Mapping Out the Weekend

Hello all! It has been a few weeks since I have shared, but hopefully you enjoyed the Swimmer Superlatives that Diana and Katie presented a few weeks ago and I know that reading Sarah's latest on good-eats around town made my tummy rumble.

My latest story goes back to the original idea for this blog. I had the opportunity to visit not one, but two of the points on the "Omaha's Top Attractions" map last weekend. The first stop was the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. This was the first time I had been there since the aquarium re-opened after the amazing renovations. My sister and I took my niece and nephew because it was going to be the coldest day of the week (mid-90s). We got there just after the zoo opened and decided to start with the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Pavilion. This building includes a lot of small animals and insects in small cases around the main room. There are also interactive learning opportunities for kids to get an up-close look at snake skins, butterflies, and other assorted items.

Our next stop was the newly renovated Scott Aquarium. It was amazing. As soon as you walk in, you may run into a line of people off to the right. That is because there is a small area that includes several different types of aquatic animals that you can touch. If you aren't interested in that you can bypass the line and head in to the aquarium. A lot of the main attractions are still located in the same areas like the penguins, sharks, and jellyfish, but each area has had a make-over that just enhances the experience. When we left the aquarium we HAD to stop for popcorn at the snack stand right outside before continuing on to the Grewcock Butterfly & Insect Pavilion.

We did visit a few of the outdoor exhibits like the zebras and sea lions but it was so incredibly hot that our main focus was finding an indoor attraction. Although it was hot, there were hoses and sprinklers set up throughout the zoo to cool off while walking from place to place and most of the buildings are air conditioned as well. If you aren't interested in walking around the whole zoo, you can also pick up the train either by the giraffe complex or at the Train Depot near the Children's Play area. There is also the Skyfari (similar to a ski lift) that takes you over the middle of the zoo as well as a tram that you can get on at different locations. We visited the bears, the cats, and the gorillas before deciding to call it a day.

Here are a few helpful tips for visiting the zoo: 1) If you are visiting in the summer, be sure to go early. The zoo opens at 9:00 throughout the summer and it is a great way to beat the heat.  2) Look at your map. The map includes the times that the tram, train, carousel, and Skyfari are available. It also list the times of different presentations throughout the zoo. 3) Although I LOVE zoo food, you can bring in your own snacks and eat at any of the snack areas scattered throughout. 4) Be sure to check out their website for events in the zoo. They are open year round and offer different family-oriented events at different times in the year. www.OmahaZoo.com

Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden

Large Covered Wagon
(The pioneer woman is puffing on a pipe
and her two rowdy pioneer children are about to fall
out of the back of the wagon. It is supposed
 to be a likeness of a family on a cross-country vacation.)

The second map point I visited was the Joslyn Art Museum. Now I will admit, I am not an art buff by any means, but I will say that you don't need to be to appreciate this beautiful Omaha landmark. When you drive past it on Dodge, you can see only the profile of the beautiful building. As soon as you pull into the parking lot, you will have a few unexpected, but very welcome surprises.  The building is surrounded by several beautiful sculpture gardens. There is the Discovery Garden at the northwest corner of the campus that includes a number of different interactive sculptures and of course the main garden directly in front of the museum includes a giant reflecting pool, numerous sculptures, and an amazing full-on view of the museum. 

This is called the Story-Telling Hut
(This exhibit will disintegrate
within 18-24 months.)

I call this "Laura Riding the Pencil"

After spending some time outside admiring the beauty of these gardens, I took advantage of the free admission that is offered on Saturday mornings between 10:00 and noon. My first stop was the gift shop located just inside on the main level. Since Omaha is celebrating 150 years of the Union Pacific Railroad, there were a lot of train-related items available, but as always, they had a good assortment of items that are related to the exhibits. You can get anything from books to prints about some of the pieces on display.

In the main atrium there is also a little cafe that is open at different times throughout the day. It is a quiet area that is lit mainly by the natural light  provided by the open space. To the right of the atrium is a staircase that leads up to the gallery that houses their traveling exhibits. The current exhibit being shown is called The Great West Illustrated. It includes photographs and paintings that celebrate the Union Pacific Railroad.

On this same level, you can cross above the atrium area into the permanent galleries. But before you do, make sure to check out the beautiful glass sculpture created by Dale Chihuly that is placed in the floor-to-ceiling window. (My picture doesn't even do this piece justice.) Some of the other permanent pieces of this collection include works from Edgar Degas, Claude Monet,  Jackson Pollock, and El Greco. 

Chihuly: Inside & Out

Beyond viewing the artwork, there are also educational programs and research opportunities that you can participate in. There are also lectures, musical performances, and art classes for people of all ages. For more information on these programs and services, please visit www.joslyn.org.

I had a great time marking a few more map pins off my list and I hope you are all doing the same. Please be sure to share with us if you have any places you would like us to report on or if you have any fun adventures to share from any of the places we have already visited! 

Goodbye for now Omaha Stalkers!