(Riley County, KS - May 18, 2022) Riley County Commissioners are pleased to announce Katharine Hensler has been selected as the Director/Curator of the Riley County Historical Museum. Hensler will begin work on May 31st.
As Director/Curator of the Riley County Historical Museum, Hensler will oversee the organization’s mission to educate the public on the history of Riley County. She will administer the museum’s extensive collection by gathering, preserving, studying, and displaying objects, records, and information of historical value. Hensler will also stand as a Department Head of Riley County Government, advocating and supporting historic preservation in all forms, and promoting an interest in and awareness of our local heritage for the benefit of the County.
“We look forward to Katharine joining the Riley County team,” said Commissioner Greg McKinley. “She has worked at other museums across the county and has served as a board member for the Riley County Historical Society.”
Hensler’s professional history includes work for the Division of Cultural Resources at the Kansas Historical Society, Inventory Analysis for Fort Riley, and she was Executive Director of the Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor, Washington. Hensler also served as Assistant Director and Development Officer for the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan.
Hensler earned a master’s degree in Historic Preservation from Goucher College in Baltimore and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
“I’m incredibly honored to have been chosen to serve in this position as the keeper of the county’s heritage and culture,” said Katharine Hensler. ”I look forward to working alongside the talented museum staff, connecting with community members, and bringing our area’s vibrant history to life.”
Hensler replaces Allana Sanger, who stepped into the role briefly tp replace longtime Museum Director/Curator Cheryl Collins. Collins passed away in September 2021.
The Riley County Historical Museum at 2309 Claflin Road is open to visit Tuesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Learn more about tours and programs, including virtual and self-guided driving tours of historic sites in Riley County at www.rileycountyks.gov/museum.
The Riley County Historical Museum strives to preserve the history of people, places, and artifacts of Riley County. Find more information online at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/museum. Follow the museum on Facebook at /RileyCountyHistoricalMuseum and on Inastgram at /rileycountyhistoricalmuseum/
