Dyche Hall: A New Museum

Dyche Hall in 1915

“The tireless energy of Prof. L.L. Dyche has led to the capture by his own prowess of most of the large animals of western America…It has been possible for him to devote himself to the task of preparing a large number of these animals for the University exhibit at the Columbian Exposition…When this collection of animals is returned from Chicago, the capacity of the natural history building will be taxed to its utmost extent to give it shelter.”

---University of Kansas Regent’s Report, 1892.

Dyche’s work and influence were largely responsible for persuading the Kansas legislature to appropriate funds to construct a new museum building, which was completed in 1903 and eventually named Dyche Hall. Reporting to the Board of Regents in 1892, Chancellor Snow highlighted that the University exhibit at the Columbian Exposition would contain upwards of 100 mammals arranged in natural surroundings. Chancellor Snow used this opportunity to call for Kansas legislators to consider a new building to house the natural history museum, noting that when the collection returned from Chicago, Old Snow Hall would not have the capacity to properly house and display the collection.

After returning from the fair in 1893, Dyche’s first order of business was to house his collection, being much too large to display properly in Old Snow Hall. With other construction projects well under way at the University of Kansas, Dyche’s hopes for a museum designed specifically to house his collection were put on hold for several years and his collection would return to Old Snow Hall. Inclined not to lose Dyche to competing job offers after his notable achievements at the World’s Fair, the University allowed him to stop teaching and focus on continuing to build his collection. Recognizing the importance of Dyche’s work the Board of Regents wrote in their biennial report of 1893-94:

The ambition of Professor L.L. Dyche is to make the largest and most complete collection of mammals than has been, is, or ever can be, made in the world. It is estimated by naturalists that, in 25 years, all the larger mammals, such as deer, elk, moose, lions, tigers, etc., will be practically extinct, no longer living specimens remaining except the few that may be held in captivity. In these 25 years, with the splendid beginning already made, Professor Dyche can bring together a collection that can never be duplicated. This collection may belong to the University of Kansas, if provision is made to take care of it. Considering that the cash value of such a collection would be many times the cost of its collection, and would be continually appreciating, is it not good business sense to secure it? Professor Dyche is recognized as the foremost taxidermist of elsewhere, but he is loyal to Kansas and desires to stay here. The only thing he asks is an opportunity to make the grand collection, and a place to put it. The state certainly owes it to herself to retain the invaluable services of Professor Dyche, and to seize the opportunity that is now offered to build up a natural history collection that can never be equaled in the world.

The new Museum of Natural History was completed in 1903 based on the plans of the architects Root & Siemens of Kansas City. The design of the building was based on the Venetian Romanesque style of southern French churches and looked to such examples as the entrance of the St. Trophime at Arles. The building was renamed Dyche Hall for Lewis Lindsay Dyche after his death in 1915. Dyche helped design the main-floor diorama, as the building’s first purpose was to house his famous Panorama of North American Mammals.  Today, Dyche Hall still houses the Panorama, and its distinctive architecture continues to make the building a centerpiece of the University of Kansas.