While nebraska is still largely agricultural, things have changed quite a bit in the Cornhusker State. Its cities of Lincoln and Omaha are highly cosmopolitan, and lively communities throughout the state preserve the past while looking toward the future.
A host of unique off-site venues gives groups a chance to experience the rich history, heritage and culture of Nebraska, from a restored train depot to a crane sanctuary to a vast vineyard.
Following are a few standouts throughout Nebraska.
The Durham Museum
402.444.5071
www.durhammuseum.org
Located in Omaha, The Durham Museum is a facility unlike any other in the Midwest. It was built in 1931 in stunning Art Deco style and functioned as a passenger train station until 1971.
“The station was a major terminus to the west,” says Shawna Forsberg, director of marketing and public relations for The Durham Museum. “Back in the ’30s and ’40s, the station would see nearly 10,000 passengers per day.”
In the early ’70s, the government consolidated passenger train travel to Amtrak, Forsberg says, and plane and automobile travel took over. The building was almost destroyed until a group of passionate Omaha residents took it over and started a museum in 1975, calling it the Western Heritage Museum.
“It focused on regional history, but was very humble. The museum really started making progress in 1995 when businessman Charles Durham got involved,” she says. “He initiated a $25 million capital campaign to restore the building.”
Today, the museum is a Nebraska jewel with walk-through steam engine and passenger train exhibitions, and displays of Native American culture and 19th century Omaha life. As a partner with Chicago’s Field Museum and the Smithsonian Institute, the museum welcomes major traveling exhibits.
Venue options range from a conference room for 50 people and a gallery for 250 people to the ornate Great Hall for up to 600 people.
Soaring Wings Vineyard
402.253.2479
www.soaringwingswine.com
Soaring Wings Vineyard is set in a picturesque location just south of Springfield in Sarpy County. Visitors pass grapevines as they drive in and are soon greeted by an adorable building with a wrap-around porch.
“They have a gazebo and live music there every Friday night and Sunday afternoon,” says Linda Revis, director of Sarpy County Tourism.
The vineyard’s peaceful setting is perfect for meeting groups, she adds.
“Soaring Wings hosts a lot of different events—from meetings to weddings,” Revis says. “They have one large room that can be divided into two rooms and about 225 people can fit in there.”
Lincoln Station
402.323.8420
www.premiercatering.net
The Grand Hall at Lincoln Station is located in a restored train depot on the edge of the city’s popular Historic Haymarket District.
“It is an absolutely beautiful venue,” says Derek Feyerherm, director of sales for the Lincoln CVB. “It has a 1920s feel with marble floors and great acoustics, and you can even see the old counters where people used to purchase train tickets.”
According to Feyerherm, the venue is hugely popular with weddings and meeting receptions and can house up to 425 people.
“It is a large space, but it is intimate because of the beautiful architecture,” he says.
Evans House
402.606.4096
www.visitcolumbusne.com
Evans House, located in Columbus, is a new and unique meetings venue with a deeply historical flair. The property was built in 1911 and through the years functioned as a residence, Elks Club and dance studio. This year, local businessman Scott Mueller purchased the property and is now making it into a venue for private group gatherings.
“We are really excited because even though the house has been around for 100 years, it is a new meeting facility for us,” says Deb Loseke, director of the Columbus Platte County CVB. “It is really nice. Scott is doing a great job uncovering the history of the house and bringing back its original furnishings.”
Groups of up to 100 people can meet in the upstairs ballroom.
“The ballroom is perfect for receptions and has a beautiful ceiling and original wood floors,” she says.
Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center
402.371.3886
www.elkhornvalleymuseum.org
The Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk features exhibits showcasing life as it was in the past—from old houses to tractors—but its most popular exhibit spotlights TV legend Johnny Carson.
“Johnny was born in Iowa, but he called Norfolk home,” says Ruthie Galitz, director of the Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center. “When he was getting ready to retire, we contacted him to see if we could include him in a display about the sons and daughters of Norfolk. He called us back the next day and said we could have everything in his office. It was incredible; he gave us every award he’s ever been given, everything he had hanging on the walls.”
The museum operates in conjunction with Verges Park, a national historic site located next door. The park features the first house in Norfolk and a historic school.
Groups of up to 65 people can rent out a room within the museum, and if the weather is nice, schedule a picnic in the park.
Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
308.385.5316
www.stuhrmuseum.org
The Stuhr Museum is not a traditional museum; it is a 200-acre living history village that highlights Nebraska heritage from the 1840s to the 1920s.
“We have a four-block railroad town, a rural farm area, a Pawnee Native American Earth Lodge and even a resident buffalo named Samson,” says Renae Hunt, facility rental manager at the Stuhr Museum.
During the summer, the museum, located in Grand Island, is abuzz with costumed period performers.
The museum has two buildings open year-round: one that showcases the life of immigrants from the 1850s to the 1920s and another that features cowboy and Native American artifacts. The latter offers a meeting room for up to 50 people.
The museum also features Cronin Hall, which can host 60 people, an auditorium that can accommodate 100 people and a gallery for receptions of up to 100 people.”
Midwest theater
308.632.4311
www.nebraskaarts.com
The Midwest Theater in Scottsbluff is a state historic treasure. It originally opened in 1946 as a grand theater for the region, and it has been completely restored.
One of its most striking features is the marquee, with a stainless steel and aluminum tower extending 60 feet above the entrance. The 15-foot-wide tower is flanked by glazed masonry panels. The theater’s lush velvet seats, beautiful carpeting and ornate interior are also highlights.
The theater stages a unique mix of powerful works in film, music and theater by some of the most innovative, influential and renowned artists around the country. It is also a space for community programs and receptions.
The venue provides a dramatic backdrop for events. The 746-seat theater is available for business and corporate functions, as well as other gatherings. The theater’s rehearsal space, board room and lobbies are also available for smaller functions, meetings and pre-show receptions.
Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary
308.468.5282
www.rowesanctuary.org
Gibbon is known around the world for one big thing: Sandhill Crane migration. Every year during March and early April, thousands of cranes migrate right to Gibbon, many stopping at the Rowe Sanctuary just outside of town and about 20 minutes from Kearney.
“As far as crane migrations go, this is the largest of any in the world,” says Kent Skaggs, office manager at the sanctuary. “It only happens here and it is so incredible, you just have to see it.”
The sanctuary, located on 1,900 acres along the Platte River, features the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center, a popular event option. The Discovery Room hosts 60 people for meals and 100 people classroom style. The Great Hall and Discovery Room host 200 people together.
“Groups really love visiting the sanctuary,” Skaggs says. “You can see the river from the building. It is very peaceful and relaxing.”
Katie Morell is a Chicago-based freelance writer and former Meetings Focus editor. www.katiemorell.com
