Nebraska's State Capital, Lincoln, has earned a reputation as one of the Midwest's most affordable, accessible, and agreeable cities. At 250,000 and growing strong, it is one of the Midwest's fastest-expanding metro areas. Lincoln offers all the amenities of a big city - fine food, art, music, sports and the outdoors - all more affordable and accessible than in the nation's major cities - and all with friendly Midwestern hospitality. Located downtown at 7th and P Streets, the Lincoln Visitors Center has a complete range of brochures, maps, and guides of the area. The Lincoln Visitors Center can be reached at 402-434-5348. Best western Lincoln Nebraska.
Things to do in Lincoln
Ager Play Center
Ager Play Center is a large indoor playground structure designed for kids who are at least 3 years old and under 4 feet tall. Along with playground equipment, the center offers an indoor track complete with kiddie vehicles and a snack area. A separate toddler area is available for children younger than 3 years. Located at 1300 S. 27th Street, next door to the children's zoo. Best Western Lincoln lodging is nearby. Call 402-441-6788 for more information.
American Historical Society of Germans from Russia
In 1764, Russian Czarina Catherine the Great invited German natives to settle along the Volga River. Many responded because of the promises made to them. By 1870, many of the promises had run out or were being ignored by the Russian government and a mass migration began. The Germans from Russia were attracted to Lincoln and the Great Plains because of the climate and the agricultural societies. By 1914, more than one-third of Lincoln's population was made up of these immigrants and their descendants. This unique museum is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Germans who emigrated to Russia, then to the United States. Located at 631 D Street. Call 402-474-3363 for more information.
Antelope Park and Sunken Gardens
Antelope Park is a particularly beautiful park offering extensive facilities, including Rose Gardens, Sunken Gardens, 2 Fountains, statues, the Folsom Childrens Zoo, a recreation center, a golf course, trails system, tennis courts, a swimming pool and several playground areas and is accessible for all children. Sunken Gardens, at South 27th Street and Capitol Parkway, is a beautiful terraced garden featuring thousands of annuals, a reflecting pond and waterfall. The gardens are a popular site for summer weddings. Call 402-441-7847 for more information.
Beadle Center
Beadle Center is a center for research and learning. Visitors can see the latest technology in DNA, research, microscopy, plant breeding, researching the AIDS virus, and more. Lincoln is home to a nationally recognized life science research center with top international scientists. Tours of the UNL Beadle Center include state-of-the-art research facilities and a greenhouse filled with exotic plants. Located at 19th and Vine. Call 402-472-5691 for more information.
Crooked Creek Golf Course
The angling Crooked Creek winds through this 180-acre tract with most of the 18-hole course lying across a mild slope. The course boasts an outstanding practice area with a lighted driving range and a putting green. Located at 333 S. 134th Street. Call 402-489-7899 for more information.
Fairview, Home of William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan served two terms in Congress, was U.S. Secretary of State and was the Democratic nominee for President in 1896, 1900 and 1908. His historic residence has been restored to its early 1900s grandeur. The house that once sat atop a hill and offered a "fair view" of the Prairie Capital and its adjacent farms has been incorporated into the Bryan/LGH Medical Center Campus and is located about 1 block east of 48th Street on the north side of Sumner Street. The Bryan Museum, on the lower level, includes authentic displays and recordings. Call 402-481-8303 for more information.
Folsom Children's Zoo & Botanical Gardens
A wild experience for the entire family! At Folsom Children's Zoo & Botanical Gardens visitors can see 300 animals representing 95 species, including threatened and endangered species. Explore the Butterfly Pavilion, with hundreds of live North American butterflies. Train rides, pony rides, and a petting zoo are also available. Special educational events are held throughout the season. Located at 1222 S. 27th Street. Call 402-475-6741 for more information.
Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum
Replicas of Alexander Graham Bell's original designs can be seen at Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum. Early operator switchboards, wall phones and candlesticks also adorn the museum. A 1929 Chevrolet telephone, complete with tools, occupies a special place. Located at 2047 M Street. Call 402-436-4640 for more information.
