Dole Institute of Politics

Dole Institute of Politics Celebrating public service, civil discourse and the legacies of Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole at KU

Shortly after his loss in the 1996 presidential election, Senator Bob Dole was asked by Chancellor Robert Hemenway to entrust his congressional papers, accrued over 35 years of public service, to the University of Kansas, where he had studied before he began his WWII service. Together, Senator Dole and the University of Kansas developed the Dole Institute to not only house and catalog these congre

ssional papers for research use, but to offer public opportunities for all individuals to discover how they might best serve their community, their state, and their nation. Opened in 2003, the mission of the Dole Institute of Politics is to promote political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bi-partisan, balanced manner. By providing a forum for discussion of political and economic issues, fostering public service leadership and encouraging participation in the political process, we emphasize that politics is an honorable profession and that only through political and civic participation can citizens redirect the course of our nation. While the objective is to accomplish this mission on a broad scale, our location at the University of Kansas provides a unique opportunity for outreach to young people and students. We utilize the three distinct components of the Dole Institute to accomplish this mission: unique displays that tell the compelling story of Bob Dole’s life in the context of Kansas and The Greatest Generation; one of the largest congressional archives in existence which houses all of the Senator’s congressional papers; and finally, the vigorous public programming conducted by the Dole Institute.

TODAY IS THE DAY! Walk-ins are welcome for our blood drive in partnership with the Community Blood Center today, Aug. 28...
08/28/2026

TODAY IS THE DAY! Walk-ins are welcome for our blood drive in partnership with the Community Blood Center today, Aug. 28 from 12-4 p.m.!

🔗 Learn more at https://bit.ly/45FI6Ko

We're counting down the days to our blood drive in partnership with the Community Blood Center this Friday, Aug. 28 from...
08/26/2026

We're counting down the days to our blood drive in partnership with the Community Blood Center this Friday, Aug. 28 from 12-4p.m.!

🔗 Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are still available! Visit https://bit.ly/45FI6Ko to make your appointment today

🌌 The Dole Institute's newest special exhibit is out of this world! "Dwell in Possibility: Space Exploration in the Dole...
08/25/2026

🌌 The Dole Institute's newest special exhibit is out of this world! "Dwell in Possibility: Space Exploration in the Dole Archives" features rarely seen items from the Dole Archives that chronicle milestones in our nation's space program, including man's first steps on the Moon, the Space Shuttle program, and the Hubble Space Telescope.

Check out this new special exhibit inspired by the 2026-27 KU Common Book, "Orbital" by Samantha Harvey, throughout the fall!

➡️ Plan your visit to our Museum & Galleries at the link in our bio!

“Mr. President, this afternoon we have witnessed another of these historic moments which have so distinguished this cham...
08/24/2026

“Mr. President, this afternoon we have witnessed another of these historic moments which have so distinguished this chamber in the annals of self-government. We have welcomed to our ranks a new colleague, who I predict will earn the warm admiration of her peers as she has won the hearts and minds of her fellow Kansans.”-Senator Bob Dole, Jan. 15, 1979

Senator Nancy Kassebaum Baker shared her lessons of service and leadership over many visits to the Dole Institute. Each time, Kansans filled Hansen Hall to show they had not forgotten her diligent, effective, trailblazing leadership representing Kansas in the U.S. Senate.

We extend our condolences to Senator Kassebaum Baker’s family on the news of her passing, and share our profound gratitude to the Senator for the gift of her example.

📣 Have you heard about what's happening this season at the Dole Institute? Take a moment to explore all of the engaging ...
08/23/2026

📣 Have you heard about what's happening this season at the Dole Institute? Take a moment to explore all of the engaging conversations and more taking place this fall.

🔗 Learn more at https://bit.ly/3IwY8xY

The Dole Institute is proud to partner with the Community Blood Center to host a blood drive on Friday, Aug. 28 from 12-...
08/22/2026

The Dole Institute is proud to partner with the Community Blood Center to host a blood drive on Friday, Aug. 28 from 12-4 p.m. Help us achieve our goal of 90 donors in honor of Senator Elizabeth Dole's 90th birthday to support medical providers throughout our region!

🔗 Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are still available! Visit https://bit.ly/45FI6Ko to make your appointment

08/20/2026

Kinda chic to take your back-to-school photos at the Dole Institute 📸

Welcome back to The University of Kansas, Jayhawks!

Special thanks to our friends at University of Kansas Libraries for featuring items from the Dole Archives in their new ...
08/18/2026

Special thanks to our friends at University of Kansas Libraries for featuring items from the Dole Archives in their new special exhibit, “Ad Astra: A Kansas Story Written in the Stars.”

⬇️ Check out some photos of the exhibit below!

in 1996, Senator Bob Dole formally accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president.In his acceptance speech, ...
08/15/2026

in 1996, Senator Bob Dole formally accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president.

In his acceptance speech, Dole said, "Tonight, I stand before you tested by adversity, made sensitive by hardship, a fighter by principle, and the most optimistic man in America."

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of his Republican nomination, explore some moments from the day and lead-up that photographer P.F. Bentley captured while following Dole on the campaign trail.

🌅 Make the most of your final days of summer vacation with a visit to the Dole Institute's Museum & Galleries. Rated by ...
08/05/2026

🌅 Make the most of your final days of summer vacation with a visit to the Dole Institute's Museum & Galleries. Rated by Tripadvisor as one of Lawrence's top attractions, our Museum & Galleries feature the world's largest stained glass American Flag window, the Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall, special exhibits on America at 250, and more!

Plus, visit other Lawrence attractions during the final days of Sunflower Summer to receive a free mystery bag!

🔗 Plan your visit by visiting https://bit.ly/4ukMXu9

Address

2350 Petefish Drive
Lawrence, KS
66045

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

(785) 864-4900

Website

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