Upcoming Events
NU@150: 12 Events that Shaped the University of Nebraska
Kay Logan-Peters, architectural librarian and author of the book, “The University of Nebraska-Lincoln” will identify twelve key events that formed Nebraska’s largest educational institution. Learn how the University’s location was determined; why there are two campuses in Lincoln; and who were the decision makers who facilitated the course of “Dear Old Nebraska U.”
Sessions with the Senator: Tom Vickers on his "political hero" George Norris
Join us at 2:00pm on Saturday January 19th at the Norris home for a talk from Tom Vickers, a former Nebraska State Senator from Farnam, who proclaims George Norris as his "political hero." Vickers will be speaking about Norris' influence on the Nebraska Unicameral and Nebraska Public Power.
The George Norris Home is located at 706 Norris Avenue in McCook, Nebraska.
Free Family Fun Day: Celebrating Black History Month
Join us at the Nebraska History Museum for an afternoon celebrating and recognizing the history of Black Americans in Nebraska and Lincoln. Featuring kid-friendly hands-on activities, a scavenger hunt, read-aloud sessions, and a great artistic performance.
Funding for this event is provided in part by Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment
Nebraska: Crossroads of the Western Fur Trade
Join us at Chimney Rock for the first in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
Darrel Draper will be presenting an entertaining and amusing history of the fur trade, including trading companies, personalities and the achievements of the fur traders and mountain men who lived in or passed through Nebraska.
This tabloid-style review of the oddities and ironies of the
industry will be presented been in a fun and stylized way but is backed up with thorough research. It recounts some of the bizarre events that resulted in the most important discoveries of land and routes enabling the U.S. to claim and populate the West.
Film Screening: Greased Lightning
Join us at the Nebraska History Museum for a special screening of Greased Lightning and a lecture exploring a history of Black American men breaking through racial barriers.
The lecture will be presented by Dr. Kwakiutl Dreher, Associate Professor of English and Ethnic Studies at UNL.
Greased Lightning is a 1977 biopic starring Richard Pryor based on the life of Wendell Scott member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and first black driver to win a race at NASCAR's premier level.
Funding for this event is provided in part by Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment
Sunday at the Rock: Our Plains Indian Heritage
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
Phyllis R. Stone, a descendant of Chief Iron Shell, an elder of the
Rosebud Sioux tribe and a Sun Dancer, will explain the uses and traditions of handmade items she brings for this presentation — items from both past and present American Indian cultures.
Dressed in a traditional Sioux woman’s dress, she speaks about the life of the Rosebud Sioux as she shares artifacts. She describes life on the reservation and how her family combines their Indian heritage with other interests. Also included in the talk are artifacts and legends of the Mountain Man and the relationship of that culture to the Indians of the Plains.
Sundays at The Rock: The Forts of Nebraska
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
Nebraska’s forts were among the first, last and most important on the Great Plains. They were built to promote trade, to protect travelers and settlers, to fight the Indian tribes and then to keep the peace.
During that time, they hosted some great names of American history, including Buffalo Bill Cody, Crazy Horse, George Custer, Robert E. Lee, Red Cloud, and Mark Twain. Jeff Barnes tells the story of Nebraska’s 12 military forts and what today’s visitors will find at the sites.
Brown Bag Lecture - Black Americans in Nebraska and Lincoln
Spend the lunch hour with us at the Nebraska History Museum for a Brown Bag Lecture with Dr. Jeannette Jones, Associate Professor of History and Ethnic Studies at UNL. Dr. Jones will be exploring the history of Black Americans in Nebraska and Lincoln.
Guests are encouraged to bring their lunches with them.
The lecture will also be broadcast live on government access channels and uploaded on the History Nebraska Youtube channel afterward.
Funding for this event is provided in part by Humanities Nebraska, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and AARP.
Fur Trade History of the North Platte River Valley
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
While the North Platte River valley was used as a travel corridor for the famed Oregon Trail, it was also a travel route for many others throughout history as well. One group that relied heavily on the shallow waters of the North Platte were the mountain men.
Come join us for Cody Assman's talk focusing on how mountain men used the North Platte, their experiences while traveling along it, and their thoughts of the place we call home.
Sundays at The Rock: Feathered Friends
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
Come along and discover our feathered friends of western Nebraska through this interactive presentation. Uncover common species, learn their calls and unique adaptations for living in this area with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Education Specialist Amanda Filipi.
Sundays at The Rock: Wee Granny, Mormon Handcart Pioneer
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
At the age of 74, Mary Murray Murdoch (aka Wee Granny) started across the prairie with the ill-fated Martin Handcart Company. Because it was late in the season, they walked to their very limits each day, which eventually became too much for her frail body.
On October 2, 1856, Wee Granny Murdoch passed away in view of Chimney Rock. The exact location of her grave has been lost to history but in 2001, her descendants put a marker in the Chimney Rock Cemetery. Historian Jerry Lucas will tell her amazing story and the legacy she left.