Gettysburg Lincoln Statue
The statue of Abraham Lincoln, located at the west entrance of the Capitol Building, was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, who also completed the statue of the seated Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Another famous Lincoln statue can be seen at the east entrance of the Justice and Law Enforcement Center, located at 10th Street and Lincoln Mall.
Governor's Mansion
The Nebraska Governor's residence is located just south of the Capitol. The home was built in 1957 in the Georgian Colonial-style. The public is invited to tour the mansion on Thursday afternoons. The tour features a doll collection of the state's first ladies in their inaugural gowns, a superb silver service from the U.S.S. Nebraska, needlepoint chair cushions in the state dining room, custom woven carpets and elegant reception rooms. The mansion is open to the public year-round. 30-minute tours are offered on Thursday afternoons only. Located at 1425 H Street. Call 402-471-3466 for more information.
Great Plains Art Collection
Located on the campus at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, the impressive Great Plains Art Collection features bronzes by Frederic Remington, works on paper by Albert Bierstadt, other artists and photographers of the American West and Great Plains. The gallery presents changing exhibits with a focus on significant regional art, including paintings by 20th Century American Indian artists. Additionally the collection includes a non-circulating library of 4,000 volumes of Western Americana. Located at 1155 Q Street. Call 402-472-6220 for more information.
Haymarket Park / Saltdogs Baseball
Haymarket Park baseball stadium and softball complex, seats 4,500 plus people. Grassy berm seating provides for approximately 4,000 more. The unique stadium is home to the Lincoln Saltdogs pro baseball team, a franchise of the Northern League, is comprised of players from all over the United States. The Northern League has seen major league stars like J.D. Drew and Darryl Strawberry. Located West of I-80 & Memorial Stadium. Call 402-474-2255 for more information.
Hidden Valley Country Club
Hidden Valley offers 27 holes of challenging golf. The East Eighteen Hole Course has tree-lined fairways with a few water hazards and sand bunkers on the course. The West Nine Hole Course has wide tree-lined fairways and a few sand bunkers and three water hazards come into play on some holes. Located at 10501 Pine Lake Road. Call 402-483-2532 for more information.
Highlands Golf Course
Highlands offers an enjoyable golf experience. The layout offers an open, windswept links style course with large sand traps and some tough water holes. Located at 5501 N.W. 12th Street. Call 402-441-6081 for more information.
HiMark Golf Course
HiMark's 27-hole layout that has been awarded three stars by Golf Digest and voted "Best of Lincoln." The course is always in top shape and the greens are smooth and consistent. The layout is carved from an old apple orchard. Located at 8901 Augusta Drive. Call 402-488-7888 for more information.
Historic Haymarket District
Night or day, the Haymarket District sparkles with great restaurants, unique shopping and fun nightspots located among restored turn-of-the-century warehouses. Antique shops, art galleries and the first microbrewery in Nebraska draw visitors and locals daily. The Historic Haymarket name comes from the original market square of 1867 where wagons, camping equipment and hay were bought and sold. In 1874 the city shifted the area a few blocks west and north and renamed it "Haymarket." Call 402-435-7496 for more information.
Holmes Park Golf Course
Holmes Park is an 18-hole course featuring water hazards on eight holes. "Golf Digest" has rated this course as the 8th "Best Public Course" in the state. Located at 3701 S. 70th Street. Call 402-441-8960 for more information.
Hyde Memorial Observatory
View the planets and stars at Hyde Memorial Observatory located in the southern part of Holmes Lake Park. Astronomy programs are offered on Saturday evenings along with telescope viewing when weather permits. Call ahead for schedule of open hours. Located at 3701 S. 70th Street. Call 402-441-7094 for more information.
International Quilt Study Center
Lincoln is proud to be home to the largest publicly owned quilt collection in the world. The International Quilt Study Center was established in 1997 with the donation of more than 900 quilts from the Ardis & Robert James Quilt Collection. The collection includes quilts that range from the late 1700s to the present. Located in the Home Economics Building, 2nd floor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus. Call 402-472-6549 for more information.
