Spirit of Nebraska Park Monuments, Omaha (must see)

Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness is a large public art installation created by wildlife sculptor Kent Ullberg and commissioned by First National Bank of Omaha. Inaugurated in 2002, it forms a continuous narrative with the nearby Pioneer Courage sculptures, contrasting 19th-century westward migration with the wildlife of the Great Plains.

Together, the two installations contain more than 100 sculptural elements distributed across more than six city blocks rather than concentrated around a single monument. Ullberg’s portion consists of 67 bronze and stainless-steel sculptures: nine American bison and 58 Canada geese. The bison appear to flee the approaching wagon train depicted in Pioneer Courage, moving through landscaped areas and urban spaces toward a water feature. Their movement then startles a flock of Canada geese into flight. The geese rise from near ground level and continue upward through the cityscape, appearing on buildings and other elevated structures. Many are larger than life, with individual geese weighing approximately 200 pounds. This placement allows streets, landscaping, architecture, and public infrastructure to become part of the composition. The installation was designed to address the impact of westward expansion on the natural environment while creating a visual connection between wildlife and the modern urban landscape. Visitors can follow the sculptures on foot, beginning with the pioneer wagon train and continuing past running bison to the flock of geese taking flight.

Details in the animals’ bodies and movement become visible at close range, while their changing positions across several blocks give the work the character of a continuing story rather than a conventional sculpture park.