Visitor Centers in Nebraska

Located in northeastern Nebraska, Ponca State Park is one of Nebraska’s most visited state parks. It manages one of two unchannelized stretches of the Missouri National Recreation River. A popular destination for tourists and naturalists alike, the park boasts heavily forested hills, scenic vistas, wetlands, abundant wildlife, and a fascinating history.

In August of 1804, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark passed near Calumet Bluff in what is known today as Crofton, Nebraska as they headed westward. Since they were traveling through Yankton Sioux territory, they intended to meet with the tribe to inform them that the United States now presided over their land. The meeting took place on August 29th on top of Calumet bluff, where the expedition had established camp.

Beautiful architecture blends with memories of a time gone by at the historic Durham Museum. Opened in 1931, Union Station was built by Union Pacific Railroad as the showpiece to the city of its headquarters. Considered one of Omaha’s most unique treasures, and an official National Historic Landmark, the station is one of the best examples of art deco architecture in the country.

The mission of Fontenelle Forest is to provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature. We want to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world. Fontenelle Forest conserves and preserves over 2,100 acres of natural land in Douglas and Sarpy County along the Missouri River with programming for residents living locally in the Metropolitan Omaha Area and partnerships that span throughout the state and region. Fontenelle Fore

In Sioux City, Iowa, near the intersection of South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa, stands the Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center. The museum is nestled inside the retired M.V. Sergeant Floyd, a boat once used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The boat was named after Sergeant Charles Floyd of Kentucky, one of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

While out on a hunting trip, the Ponca Tribe first encountered Meriwether Lewis and William Clark near present-day Verdel, Nebraska. Not long after parting ways with the duo’s Corps of Discovery, the Ponca left the area due to constant threat from the Sioux. They relocated near Sioux Falls before finally settling near Niobrara, Nebraska.

The Boyer Chute and DeSoto National Wildlife Refuges can be found on the Missouri River floodplain, along the border of Iowa and Nebraska. The refuges serve as habitats for endangered and native species, as well as Migratory Birds during certain parts of the year.

Large, mature trees cover most of the 79-acres of the Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Visitor Center grounds, giving guests a sense of what this western bluff above the river valley would have been like when the Corps of Discovery passed below in 1804 and 1806. Located outside of Nebraska City, Nebraska, the Missouri River Basin Center is a 12,000-square-foot, three-story showcase focused on the flora and fauna, and the scientific discoveries of the expedition.