Iron Horse Park
The spirit of the 1800s flows into Iron Horse Park located on the north side of the historic Burlington railroad depot. A three-dimensional brick mural, "Iron Horse Legacy," shows old locomotive Number 710 pulling the first train into Lincoln in 1870 on July 4th. A restored CB&Q steam engine originally built in the Havelock shops, an 1890s water tower fountain and reflecting pool along with a railroad-themed children's play area offer visitors a respite from the bustle of the city. Call 402-441-7847 for more information.
James Arthur Vineyards
James Arthur Vineyards is one of the finest wine production facilities in the state. Visitors are invited to the winery, where they can enjoy a picnic of specialty wines, cheeses, meats and breads on the observation deck surrounded by a peaceful Nebraska country setting. During cooler weather, an indoor tasting room with a stone fireplace provides a cozy, comfortable setting to sample the wines. Located northwest of Lincoln at 2001 W. Raymond Road. Call 402-783-5255 for more information.
Jim Ager Memorial Golf Course
This par 3 course offers greens that are well bunkered and fairways that are narrow. The course is fairly flat with average-sized greens, a creek running down the middle of the course, and many trees. Located at 3761 Normal Blvd. Call 402-441-8963 for more information.
L.F. Larsen Tractor Museum
With exhibits of early hand tools dating back to the 1700's to historical tractors, the Lester Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum takes visitors through the development of food production from colonial times through the introduction of diesel powered tractors. The museum also offers an exhibit of early plows, the art of blacksmithing tools and a collection of early animal-drawn equipment. Another collection shows the development of conservation tillage. Located on University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus at 35th & Fair Streets. Call 402-472-8389 for more information.
Lentz Center for Asian Culture
The Lentz Center is the only Nebraska institution devoted solely to Asian art and culture. Items in the permanent collections include musical instruments, rich textiles, opulent ceramics, paintings, bronzes, jade and exquisite ivory carvings and prints. Located at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln on the lower level of Hewitt Place, 1155 Q Street. Call 402-472-5841 for more information.
Lied Center for Performing Arts
The Lied Center presents the finest performances by diverse, internationally known artists. Productions vary from Joan Baez to the "Sound of Music". Located at 301 N. 12th Street. Call 402-472-4747 for more information.
Lincoln Area Model Railroad Club & Museum
Not just toy trains, the LAMRC&M showcases skillfully hand-crafted model railroad scenes! The museum is dedicated to promoting the hobby of model railroading and fostering fellowship among model railroaders. It features old railroad memorabilia, several train layouts, and a "Thomas the Tank" display for kids. Tours by appointment only. Located on the second floor of the Industrial Arts Building, State Fair Park. Call 402-475-0600 for more information.
Lincoln Children's Museum
Ranked among the top 20 children's museums in the United States, the Lincoln Children's Museum offers hands-on exhibits representing broad areas of science, technology, history, culture, fine arts and preschool. Exhibits include: a three-story apple tree, airplane, interactive water exhibit, Prairie Dog Town, Lunar Lander, real Mack Truck cab, Tot Town, Pizzeria, Little Husker Center, Media Center, Bank, Super Grocery, Medical Center, Police and Fire Department and performing arts area. Located at 1420 P Street. Call 402-477-4000 for more information.
Lincoln Community Playhouse
The Lincoln Community Playhouse has been bringing quality theatrical productions to the community for over 59 years. The playhouse presents musicals, comedies, dramas and children's plays on stage throughout the year. Located at 2500 S. 56th Street. Call 402-489-7529 for more information.
Mahoney
Mahoney is an open city 18-hole golf course that is situated on the slopes of northeast Lincoln. The layout boasts well conditioned fairways, a modern clubhouse and a first rate pro shop. Sand traps and bunkers guard several greens and the out of bound stakes line a few of the holes. Located at 7900 Adams Street. Call 402-441-8969 for more information.