Sundays at The Rock: The Great Platte River Road
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
The Platte’s broad gentle floodplain made it a natural route for wagons to cross the continent. Once the need for wagon roads passed, this natural travel corridor remained an important way to cross America.
Chimney Rock Historian Loren Pospisil will show how trails turned to rails turned to roads. In many ways, the Oregon, Mormon and California trails are still alive.
Brown Bag Lecture: Thomas Rogers Kimball, 2019 Nebraska Hall of Fame Inductee
Thomas Rogers Kimball, FAIA, is perhaps the most unsung contributor to the creation of Nebraska’s National Landmark State Capitol. Capitol Administrator, Robert C. Ripley, FAIA, will present a program highlighting Kimball’s impact on the design of the Nebraska State Capitol. Kimball created the rules governing the design competition and advised the Nebraska Capitol Commission until the Capitol’s completion in 1932. His work enabled Nebraskans to achieve a modern architectural wonder. Ripley will also highlight other aspects of Kimball’s long architectural career in Nebraska and the nation.
Sunday at The Rock: Women's Lives on the Westward Trail
Join us at Chimney Rock for another installment in our 2019 Sunday Afternoons at The Rock series.
Between 1812 and 1866, an estimated 500,000 people traveled on the westward trails. Expectations of men and women grew muddled the further away parties got from jumping-off points.
For women, adhering to the same rules society created for them was no longer possible. While juggling new expectations and roles, they also dealt with the gamut of closely-guarded feminine issues. Struggles encountered on the trail contributed to the changing definition of a woman's capabilities and duties in the 19th century.
Learn from women's first-hand accounts and discover the realities of their lives ranging from the ordinary to the taboo as Legacy of the Plains Museum Curator Olivia Garl presents "Bleeding, Birth, and Men's Work: Women’s Lives on the Westward Trails."
Strategies for Post-Disaster Community Engagement Workshop
History Nebraska is collaborating with the Smithsonian and the University of Nebraska State Museum - Morrill Hall to help cultural heritage professionals in flood-affected areas support Nebraskans with important information about preserving treasured possessions as they regain access to their homes and businesses.
The workshop will be held this Friday in the Gilmore Room at the Nebraska History Museum. It is free and open to the public.
Experts will demonstrate how to handle, dry, and clean damaged objects and share tips on personal safety, setting priorities, and other preservation options. There will be a formal presentation followed by a question and answer period. The workshop will have examples of common personal heirlooms on display to demonstrate salvaging techniques.
To register, please contact History Nebraska's Kelli Bacon at 402-471-4766 or kelli.bacon@nebraska.gov.
*** Please do not bring your damaged objects to the workshop. If you have specific questions about your items, feel free to bring images of the items to discuss with the experts directly. ***
Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope, and Diversity in America
Join us at the Nebraska History Museum for a free event celebrating the opening of Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope, and Diversity in America, our new exhibit highlighting the community photography of John Johnson. A janitor and drayman, Johnson was also a talented and prolific photographer, documenting Lincoln's African-American community from 1910 to 1925.
The event will include:
- A performance by Omaha saxophonist Ed "Smoove Grooves" Archibald.
- Performance of "Power of the Spoken Word" by Felicia Webster, Humanities Nebraska Speaker.
- A performance from the Mount Zion Baptist Church Choir.
- Food by GrannyWeavs Soul Food & Catering
Attendees will also get a chance to be some of the first to see the new exhibit, which will only be on display for a limited time. We hope to see you there!
Parking at the Museum is limited, but there is parking nearby, including three parking garages within a four block radius.
Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope, and Diversity in America is curated by Douglas Keister and presented with support from California State University, Chico.
Crafting Culture Exhibit Opening
Join us at the Nebraska History Museum for the grand opening of our new Crafting Culture exhibit! We're celebrating the exhibit's opening with some fun activities for the whole family to enjoy, including:
- A panel discussion with women entrepreneurs in textiles
- Panelists: Samirah Alotaibi, Ellen Sartore, Katie Francisco, Makaylee Stutzman, Makenzie Lesiak.
- Drop-in craft and sewing activities
- A Pop-up shop with locally made crafts for sale by refugee women whose work is featured in the exhibit
- Exhibit tours
- Read aloud stories from Africa, China, and the Middle East
Brown Bag Lecture — John Johnson: Artist of Black & White
Lincoln native John Johnson (1879-1953) was a prolific and talented photographer who created a beautiful and unique pictorial record of his hometown. He especially focused on Lincoln's African-American community.
Ed Zimmer, Historic Preservation Planner for the Lincoln - Lancaster County Planning Department, will be returning to the Brown Bag podium once more to explore the art and history of Johnson.
School's Out!
