The Dole Institute of Politics

Address
2350 Petefish Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045 United States Get Directions

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.

Events at this venue

Today

  • Dole & Dr. K: A Story of Loss and Recovery Turned Advocacy for Armenia

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    This special exhibit will be closing on February 1, 2026, to prepare for a new special exhibit. Make plans to visit the Dole Institute's Museum & Galleries, open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., by visiting our website. Can't make it to see this exhibit? View the online exhibit on Dole Collections […]

  • Discover with Dole: Celebrating Kansas Day

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    Celebrate Kansas Day all week long at the Dole Institute! Join us Tuesday, January 20, through Sunday, February 1, for a Kansas Day-themed Discover with Dole. Discover with Dole is the Dole Institute’s interactive, kid-friendly themed program in our Museum & Galleries. All programs and events at the Dole Institute are free and open to […]

  • Featured

    The 2026 Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Dr. Colleen Shogan, former Archivist of the United States and CEO of In Pursuit, will be recognized at the eighth Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture. She'll join Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman for a discussion on her leadership experience in the nation's leading recordkeeping and historical stewardship organizations, the role of history in civic […]

  • Sunzi and the Chinese Way of War

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Dr. Geoff Babb from the Department of Military History at the US Army Command and General Staff College will discuss Ancient Chinese War with an emphasis on the thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu’s Art of War.  After a brief look at The Six Secret Teachings of Tai Kung, the presentation examines enduring phrases from each […]

  • Featured

    What Does It Mean to Be United?

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Since its founding, America has been a land awash with contrasts and divisions. Are we truly a “melting pot” where one must assimilate to belong or are we more the quiver of arrows on our national seal – many people bound by a “political ideology centered on the abstract ideals of liberty, equality, and republicanism.” […]

  • Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    “Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy,” uses primary sources to illustrate how Americans and people across the world have been inspired by the Declaration of Independence in their pursuit of equality and self-determination. Accompanying the exhibit are selections from the Dole Archives pertaining to America’s Bicentennial in 1976, and a display from Humanities […]

  • Featured

    Inside the Electorate: A Bipartisan Look Ahead to the 2026 Midterms

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    The nation enters a critical midterm election year with voters trying to come to grips with economic anxieties, international disruptions, and ongoing debates about the nation's culture. The Wall Street Journal's new bipartisan polling team, Democrat John Anzalone and Republican Adam Geller, will join Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib for their first public appearance […]

  • The Case for Limited War: European Military Treatises through Machiavelli

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Warfare in the European Middle Ages (c. 500-1500) can be broadly characterized as limited: limited objectives, limited budgets, and limited size of armies. Despite medieval society having an overall martial culture, these factors conspired to make warfare episodic, defensively oriented, and positional in character. This lecture will explore the intellectual underpinnings of medieval limited war […]

  • Featured

    Spring 2026 Dole Forum Programming

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    The full roster for our Spring 2026 Dole Forum Programming is coming soon. Save the date to join us at the Dole Institute of Politics for this program on Thursday, Mar. 5 at 7 p.m. All events will be available to stream live on our YouTube channel.

  • Featured

    Liberty In a Pluralistic Society

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Liberty is America’s founding ideal, bursting from our shores and spreading to nations far and near. But, our own story is rife with contradictions and presents challenges even today as we balance the desires of a changing society. How do we balance competing ideas of liberty in a pluralistic country? How can we secure this […]

  • The Maginot Line

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    The Maginot Line has assumed a mythical status as the height of French interwar doctrinal stagnation. The reality, however, is that the Maginot Line represented a potential solution to the difficult French strategic position. Dr. Cameron Zinsou of the Command and General Staff College shows how its development, manning, and the debates about the Line […]

  • Featured

    The 2026 Easter Egg Roll with Dole

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    Come one, come all, for the Dole Institute’s Easter Egg Roll with Dole! Join us on Saturday, April 19, for a morning of family fun, including a White House-style egg roll race, egg hunt, games, crafts, and more. The event is free and open to the public, and will go on rain or shine. Learn more […]