Museum of Nebraska History
The Nebraska State Historical Society's Museum presents exhibits that make it easy to imagine traveling along the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon or earning a living by the sweat of the brow and a one-row plow. Prehistoric and historic Native American cultures of the Great Plains are featured along with the lives of the Euro-American pioneer settlers. The History Adventure Center offers hands-on learning, walk-through sod-house and general store settings. Located at 15th and P Streets. Call 402-471-4754 for more information.
National Museum of Roller Skating
The National Museum of Roller Skating is the only museum of its kind in the world that exhibits skates, costumes, films, artwork and other skating memorabilia from 1819 to the present. Learn about the history and development of roller sports and technology.Located at 4730 South Street. Call 402-483-7551 for more information.
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum is a unique network of arboretums, parks, historic properties and other public landscapes working together to enrich lives through the beauty and wonder of plants. The statewide network includes 75 affiliate sites, 13 of which are in Lincoln. Call for further information about NSA or for a guide to arboretum sites in Lincoln. Call 402-472-2971 for more information.
North Forty
Originally a farm, the North Forty executive course found here today offers many unique features that include a pitch and putt called Beatty's Back None. The original barn has been converted into a spacious clubhouse. Located at 8101 Adams Street. Call 402-466-4653 for more information.
Pine Lake
Pine Lake is a great 9-hole course for beginners. The course meanders through a neighborhood of attractive homes and the holes range from 100 - 170 yards. You will not find bunkers and the greens are friendly and in good condition. Located at 6601 S. 84th Street. Call 402-488-7105 for more information.
Pioneers Golf Course
Pioneers 18-hole course has huge mounds around the greens with tree-lined fairways. "Golf Digest" has rated this course as the 10th "Best Public Course". There are no sand bunkers, but there are several grass bunkers. Located at 3403 W Van Dorn Street. Call 402-441-8966 for more information.
Pioneers Park Nature Center
On the southwestern edge of Lincoln, Pioneers Park covers 900 acres of parkland that includes bridle, bike, and walking trails, ponds, picnic areas, ball diamonds, Lincoln's oldest 18-hole golf course, and an outdoor amphitheater,. The Nature Center, in the southwest corner of the park, features six miles of walking trails through native Nebraska prairie grasses, woodlands and wetlands. A herd of bison, elk, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, hawks and owls are exhibited in their natural Nebraska habitat along the Nature Center trails. Located at 3201 S. Coddington. Call 402-441-7895 for more information.
Salt Valley Lakes
Lancaster County offers more than 20 lakes in the Salt Valley region, which are within a 25-mile radius of Lincoln. Seven are highly developed state recreation areas and another five are more primitive state wildlife areas. All offer a variety of recreational opportunities. A Nebraska entry permit is required at the state recreation areas. Contact Nebraska Game & Parks for detailed information about each area. Call 402-471-0641 for more information.
Schleich Red Wing Pottery Museum
The Redwing Stoneware Company started in 1877 in Red Wing, Minnesota. The Schleich Museum collection has over 5,000 pieces of the pottery dating from 1877. From the earliest pieces of stoneware through dinnerware and art pottery, the collection includes cookie jars, several pieces of Grayline or Sponge Band and a 70-gallon jug made in 1923. Representative samples of all the patterns and hundreds of examples of the different styles of art pottery and dinnerware are displayed. By appointment only. Located at 3901 Normal Blvd, Suite 200. Call 402-436-3111 for more information.
Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden
Housed in a building designed by architect Philip Johnson, the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery exhibits one of the most comprehensive collections of 20th century American art on a university campus. Notable artists include Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keefe, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol. The campus-wide sculpture garden contains more than 30 pieces by key American artists of the 20th and 21st centuries including Mark di Suvero, Michael Heizer, Bryan Hunt, Gaston Lachaise, Jacques Lipchitz, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Located on the UNL campus at 12th & R Streets. Call 402-472-2461 for more information.
Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center
Spring Creek Prairie is a 626-acre tallgrass natural prairie preserve. Miles of walking trails wind through rare native tall grass prairie, wetlands, and ancient bur oak woodlands. Connections to the area's pioneer heritage are illustrated by the presence of wagon ruts from the Nebraska City/Fort Kearny Cutoff to the Oregon Trail. Located in Denton at 11700 SW 100 Street. Call 402-797-2301 for more information.