The Nebraska History Museum invites Lincoln families to join us for a day of families, photography, and more while Lincoln Public Schools are not in session April 19!
Create your own custom family photos with a family selfie station and handmade photo frames. Kids can also create their own family trees, read-aloud stories, and enjoy our jazz instrument petting zoo.
There will also be a chance to tour our new exhibit, Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope, and Diversity in America, which features the work of early 20th century Lincoln photographer John Johnson.
Crafting Culture Pop-Up Shop
These Pop-Up shops are opportunities for museum-goers to directly support the women who contributed to the Nebraska History Museum's Crafting Culture exhibit. The refugee women whose work appears in the exhibit will have other works for sale.
Pan Asian History and Heritage Celebration
Join us at the Nebraska History Museum for our third annual Pan Asian History and Heritage Celebration!
This is a free event and will feature a performance by The Chinese Classical Music Ensemble, arts and crafts, a green screen selfie station, and traditional Asian food.
There will also be a presentation of oral histories by Lincoln High School students called Untold Migrant Stories.
This event is presented in partnership with the Asian Community and Cultural Center, Read Aloud Lincoln, and Lincoln City Libraries.
Crafting Culture Pop-Up Shop
These Pop-Up shops are opportunities for museum-goers to directly support the women who contributed to the Nebraska History Museum's Crafting Culture exhibit. The refugee women whose work appears in the exhibit will have other works for sale.
Brown Bag Lecture - Louise Vinciquerra: Nebraska's Bootlegger Queen
If you like strong, independent women, booze, fast cars, and gunfights, this talk is for you. If you don't, you'll probably be bored.
Join Kylie Kinley for an in-depth exploration into the life of Louise Vinciquerra, who ran a state-wide liquor ring in Nebraska during Prohibition with the instincts of a savvy business person and the ruthlessness of a criminal mastermind.
Appliqué Block Workshop
Workshop attendees will be guided through the process of using personal imagery and the appliqué technique to create a quilt block. These samples will be taken home and can be standalone artworks, or models for sewn blocks that can be incorporated into a quilt, banner, book, or other composite projects.
The workshop is FREE but space is limited. Advance registration is required.
Register Now
Historic Bike Tour of John Johnson's Lincoln
Join us for our first History Bike Tour of the year! We're celebrating our exhibit featuring John Johnson's historic photographs of Lincoln with a tour of the city his work features.
Starting from the Malone Center, Lincoln Historic Preservation Planner Ed Zimmer will lead participants on a tour of locations related to Johnson's photos.
We will have two separate tours, one on May 18 and another on May 25. Each tour has a maximum capacity of 30 people. Helmets are required for all participants.
Register Now
Historic Bike Tour of John Johnson's Lincoln
Join us for our first History Bike Tour of the year! We're celebrating our exhibit featuring John Johnson's historic photographs of Lincoln with a tour of the city his work features.
Starting from the Malone Center, Lincoln Historic Preservation Planner Ed Zimmer will lead participants on a tour of locations related to Johnson's photos.
We will have two separate tours, one on May 18 and another on May 25. Each tour has a maximum capacity of 30 people. Helmets are required for all participants.
Register Now
Mad Science at the Museum: Physical & Chemical Changes
Join us for this FREE summer programming at the Nebraska History Museum to learn how history and science collide! Designed for families with children ages 7-10, Mad Science at the Museum allows participants to engage in artifact explorations and hands-on scientific experimentation. One adult for every three children required.
Learn the difference between chemical and physical changes while creating exciting reactions and explore artifacts to learn how these two types of transformations have impacted Nebraska's history.
Register Now
Make Your Own Painted Scarf Workshop
Led by Lincoln quilter and instructor Sheila Green, this event is an opportunity to create a personalized painted silk scarf. Following Green's direction, participants will use provided scarves and markers to create a fashionable scarf that reflects their own personal style.
Advance registration is required. Participants will be charged a $15 fee upon registration to cover material costs. Limit 20 participants.
The workshop has sold out. No open seats remain at this time.
Register Now
Take Our Picture: Sod House Portraits by Solomon Butcher
Join us at the Nebraska History Museum for a free event celebrating the opening of Take Our Picture: Sod House Portraits by Solomon Butcher, our new exhibit highlighting the frontier photography of Solomon Butcher!
In addition to being the first to see the new exhibit, those who join us will be able to help us build a life-size sod house with recycled materials, win a prize through an exhibit scavenger hunt, and learn how to make a rag doll.
Musician Chris Sayre will also be performing some early folk music at 2:00 pm.
Parking at the Museum is limited, but there is parking nearby, including three parking garages within a four block radius.
Funding for this event is provided in part by Humanities Nebraska.
Mad Science at the Museum: Kitchen Science
Join us for this FREE summer programming at the Nebraska History Museum to learn how history and science collide! Designed for families with children ages 7-10, Mad Science at the Museum allows participants to engage in artifact explorations and hands-on scientific experimentation. One adult for every three children required.
