Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha (must see)

Joslyn Art Museum is the largest art museum in Nebraska and a major cultural institution devoted to art, education, and public engagement. It opened on November 29, 1931, as the Joslyn Memorial, a gift from Sarah H. Joslyn in memory of her husband, businessman and newspaper publisher George A. Joslyn. Sarah donated more than $3 million toward the project for public benefit. Following a major renovation and expansion, the museum reopened on September 10, 2024, with additional galleries, redesigned gardens, and improved connections among its three buildings. General admission is free.

The original 1931 Joslyn Building, designed by John and Alan McDonald, is an Art Deco landmark clad in Georgia Pink marble. Its exterior and interior feature extensive carved ornament and decorative stonework. The campus also includes the Suzanne & Walter Scott Pavilion, completed in 1994 and designed by Norman Foster, and the Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion, designed by Snøhetta and opened in 2024. The newest pavilion contains light-filled galleries, a transparent entrance atrium, and spaces connecting the museum with its surrounding gardens. The collection includes more than 12,000 objects spanning approximately 5,000 years of human creativity. Major holdings include ancient Mediterranean, European, American, Native American, Asian, 20th-century, contemporary art, photography, and decorative arts. The 2024 expansion introduced the Phillip G. Schrager Collection of postwar and contemporary works. Beyond its galleries, the museum offers tours, family activities, studio classes, workshops, camps, and educational programs.

The Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden and Dorothy & Stanley Truhlsen Discovery Garden combine outdoor sculpture with prairie-inspired landscaping, allowing visitors to experience art across three architecturally distinct buildings and landscaped outdoor spaces.