This exhibit traces the shifting culture of smoking at the University of Kansas, following its transformation from a socially embedded practice to one that is tightly regulated and ultimately prohibited. What began as a routine part of student life, woven into traditions, social spaces, and daily rituals, gradually became the subject of scrutiny, debate, and reform.
Through early examples of KU smoking traditions and student culture, as well as artifacts like university-branded smoking paraphernalia, the exhibit highlights how smoking once functioned as a marker of community, identity, and belonging. Over time, however, growing public health awareness and changing social attitudes reshaped how smoking was perceived.
The exhibit also examines how campus policies evolved over time, reflecting increasing efforts to regulate tobacco use in public spaces. These changes culminated in KU’s transition to a tobacco-free campus in 2018, a milestone that marked a decisive institutional stance on health and wellness.
Despite success in reducing visible smoking, recent events demonstrate that tobacco use has not been fully eliminated and continues to create safety and enforcement challenges. By combining archival materials with public health research, this exhibit reveals how smoking culture has continuously adapted in response to changing institutional values and broader societal attitudes.
This Omeka exhibit is an online version of a physical exhibit that was on display in Snow Hall in May 2026.
Curator: Brenna Hobbs, Museum Studies student and Graduate Assistant in Conservation Services, University of Kansas Libraries