Engage in tasty experimentation as you learn about the science behind food and cooking and Nebraska's food traditions.
Thanks for your interest in our Mad Science at the Museum programs! Unfortunately, all of our programs have been filled and registration is no longer open.
Brown Bag Lecture: Ho for Lincoln! The Promises and Perils of Black Mobility in the Great Plains
African American migration to the Great Plains during the nineteenth century transformed the social, political, economic, and cultural landscape of the American West. These black migrants, many who were born into slavery, viewed the Great Plains as a potential site for their economic self-determination and political empowerment. As Jim Crow laws became an indelible feature of Black Southern experiences, states like Nebraska appealed to many African Americans, some of settled in cities like Omaha and Lincoln and other who chose to remain farmers, homesteading in Cherry County.
This talk by Jeannette Jones, UNL Associate Professor of History and Ethnic Studies, will explore the promises and perils of Nebraska as a site for Black mobility in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1877-1919).
The lecture will also be uploaded on the History Nebraska YouTube channel afterward.
Funding for this event is provided by AARP.
Nebraska Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Join us June 25 at the Nebraska State Capitol to celebrate the induction of Thomas Rogers Kimball into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place in the Warner Chamber at the Capitol from 2:00 - 3:00 pm.
Kimball was an architect who designed several Nebraska landmark buildings and administered design competitions for structures including the Nebraska Capitol, the construction of which he oversaw.
There will also be a book signing with Joan M. Fogarty in our Gift Shop at the Nebraska State Capitol from 4:00 - 4:30 pm.
(Image of the Nebraska Hall of Fame taken by user Capitolist on Wikipedia)
Mad Science at the Museum: It's Electric!
Join us for this FREE summer programming at the Nebraska History Museum to learn how history and science collide! Designed for families with children ages 7-10, Mad Science at the Museum allows participants to engage in artifact explorations and hands-on scientific experimentation. One adult for every three children required.
Get charged up with activities that explore the workings of electrical circuits and the history of electricity in Nebraska!
Thanks for your interest in our Mad Science at the Museum programs! Unfortunately, all of our programs have been filled and registration is no longer open.
Panel Discussion: Today's Nebraska Women Entrepreneurs
Join us for a Panel discussion of Lincoln women who have launched their own businesses. Learn about the secrets of their success and the challenges they have encountered. Moderated by Surin Kim, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist-Entrepreneurship in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design.
Panelists are:
- Heather Easton, owner of Body Concepts Therapy
- Jen Landis, owner of Pincurl Girls
- Yolanda L. Bailey, owner of Bailey's Bubbles
- Addis Brown, owner of Roots Collective
- Brooke Mullen, owner of Sapahn
Support for the exhibit was provided by the Pearle Francis Finigan Foundation, Humanities Nebraska, the International Quilt Study Center and Museum, and the Lincoln Modern Quilt Guild.
Brown Bag Lecture: When We Went to the Moon
"The Eagle Has Landed" With those words, humankind had set foot on another astronomical body, forever free of the boundaries of our terrestrial world.
On that July evening, Nebraskans joined people across the globe to watch the enthralling images of astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin exploring the moon a quarter of a million miles away.
And back in Nebraska? Retrace the journey of Apollo 11 through the lens of life in the Cornhusker state in 1969. Learn about the interesting connections and contributions Nebraskans made to the Apollo program, then and now, as NASA continues to explore the wonders of the universe.
Join us in as Julie Anne Allen, Educator and NASA Ambassador, presents the July Brown Bag Lecture.
The lecture will also be uploaded on the History Nebraska YouTube channel afterward.
History Nebraska Goes to the Moon
Join us July 20 from 1 to 4 pm at the Nebraska History Museum to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission!
There will be a moon rock scavenger hunt, solar viewing with the Prairie Astronomy Club, and drop-in STEM tinkering activities.
There will also be presentations on how to better connect with NASA, 1960s trivia, and book recommendations for those looking to learn more about space.
Parking at the Museum is limited, but there is parking nearby, including three parking garages within a four block radius.
This event presented in partnership with The Prairie Astronomy Club, Lead Up Lincoln, and NASA Solar System Ambassadors.
Mad Science at the Museum: Rays of Light
Join us for this FREE summer programming at the Nebraska History Museum to learn how history and science collide! Designed for families with children ages 7-10, Mad Science at the Museum allows participants to engage in artifact explorations and hands-on scientific experimentation. One adult for every three children required.
Use light to create colorful crafts and learn how photographers used light to preserve Nebraska's history.
Thanks for your interest in our Mad Science at the Museum programs! Unfortunately, all of our programs have been filled and registration is no longer open.
