Kent State University Museum

05/27/2026

👀 Catch “LeRoy Neiman: A Keen Observer of Style,” an exhibition featuring the iconic artist’s early fashion illustrations, before it closes on June 28!

🎨Many of the pieces in the exhibition are drawings in ink, watercolor, and marker. These often have less color, but pieces like “Emile Griffith in Red Robe” show glimpses of Neiman’s beginnings as a master colorist. This piece in particular highlights his role as observer as Neiman, in a 2011 interview, recalled being close enough to the boxing ring to notice that Griffith’s good luck charms were the silk robes he wore every fight, handmade by his mother.

🗓️ On display through June 28 at the KSU Museum
📍515 Hilltop Drive, Kent, Ohio
🕒Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11 – 5 Sunday, 12 – 4
📷Emile Griffith in Red Robe, Marker & Ink, 6” x 4”. Courtesy of LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation.

05/26/2026

🚀 Last week, the KSU Museum was honored to open “Ohioans in Space: The Carl E. Walz Spacesuit” at the Statehouse in Columbus, which will be on view through November 3.

🌖 The installation features the spacesuit worn aboard the International Space Station by NASA astronaut and Kent State alum Carl E. Walz, celebrating Ohio innovation, exploration, and excellence.

🏆 The museum was also deeply honored to receive commendations from the Ohio House of Representatives and the Auditor of State at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

✨ We are grateful for the partnership of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board and COSI in bringing this special installation to life.

05/26/2026

👋 Say hi to our new Student Assistant to the Curator, Eloise Bennett! Pictured here dressing a mannequin for “Timeline,” Eloise is excited to be a part of our team at the KSU Museum!

05/22/2026

Before we welcome our new Fellows for the summer, we have a send-off from our former Fellows who have just graduated. Enjoy this quick blooper reel from Sefra and Olivia!

05/20/2026

05/14/2026

💌 KSU Museum Community: Join us Thursday May 14, 5:30-7:30 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for a special event celebrating “Fashion & Feather.” Light refreshments, and a panel at 6 pm. RSVP at link below to join us!

05/13/2026

We’ve got something exciting to announce!

“This installation reflects the power of garments to tell stories about our histories, our accomplishments and our shared aspirations,” said Sarah Spinner, Ph.D., J.D., director of the Kent State University Museum.

05/12/2026

Happy birthday today to Katharine Hepburn! We currently have a display of two costumes she wore in the stage version of "The Philadelphia Story." The KSU Museum remains open throughout the summer during our regular hours, so make sure to stop by to see all our current displays.

05/12/2026

NASA astronaut Carl Walz wore the suit during his 2001-2002 International Space Station mission. It will be displayed in Columbus through Nov. 3.

05/08/2026

It is the FINAL weekend to see “A Meeting of Cultures: Fashioning North Africa,” the first exhibition of its kind in the world to showcase contemporary fashion from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.

Co-curated by Dr. Sara Hume and Nada Koreish, the exhibition broadens the scope of fashion scholarships and advances the understanding of cultures across the world.

The exhibition will close Sunday May 10 at 4 pm. The museum is open Saturday May 9 11-5 and Sunday May 10 12-4.