Kearney Welcome Center Opens

(KEARNEY, NEBRASKA) Visitors and residents of Kearney are invited to enjoy a brand-new visitors center opening today, February 3rd.

The Welcome Center truly is a celebration of Kearney, past and present. It features a custom mural, interactive displays, and modern floor-to-ceiling windows alongside banners showcasing some of Kearney’s top sights. As visitors walk across the floor they’ll notice a design made to represent the Platte River, while cranes ‘fly’ overhead, suspended from the ceiling.

For outdoor enthusiasts, there is an area that features videos of Platte River wildlife from Nebraska photographer, Michael Forsberg, along with Sandhills Crane footage taken at Rowe Sanctuary. For those wanting to try their hand at a craft, there is an origami crane station as well.

Also serving as an official state visitor center, there will be information available about Nebraska as a whole, along with a staff of knowledgeable travel guides who can help those planning current or future visits.

Hours for the new center will be Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM, Saturday, 10AM - 5PM, and Sunday, 1PM - 5PM. From March 1st to April 12th, Saturday hours will adjust to 8AM - 5PM to accommodate visitors during the Sandhill Crane Migration.

An extension of VIsit Kearney, staff offices can be found just down the hall from the center. The building is a partnership between Visit Kearney/Kearney Visitors Bureau, the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, and Buffalo County Economic Development. The ribbon cutting for the Kearney Partnership Building will be later this month, on February 20th at 4PM.

Right off of Interstate 80, the Kearney Welcome Center is located in the heart of Younes Landing. It’s part of an up-and-coming development near hotels, restaurants, bars, and the hike and bike trail. It is also next door to the SportsPlex, an athletic venue that’s set to be completed this spring.