Mad Science at the Museum: Sources of Power
Join us for this FREE summer programming at the Nebraska History Museum to learn how history and science collide! Designed for families with children ages 7-10, Mad Science at the Museum allows participants to engage in artifact explorations and hands-on scientific experimentation. One adult for every three children required.
Create objects that rely on converting energy from potential to kinetic and explore artifacts from Nebraska's past that did too!
Thanks for your interest in our Mad Science at the Museum programs! Unfortunately, all of our programs have been filled and registration is no longer open.
Cavalry Demonstration
Join us from August 15-17 as we welcome Fort Riley's Commanding General Mounted Color Guard back to Fort Robinson!
The group will perform demonstrations involving Cavalry skills, shooting skills, and equipment used by the U.S. Army from the 1860s-1880s at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm each day. They will also be available around the grounds and at the Post Museum to answer questions from the public about Army life, what it takes to be a member of the Mounted Color Guard, and their performances.
All activities are free and open to the public, although a park permit will be required for admittance.
Grace Crandall Richardson: Nebraska's Persistent Suffragist
Dr. Amy Forss, chair of the History Department and Social Science co-representative at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, will unpack Grace Crandall Richardson's personal scrapbooks to offer insights into the life of one of Nebraska's fighting suffragists.
Images and personal memories outline Richardson's campaign and her role in the 1917-1919 Nebraska Supreme Court case Barkley vs. Pool. Included in the presentation are photographs and artifacts from the History Nebraska collection and excerpts from the unpublished autobiography.
Votes For Women: Nebraska's Suffrage Story Exhibit Opening
100 years ago, Nebraska was one of the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote in the United States. However, the struggle for suffrage had been going in Nebraska for 60 years at that point. We're excited to be celebrating that women's suffrage story with our newest exhibit, Votes For Women: Nebraska's Suffrage Story.
Join us for the opening event of this amazing exhibit, featuring historical re-enactments of notable suffragists for a fully immersive look into the suffrage movement of the early 20th century. More event details below ⬇️
• See authentic banners, posters, clothing from this crucial civil rights struggle
• Learn about the women (and men) who worked for decades to win Nebraska’s battle for the ballot
• Experience the passion and power of historic re-enactors depicting suffragists Clara Bewick Colby, Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Nation
• Create your own suffrage slogan in our 1919 parlor
• Take a selfie on the suffrage float
• Uncover the suffragist legacy in today’s political landscape
• Hear prominent Nebraska women reflect on the state’s past and future.
There will also be refreshments, live music, and voter registration!
This event is free and open to all. A Sign Language interpreter will be present during the event for deaf or hard of hearing persons.
This event is supported in part by the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and Humanities Nebraska.
Votes for Women Free Family Fun Day
Join us on August 24th to celebrate our new exhibit with a Free Family Fun Day! We've got a bunch of fun activities the whole family can enjoy, including:
- Find Your Favorite Suffragist scavenger hunt
- Design and create your own pennant, banner, or sash
- Design your very own vote button
- Pop up readings of favorite suffragist stories
And more! We look forward to seeing you and your family there!
Homeschool Wednesdays
Homeschool families are invited to the Nebraska History Museum for a fun new learning series offered the first Wednesday of each month, September-May*. At Homeschool Wednesdays, students of all ages learn what historic objects and photos can tell us about the past. The activities are geared towards 7 to 10-year-olds, but older students are welcome to participate.
Each Homeschool Wednesday takes place from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and is centered around a different essential question. Families investigate the museum to answer each month’s essential question by examining objects and photos on display, interacting with an expert, completing a hands-on activity, and interviewing three touchable objects that witnessed the past.
*Due to the New Year’s holiday, January’s program will be held on the second Wednesday.
Dates and Essential Questions:
- September 4 - How do you build a house on the prairie?
- October 2 - What does harvest time mean to Nebraskans?
- November 6 - Why is voting important to Nebraskans?
- December 4 - How did the people who lived here before us use this place?
- January 8 - How do people stay warm in Nebraska winters?
- February 5 - How do Nebraskans decide what to wear?
- March 4 - Why is art and music important to Nebraskans?
- April 1 - What brings families to Nebraska?
- May 6 - What do Nebraskans like to do for fun?
Register Now
Bayard Pioneer Days at Chimney Rock
Join us at the Chimney Rock Visitor Center to for some fun events as part of the annual Bayard Pioneer Days! Admission is free and the programming is listed below. Outdoor events may be canceled or altered due to weather.
Drone Demonstrations
1:00 - 2:30 pm, Outdoor Amphitheater
Local drone enthusiast Wyatt Harrington will talk about and demonstrate how drones can be used at places like Chimney Rock.
Can We Take The Elevator To The Top?
1:30 pm, Auditorium
At least 37 states have a Chimney Rock. Some of them are famous in their own right. With so many places with the same name, it can be a bit confusing for the public. History Nebraska's Loren Pospisil will talk about some of these other places and share some stories of Chimney Rock confusion.
