Ulrich Museum of Art

The Ulrich Museum of Art, founded in 1974, stands at the heart of Wichita State University as both an academic and cultural resource for the campus and the wider community. From its inception, the museum was envisioned as more than a repository for art; it was to be an active force in shaping the university’s environment and its relationship with the city of Wichita. This vision was championed by President Clark Ahlberg, who believed that a strong university must embrace its urban setting by offering the highest artistic standards to as broad an audience as possible.

The museum was named after Edwin A. Ulrich, a philanthropist who contributed an important collection of paintings by Frederick Judd Waugh along with an endowment to help sustain the institution. Its home, the McKnight Art Center, was built as part of a larger plan to integrate art and design into the life of the university. Over the decades, renovations and expansions have provided the Ulrich with flexible gallery spaces, a welcoming sculpture court, and facilities suited for ambitious exhibitions and community programs.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the museum is the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection, a remarkable assembly of 81 large-scale works spread across the Wichita State campus. Featuring creations by internationally recognized artists including Fernando Botero, Alice Aycock, Barbara Hepworth, and Claes Oldenburg, this collection transforms the university grounds into an open-air museum of contemporary sculpture. It has earned national recognition, ranked among the finest campus sculpture collections in the United States.

Today, the Ulrich Museum of Art continues to serve as a dynamic hub where students, scholars, and visitors encounter art in ways that inspire thought, creativity, and dialogue. Its commitment to accessibility, education, and community engagement ensures its ongoing role as a vital cultural institution in Kansas.