Omaha Tourist Attractions
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Omaha, on the west bank of the Missouri, is the largest city in Nebraska. In the winter of 1846/47 the Mormons set up their winter quarters here on their way to the Salt Lake valley in Utah, and several hundreds of them died in the extreme cold. Omaha is the birthplace of one-time president Gerald Ford and black leader Malcolm X. The city has some interesting museums and cafés on the Old Market Place where it is pleasant to relax.
The Durham Museum
The Durham Museum, housed in the station building erected by Union Pacific in 1932, illustrates the building of the railroad over the Great Plains, and brings the great age of rail travel back to life.The Art Deco architecture features a restored soda fountain, train cars, model trains and the Bryan Reed Coin and Document Collection.The photo archives show the history of Omaha from 1854 to the present day.Hands-on learning lets visitors learn about Omaha.
Joslyn Art Museum
The Joslyn Art Museum has a fine art collection, including works by Indian artists and craftsmen, and sketches recording Prince Maximilian zu Wied's journey to the Missouri in 1832-4.Housed in a marble Art Deco building, the museum has fine art collections with an emphasis on 19th and 20th C European and American art.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
The Omaha Zoo contains white tigers, snow leopards, lowland gorillas, African elephants, white rhinos and sun bears. The Scott Aquarium is home to sharks, penguins and fish. The Lied Jungle is an indoor rain forest featuring habitats from Asia, Africa and South America.
Boys Town
10 mi. west of Omaha's city center is Boys Town, an institution for the care of young people founded by Father Edward Joseph Flanagan in 1917, and made famous by the film starring Spencer Tracy.The Hall of History presents a history of Boys Town. Highlights of the site include Father Flanagan's Shrine, Garden of the Bible, Dowd Memorial Chapel and Father Flanagan's House.
General Crook House Museum
General Crook was a Civil War hero. This Italianate home in Omaha was built in 1879. The furnishings are from the 1880's Victorian period.This living history museum includes decorative arts, costumes, arts & crafts and period furnishings. Adjoining the museum is the Crook House Victorian Heirloom Garden, with heirloom flowers, trees and shrubs from the state.
The Old Market
The Old Market District was home to warehouses, industrial buildings, and agricultural buildings. Today it is a renovated district that houses restaurants, antique stores, art galleries and boutiques. Each evening street performers, artists, and musicians perform. There are also horse-drawn carriages that take visitors through the Old Market.
Gerald R Ford Conservation Center
The Gerald R Ford Conservation Center is a regional conservation center for cultural materials. The laboratories specialize in the conservation of ceramics, glass, metals, archeological materials, wooden artifacts, photographs, books, and textiles.
Ford Birthsite and Gardens
The Ford Birthsite and Gardens in Omaha is the location where Leslie King, Jr., who later became Gerald R. Ford, Jr., the thirty-eighth president of the United States was born. The Betty Rose Ford Garden is on the grounds. In 1971 the birthplace of Gerald Ford was destroyed by fire, a scale model replica of the house is now in its place.
Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters
The Mormon Pioneer Trail was used between 1864 and 1869 by Mormons to escape religious persecution. The Winter Quarters was used by the Mormons from 1846 to 1848. Exhibits at the Mormon Trail Center in Omaha detail the migration. There are maps, a log cabin, a covered wagon and a cemetery with a monument.
Freedom Park
Freedom Park in Omaha has a navy museum with permanent displays of the USS Marlin SST2, the USS Hazard AM240, an LSM45, and an A-4 Skyhawk. The park also features planes, guns, missiles, torpedoes and bombs.
Fun Plex Amusement Park
Fun Plex is a water and amusement park in Omaha that includes wave pools, a children's pool, waterslides, a go-cart track, a tilt-a-whirl, bumper boats and cars, miniature golf, and batting cages.
Great Plains Black History Museum (closed)
ATTRACTION IS CLOSED.The Great Plains Black History Museum in Omaha has displays on the role of African Americans in the development of the West. Exhibits include photographs and historical displays of African American life.
Lauritzen Gardens
The Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha is located on 100 acres and features 13 areas of plants, flowers and fruits from all areas. Highlights include a Victorian garden, children's garden, rose garden, bird sanctuary and a meadow of native wildflowers.
Omaha Children's Museum
The Omaha Children's Museum features hands-on art and science displays. Exhibits include a TV newscast. At the Creativity Center children can paint, make collages and recycling art projects.
St Cecilia's Cathedral
St. Cecilia's Cathedral in Omaha is a Spanish Renaissance style cathedral with 222ft/68m spires. The stained-glass windows are from a 16th C cathedral in Spain; the pulpit is hand-carved mahogany and the marble altar is from Italy.
El Museo Latino
El Museo Latino was set up in 1993. It is a Latino art and history museum that exhibits the works of local, national and international artists.
Neale Woods Nature Center
The Neale Woods Nature Center offers 9mi/15km of trails through 550 acres of hilltop forests, native prairies, and riverside woodlands.
Opera Omaha
Opera Omaha began operations in 1958 as the Omaha Civic Opera Society and presents regular operatic showcases.