Living History Demonstrations
2:00 - 4:00 pm, Outside
Author Cody Assmann will talk about fur trading and mountain men, demonstrating the tools and tricks of the mountain men's’ trade.
Indians and Emigrants
2:30 pm, Auditorium
When emigrants were spilling across the Plains, they were not entering a vast unexplored wilderness. They were traveling across people’s lands and homes. Despite the stereotypes presented to us in movies and fiction, contact between Native Americans and emigrants were more often characterized by cooperation than conflict. History Nebraska's Loren Pospisil will be telling this story.
Ask a Curator Day
What is one question you've always wanted to ask a curator? Well good news, here's your chance to ask!
We're participating in Ask A Curator Day September 18th and we want to hear any and all questions you have for our curators and collections staff. Submit your questions on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram and on the day of the event, we'll answer as many as we possibly can. We're accepting questions from now until 4 pm on September 18th.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to submit them as soon as possible so our busy curators can have time to think of good answers!
How Do Archeologists Know Where to Dig?
"How do you know how old that is?" "Which tribe lived here?" "How much is this stuff worth?" "Can you keep it?" "Do you ever find dead people?"
Join Rob Bozell as he answers these questions and others by explaining what he and other History Nebraska archeologists do out in the field. Attendee will also have the chance for a sneak peek at our upcoming archeology exhibit being developed in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
Courthouse Rock Community Dig
Uncover history at Courthouse Rock with our History Nebraska archeologists! Join us for a weekend community dig to meet new people, learn archeological techniques, and make new discoveries all under the supervision of professional History Nebraska archeologists.
The dig will take place at Courthouse Rock from about 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. See maps below for a visualization of Courthouse Rock's location relative to Bridgeport and the route off the highway.
Registration costs are $50 per person for one day and $80 for both days of the dig. History Nebraska members will receive a discount. Members check your email for a discount code.
Lunch and excavation tools will both be provided for those registered. However, you should still bring your own water, hat, gloves, bug spray, sunscreen, etc. Make sure to check the weather as the event approaches and dress accordingly. We will have a large tent canopy to work under, so possible rain showers won't stop us!
The minimum age for participants is 16 years.
Register Now
Participants can also enjoy two related events taking place this weekend. The first is a pair of Saturday evening lectures at the Chimney Rock Visitor Center from 6:00-8:00 pm. One will be on Historic Trail Archeology by History Nebraska's Nolan Johnson, while the other will be about History Nebraska and Archaeological Discoveries in the Nebraska Badlands by Jason Kruse from Augustana University. Guests are encouraged to bring artifacts in for identification.
The second event is a Sunday afternoon Free Family Fun Day at Chimney Rock from 1:00-3:00 pm.
This event is part of Nebraska Archeology Month, a statewide celebration organized by the Nebraska Association of Professional Archeologists.
Archeology Lectures & Artifact Identification
Join us at Chimney Rock at 6 pm on September 28 for a free evening of lectures and artifact identification at the Chimney Rock Visitor Center.
Our own Nolan Johnson will be giving a talk on Historic Trail Archeology, while Augustana University's Jason Kruse will be discussing History Nebraska and Archeological Discoveries in the Nebraska Badlands. The talks will begin at 7 pm, but the public is encouraged to bring artifacts for identification beginning at 6 pm.
This event is part of History Nebraska's 2019 celebration of Nebraska Archeology Month, which also includes a weekend community dig at Courthouse Rock and a Free Family Fun Day at the Chimney Rock visitor center.
Archeology Free Family Fun Day
Join us September 29 at the Chimney Rock Visitor Center for an afternoon of archeology-themed fun for the whole family!
The afternoon's activities will include:
- Dig boxes for kids to excavate artifacts
- Paper plate puzzle games
- Broken ceramics ready for reconstruction
- Coloring sheets
- ... And more!
This event is part of History Nebraska's 2019 celebration of Nebraska Archeology Month, which also includes a weekend community dig at Courthouse Rock and an evening of archeology lectures & artifact identification at the Chimney Rock Visitor Center.
Homeschool Wednesdays
Homeschool families are invited to the Nebraska History Museum for a fun new learning series offered the first Wednesday of each month, September-May*. At Homeschool Wednesdays, students of all ages learn what historic objects and photos can tell us about the past. The activities are geared towards 7 to 10-year-olds, but older students are welcome to participate.
Each Homeschool Wednesday takes place from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and is centered around a different essential question. Families investigate the museum to answer each month’s essential question by examining objects and photos on display, interacting with an expert, completing a hands-on activity, and interviewing three touchable objects that witnessed the past.
*Due to the New Year’s holiday, January’s program will be held on the second Wednesday.
Dates and Essential Questions:
- September 4 - How do you build a house on the prairie?
