knowledge." Free screening followed by discussion October 26, 2023 at 7:00pm Neosho Newton County Library Community Room Viewers will have the opportunity to experience an in-the-moment Guerrilla Girls intervention staged in front of major […]
This history conference will focus on the military, political, social and material history of the western theater of the American Revolutionary War, featuring scholars from across the country and from Spain. The event is being sponsored by: St. Charles County Historical Society, Saint Charles Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, Fernando de Leyba Chapter […]
Donktoberfest is a fun, family-oriented event held on Saturday, October 28 from 10 am to 4 pm! Attendees will meet the rescues and learn about us, what we do and why we do it. They will enjoy a variety of activities including a bounce house for the kids, fun donkey-related crafts, a kissing booth where […]
Featuring live Raptors, Pittsburg State University's (Pittsburg, KS) Nature Reach will explain some of the adaptations that help these birds survive and the importance of raptors to the natural world.
20 history related vendors under one roof at the Union KC Hall. Classic car Cruze and antique fire pumper.
Join a park ranger for a short walk near the Visitor Center and explore commemorative artwork along the trail.
Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10am-4pm, or groups of 10 or more with a reservation at other times. About the Exhibit: Missouri Humanities, in conjunction with the Smithsonian, are proud to present Crossroads: Change in Rural America. In 1900, about 40% of Americans lived in rural areas, By 2010, less than 18% of the U.S. […]
This video Installation by Valerie Wedel, an art professor at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri, features enlarged, hand-painted copies of letters that are held in the archives of the State Historical Society of Missouri. The images have been artistically “aged” for effect, crumpled, torn, and scattered to represent controversies surrounding access to historical information. […]
Lights! Camera! Action! Missourians have contributed to the history of cinema since the earliest days of movie making. Dr. Sarah S. Jones, of the Missouri State Museum, celebrates the lives of Missouri women in the film industry from the Silent Era through mid-20th century. We will examine these heroines of entertainment and their connections to […]
Spend an evening with public historian Elizabeth Eikmann as she presents an interactive event about three women who changed the course of St. Louis history. Guests should bring a photo of a woman they admire and will be invited to share a story about them throughout the event. All ages.
Spend an evening with public historian Elizabeth Eikmann as she presents an interactive event about three women who changed the course of St. Louis history. Guests should bring a photo of a woman they admire and will be invited to share a story about them throughout the event. All ages.
President Ulysses S. Grant championed the 15th Amendment as the greatest civil act since the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Why did Grant feel this way? How did the 15th Amendment expand voting rights in the nineteenth century? In this program, Historian and Curator Nick Sacco will examine nineteenth century voting practices and discuss […]
If you can believe it, St. Louis was once a photography capital of the world. The city attracted all kinds of innovative photographers, manufacturers and dealers, and inventors in the nineteenth century. This presentation explores the early history of photography in St. Louis, introducing participants to the people, places, and technology behind the city’s bustling […]
George Washington Carver called himself a trailblazer, but he wasn't the only one. Talk with a park ranger and explore contributions made by African American Trailblazers and discover their pioneering […]
November 4, 2023 Saturday 4-6 pm SWIRL and SIP, A Wine Tasting Historic Sappington House, 1015 S. Sappington Road, St. Louis, MO 63126 is inviting First Families of Saint Louis […]
George Washington Carver called himself a trailblazer, but he wasn't the only one. Talk with a park ranger and explore contributions made by African American Trailblazers and discover their pioneering […]
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