Arts & Culture

You don’t have to be an art historian to enjoy the vibrant and eclectic galleries and art museums in Nebraska. From world-renowned collections to quirky roadside masterpieces, here’s a brushstroke of what you’ll find:

• Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) in Kearney tells the state’s story through a powerful, ever-evolving collection of Nebraska artists. Bonus: it just wrapped a major renovation in 2025.
• Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha features over 12,000 works, including pieces by Monet, Renoir, and Pollock.
• Omaha’s Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts hosts provocative exhibitions and a music venue with free shows by global experimental artists.
• In downtown Lincoln, Kiechel Fine Art, and Clements Noyes Gallery serve up Midwest and national talent, while nearby Seward’s Red Path Gallery pairs paintings with wine and bourbon.
• Norfolk Arts Center in the Northeast offers free access to rotating exhibitions and arts programming.
• The University of Nebraska Great Plains Art Museum shares Native American works, including art from the Ponca, Lakota, and Pawnee tribes.

Dive deeper into the state of Nebraska’s past at museums like The Archway in Kearney and The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron. No matter where your art trail takes you, you’ll find a vibrant depiction of our storied past and diverse communities.

Ever heard Nebraska sing? We’re always in tune. Festivals across the state amplify the spirit of The Good Life with a joyful mix of sounds, styles, and shared experiences.

• Maha Music Festival is Nebraska’s biggest, with past acts like Run the Jewels and The Flaming Lips. Held annually in Omaha, it’s more than just a show — it’s a celebration of creativity, culture, and community.
• Big cities Lincoln and Omaha host the Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival, a globally inspired mash-up of jazz, hip-hop, indie-electronic, and even Hindustani classical.
• In Hastings, Flatwater Music Festival brings toe-tapping folk, Americana, and bluegrass alongside food, artisan goods, and family fun.
• In Northwest Nebraska, Horizon Music Fest is a free Christian festival that draws top gospel acts and families alike.
• NEBRASKAland Days, the state’s official celebration, brings the party to North Platte with a Summer Jam Concert Series full of chart-topping country stars.
• Lincoln Calling offers a diverse lineup of national and local performing artists and a VIP experience that keeps you immersed in Lincoln’s extraordinary arts and music scene.
• Jazz in June is a free outdoor concert series held annually at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Sheldon Sculpture Garden.

No matter your genre of choice, Nebraska culture delivers harmony, hospitality, and the kind of memories best made under open skies and shared melodies.

Spotlights, stagecraft, and standing ovations — Nebraska knows a thing or two about performance.

At the heart of it all is Omaha’s historic Orpheum Theater, a former vaudeville house that now showcases everything from Broadway blockbusters to symphonies. It’s one of four venues operated by Omaha Performing Arts, which also runs the Holland Performing Arts Center, known for its bold modern design and pitch-perfect acoustics. Since 2005, more than 6 million visitors have passed through their doors.

The Omaha Community Playhouse, the largest community theater in the country, offers two stages and a calendar full of homegrown productions. Just down the road, The Rose Theater has been inspiring children and families for over 75 years with inclusive performances and arts education.

Lincoln adds to the drama with its own Lincoln Community Playhouse, which has been a part of the city’s cultural fabric since 1946. Smaller cities bring their own flair, too, like the North Platte Community Playhouse and Kearney Community Theater, both bringing heartfelt stories to life.

In Nebraska, performance art isn’t just an act — it brings communities together and keeps imaginations thriving.