- October 2 - What does harvest time mean to Nebraskans?
- November 6 - Why is voting important to Nebraskans?
- December 4 - How did the people who lived here before us use this place?
- January 8 - How do people stay warm in Nebraska winters?
- February 5 - How do Nebraskans decide what to wear?
- March 4 - Why is art and music important to Nebraskans?
- April 1 - What brings families to Nebraska?
- May 6 - What do Nebraskans like to do for fun?
Register Now
Pedaling Suffrage: Along the Path of Women Activists
Join us for our second bike tour of the year! We're celebrating our new Votes For Women exhibit with a tour featuring the history of Lincoln's women activists.
The tour will begin at the Nebraska History Museum with a tour of the Votes For Women exhibit. It will then continue to homes, schools, and parks around town with stories relating to women activists that were active in Lincoln during the Suffrage movement and the years that followed.
Registration is $15, with History Nebraska members receiving a $5 discount.
Refreshments will be provided. Helmets are required.
Register Now
Night At The Archives 2019
Most of our collections sit outside of public view in special storage spaces. On October 10, we're throwing open the doors for a series of archives tours.
Go behind the scenes with tours of the archives and reference room. Tables set up throughout the buildings will highlight rarely seen items like early maps of Nebraska, historic mugshots from the Omaha Police Court, and original glass plate negatives from the legendary Solomon Butcher Collection.
There will also be demonstrations of the process for digitizing audiovisual materials. The tour schedule is:
- Reference Room tours starting at 4:30 pm and running every half hour
- Tour of the archives starting at 4:15 pm and running every half hour.
There will also be archivist Q&A and refreshments available.
Brown Bag Lecture: Beyond Lincoln: A History of Nebraska Hauntings
In this month's Brown Bag Lecture, Lincoln native Tayden Bundy will highlight the historical origins of ghost stories retold in Nebraska as featured in his new book Beyond Lincoln: A History of Nebraska Hauntings.
Drawing on historical records and geographical documentation, Bundy has discovered the facts that connect several persistent ghost stories and provides a more detailed picture of their origins.
Join us but be warned, you may leave believing that some Nebraska hauntings are real.
School's Out!
The Nebraska History Museum invites Lincoln families to join us for a day of bringing history to life on select days when Lincoln Public Schools are out of session!
Our School's Out! event series brings history alive in kid-friendly ways. Each event will feature scavenger hunts, opportunities to explore art or music, hands-on activities, and read aloud stations.
Dates and Topics:
- October 18 - Votes for Women!
- November 27 - Major the Dog: True World War II Stories
- December 27 - Archeology: Can You Dig It?
- January 3 - National Fruitcake Toss Day (and other odd Nebraska celebrations)
- March 13 - 4-H: Head, Heart, Hands, Health & History
- April 10 - All That Jazz Appreciation Month
Register Now
Dia de los Muertos 2019
Experience the excitement and discover the meaning of El Dia de los Muertos, (the Day of the Dead) in downtown Lincoln! This year, Lincoln's celebration will include ofrendas (traditional memorial displays), storytelling, mariachi music, traditional Mexican folkloric dance, face painting, art-making, refreshments, and more.
Admission to all performances and activities at this family-oriented event is free for everyone! Food will be available for purchase from
Pepe's Kitchen Pop-Up. Pick up your event guide at any of the three locations where activities will occur.
The event starts at 1:00 pm with traditional crafts and displays of ofrendas at Bennett Martin Library and the Nebraska History Musuem. A large interactive ofrenda created by Lincoln artists David Manzanares and Jay Kreimer, explores the history and meanings of El Dia de los Muertos, and will be the centerpiece at the museum. After the welcoming remarks at the Nebraska History Museum, Manzanares will lead a group procession of sculptural monarch butterflies to the other venues.
At 2:30 a performance of folklorico dances led by traditional dancer and teacher Nestor Perez of Lincoln will take place at the Bourbon Theatre. At 3:00 pm, there will be a special storytelling event at Bennett Martin Library.
From 5:00-8:30 p.m. at the Bourbon Theatre, there will be ofrendas and entertainment, offered by MASA, the UNL Mexican American Student Association.
Event partner organizations are: Downtown Lincoln, El Centro de las Americas, the Nebraska History Museum, Lincoln Children's Museum, Lincoln City Libraries, Lincoln Commission on Human Rights, LUX Center for the Arts, Mourning Hope Grief Center, Nebraska Folklife Network, Nebraska Latino American Commission, UNL Mexican American Student Association - MASA.
Artist support provided by: Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Folklife Network, El Centro de las Americas.
¡Experimenta la emoción y descubre el significado de El Día de los Muertos (el Día de los Muertos) en el centro de Lincoln! Este año, la celebración de Lincoln incluirá ofrendas (exhibiciones conmemorativas tradicionales), narración de cuentos, música de mariachi, danza folclórica tradicional mexicana, pintura de rostros, creación artística, refrescos y más.