State Capitol
The Nebraska State Capitol, constructed from 1922 to 1932 at a cost of $10 million, is described by architects and historians as the nation's first truly vernacular state capitol. Seen from miles away, the building's majestic four hundred foot domed tower and low spreading base contain exterior and interior artwork representing the natural, social and political development of the State of Nebraska. Located at 15th and K Streets. Call 402-471-0448 for more information.
Thomas P. Kennard House
The Thomas P. Kennard House, a Nebraska Statehood Memorial and home of Nebraska's first secretary of state, was built in 1869. The restored house is the oldest house in Lincoln. By appointment only. Located at 1627 H Street. Call 402-471-4764 for more information.
University of Nebraska
Since 1869, Lincoln has been home to the flagship campus of the University of Nebraska. Originally built as a bastion of technical and agricultural studies, the university now offers more than 52 specialized degree choices from 10 nationally acclaimed colleges. Approximately 25,000 students attend classes on Lincoln's campus alone each year, and nearly 1,500 faculty and staff members are leading the way in award-winning instruction and research. Call 402-472-7211 for more information.
University of Nebraska Botanical Garden and Arboretum
A visit to The Garden provides a variety of experiences through the changing seasons. Spring bulbs and flowering trees, summer native plants and perennial displays, autumn foliage and winter textures are woven throughout the campuses. Whether you have only a few minutes for a stroll through one garden, or a leisurely afternoon to explore them all, your time in the UNL Botanical Garden and Arboretum will be enjoyable and educational. Located on the UNL Campus at 14th & R Streets, and East Campus at 38th & Holdrege Streets. Call 402-472-2679 for more information.
University of Nebraska Memorial Stadium
Take a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the Husker Walk of Fame and museum area, weight room, Husker Training Table, press boxes, and an actual "walk on" Tom Osborne Field. Call for an appointment. Call 402-472-1132 for more information.
University of Nebraska State Museum - Morrill Hall & Mueller Planetarium
Inside the UNL museum is one of the world's largest collections of mammal fossils. Additionally, Elephant Hall offers a remarkable display of modern and fossil elephants along with a mural of Ice Age mammoths. Explore the Age of Dinosaurs in the interactive Mesozoic Gallery. The Galleries of Ancient Life, Plains Indians, Hall of Nebraska Wildlife further interpret Nebraska's natural historic past. An interactive Discovery Center is a favorite for kids of all ages. Mueller Planetarium offers a regular schedule of sky and laser shows. Located at the University of Nebraska, Morrill Hall just south of 14th & Vine Streets. Call 402-472-2642 for more information.
Veteran's Memorial Garden
The Veterans Memorial Garden has more than 15 memorials and over 3,000 "Bricks of Remembrance" honoring veterans of foreign wars. Memorials include World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Pearl Harbor, Airborne, Air Force, Coast Guard, Disabled Veterans, Ex-Prisoners of War, K-9 Corps, China-Burma-India, Medical, Purple Heart, Military Women, Special Forces, Merchant Marines, and Naval Armed Guard. Located east of Auld Recreation Center on Memorial Drive (31st and A Street). Call 402-441-7847 for more information.
Wilderness Park
Wilderness Park, Lincoln's largest park, covers more than 1,475 acres and features hiking, jogging, cross country skiing, and bridle trails. Trees are marked on some paths, and many enjoy bird watching as well. Trails begin in southwest Lincoln at South 1st and Van Dorn streets with additional parking areas at South 27th and Saltillo Road; South 14th and Rokeby Road; South 1st and Pioneers Blvd.; and South 1st and Calvert. Call 402-441-7847 for more information.
Wilderness Ridge
Wildreness Ridge is a 27-hole course that highlights a 9 executive course in South Lincoln. It features a rolling terrain and natural foliage. Located at 1800 Wilderness Woods Place. Call 402-421-2525 for more information.