¡La entrada a todas las presentaciones y actividades en este evento orientado a la familia es gratis para todos! La comida estará disponible para comprar en Pepe's Kitchen Pop-Up. Recoja su guía de eventos en cualquiera de los tres lugares donde se realizarán las actividades.
El evento comienza a la 1:00 pm:
Con artesanías tradicionales y exhibiciones de ofrendas en la Biblioteca Bennett Martin y el Museo de Historia de Nebraska. Una gran ofrenda interactiva creada por los artistas de Lincoln David Manzanares y Jay Kreimer, explora la historia y los significados de El Día de los Muertos, y será la pieza central del museo. Después de los comentarios de bienvenida en el Museo de Historia de Nebraska, Manzanares dirigirá una procesión grupal de mariposas monarcas escultóricas a los otros lugares.
A las 2:30:
Una presentación de bailes folclóricos dirigida por el bailarín y maestro tradicional Néstor Pérez de Lincoln tendrá lugar en el Teatro Bourbon.
A las 3:00 pm,
Habrá un evento especial de narración en la Biblioteca Bennett Martin.
De 5:00 a 8:30 p.m.
En el Teatro Bourbon, habrá ofrendas y entretenimiento, ofrecidos por MASA, la Asociación de Estudiantes Mexicanos Americanos UNL.
Las Organizaciones asociadas al evento son:
Downtown Lincoln, El Centro de las Americas, Nebraska History Museum, Lincoln Children's Museum, Lincoln City Libraries, Lincoln Commission on Human Rights, LUX Center for the Arts, Mourning Hope Grief Center, Nebraska Folklife Network, Nebraska Latino American Commission, UNL Mexican American Student Association - MASA
Apoyo artístico proporcionado por:
Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Folklife Network, El Centro de las Americas
Homeschool Wednesdays
Homeschool families are invited to the Nebraska History Museum for a fun new learning series offered the first Wednesday of each month, September-May*. At Homeschool Wednesdays, students of all ages learn what historic objects and photos can tell us about the past. The activities are geared towards 7 to 10-year-olds, but older students are welcome to participate.
Each Homeschool Wednesday takes place from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and is centered around a different essential question. Families investigate the museum to answer each month’s essential question by examining objects and photos on display, interacting with an expert, completing a hands-on activity, and interviewing three touchable objects that witnessed the past.
*Due to the New Year’s holiday, January’s program will be held on the second Wednesday.
Dates and Essential Questions:
- September 4 - How do you build a house on the prairie?
- October 2 - What does harvest time mean to Nebraskans?
- November 6 - Why is voting important to Nebraskans?
- December 4 - How did the people who lived here before us use this place?
- January 8 - How do people stay warm in Nebraska winters?
- February 5 - How do Nebraskans decide what to wear?
- March 4 - Why is art and music important to Nebraskans?
- April 1 - What brings families to Nebraska?
- May 6 - What do Nebraskans like to do for fun?
Register Now
Furnas County Historic Buildings Survey Public Meeting
History Nebraska's State Historic Preservation Office (NeSHPO) is conducting a historic building survey in Furas County. The survey will locate and record historic buildings and structures throughout the county.
Please join our NeSHPO staff for a public meeting on November 6th to discover the opportunities that historic preservation can offer communities of all sizes, learn about programs that could benefit your town, and see historic photographs of Furnas County from the History Nebraska photo collections.
Fillmore County Historic Buildings Survey Public Meeting
History Nebraska's State Historic Preservation Office (NeSHPO) is conducting a historic building survey in Fillmore County. The survey will locate and record historic buildings and structures throughout the county.
Please join our NeSHPO staff for a public meeting on November 7th to discover the opportunities that historic preservation can offer communities of all sizes, learn about programs that could benefit your town, and see historic photographs of Fillmore County from the History Nebraska photo collections.
Howard County Historic Buildings Survey Public Meeting
History Nebraska's State Historic Preservation Office (NeSHPO) is conducting a historic building survey in Howard County. The survey will locate and record historic buildings and structures throughout the county.
Please join our NeSHPO staff for a public meeting on November 13th to discover the opportunities that historic preservation can offer communities of all sizes, learn about programs that could benefit your town, and see historic photographs of Howard County from the History Nebraska photo collections.
Garfield County Historic Buildings Survey Public Meeting
History Nebraska's State Historic Preservation Office (NeSHPO) is conducting a historic building survey in Garfield County. The survey will locate and record historic buildings and structures throughout the county.
Please join our NeSHPO staff for a public meeting on November 14th to discover the opportunities that historic preservation can offer communities of all sizes, learn about programs that could benefit your town, and see historic photographs of Garfield County from the History Nebraska photo collections.
