Culture of Omaha, Nebraska facts for kids
The culture of Omaha, Nebraska is shaped by its amazing music, exciting college sports, tasty local food, and lively community theater. Omaha has worked hard to grow its cultural scene over many years. In 2007, the New York Times newspaper even said Omaha was having a "cultural awakening."
Omaha has a special sound in alternative rock music, sometimes called the "Omaha Sound." Also, the famous College World Series baseball tournament has been held in Omaha every year since 1950. Many famous actors were born or grew up here, including Fred Astaire, Nick Nolte, and Marlon Brando. Henry Fonda, an Academy Award winner, was encouraged to act by Marlon Brando's mother at the Omaha Community Playhouse.
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Awesome Museums
Omaha has several cool museums to explore. The Joslyn Art Museum is famous for its art from Native American cultures. It also shows art about early European explorers in western North America.
The Durham Museum is located in an old train station. It has many permanent exhibits. This museum is connected with the Smithsonian Institution. This means it can host special traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian. The Omaha Children's Museum opened in 1976. It is a fun place where kids can learn through play. They can discover how the world works and challenge themselves.
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is near the Old Market. It started in the 1980s. Artists from all over the world come here to create. It is one of the best places for artists to work in the country. It was founded by Ree Schonlau, whose husband, Jun Kaneko, is a famous Japanese artist living in Omaha. He opened Museum Kaneko in 2007.
Other museums include the Great Plains Black History Museum. It celebrates the history of African Americans in Omaha and the Midwest. The General Crook House Museum at Fort Omaha shows the role of the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars. General Crook famously supported Chief Standing Bear of the Omaha tribe. This happened during a big court case in 1879. El Museo Latino celebrates Latin American art and culture. It is Omaha's first museum focused on Latino art and history.
Live Shows and Performances
Omaha has a lively scene for live performances. The Omaha Symphony Orchestra started in 1921. Opera Omaha opened in 1958. Both are important parts of Omaha's culture. American Midwest Ballet is Nebraska's only professional ballet company. They perform at Witherspoon Hall and the Orpheum Theater.
The Omaha Community Playhouse is one of the largest and most famous community theaters in the United States. Other great places for shows include the Blue Barn Theatre and the Holland Performing Arts Center. The Shelterbelt Theatre creates new plays. It also teaches people about theater. This includes writers, actors, and technical staff. Other groups include the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra and the Omaha Modern Dance Collective.
Music Scene
Omaha has a rich history in rhythm & blues and jazz music. Many Kansas City jazz bands used to stop here. Local talents like Wynonie Harris and Preston Love came from Omaha. The city was even mentioned in the song "Omaha Blues" by Big Joe Williams. In the 1960s, several surf music bands started in Omaha. The Rumbles is one of the longest-lasting.
Omaha is sometimes called the "Indie Rock Capital" of the world. The "Omaha Sound" describes the unique alternative rock music from the city. In the late 1990s, Omaha became known for the band 311. It also became famous for Saddle Creek Records. This record label features bands like Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Cursive. Other major music groups from Omaha include Mannheim Steamroller and Tilly and the Wall. The singer/songwriter Elliott Smith also lived here.
American Idol, a popular TV show, held auditions in Omaha in 2007. David Cook auditioned there. He later won the show in 2008.
Delicious Food
Omaha is known for its many stockyards and famous steakhouses. These include Gorat's and the Original Johnny's Cafe. This history is even seen in the name of the city's indoor football team, the Omaha Beef. Omaha also has a long history as a beer center. Big breweries like Krug and Storz were once here.
The Old Market in downtown Omaha has over 30 restaurants. ConAgra Foods, based in Omaha, provides food to many restaurants. Godfather's Pizza is a national chain that started in Omaha. The famous Reuben sandwich might have been invented in Omaha.
Exciting Sports
Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium used to be home to the Omaha Royals baseball team. They are now called the Omaha Storm Chasers. From 1950 to 2011, this stadium hosted the annual NCAA College World Series baseball tournament. The College World Series is now held at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. The Storm Chasers play at Werner Park in Sarpy County.
The Omaha Beef indoor football team plays at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Other sports places include Morrison Stadium. This is home to the Creighton Bluejays soccer teams. The Creighton Bluejays compete in many NCAA Division I sports. They play basketball and baseball too.
Ice hockey is also popular in Omaha. The Omaha Lancers are a United States Hockey League team. They play at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks are a Division I team. They play at Baxter Arena.
Omaha is home to many important sports figures. These include Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. Also, Heisman Trophy winners Nile Kinnick, Johnny Rodgers, and Eric Crouch are from Omaha. Gale Sayers, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, is another famous athlete from the city.
Fun Festivals and Parades
Native Omaha Days is a special tradition for the African American community in North Omaha. This celebration happens every two years. It includes many events like dances and family reunions. A big parade features important North Omahans, marching bands, and floats.
The Omaha Blues, Jazz, & Gospel Festival is another important local event. So is Florence Days.
Movies in Omaha
In 1939, the movie Union Pacific had its world premiere in Omaha. A three-day party celebrated this event. It brought 250,000 people to the city. This doubled Omaha's population! The National Guard even had to help keep order. The director Cecil B. DeMille and stars Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea came on a special train from Hollywood.
Omaha has been featured in several movies. The city's own Alexander Payne is an Oscar-nominated director. He filmed parts of About Schmidt, Citizen Ruth, and Election in Omaha. He loves his hometown. He even made a movie called Nebraska. Parts of The Assassination of Richard Nixon were also filmed here. In 2005, Payne joined the board of Film Streams. This group opened a movie theater in downtown Omaha.
Local News and Media
The Omaha area has its own major newspaper, the Omaha World-Herald. There are also local newspapers and magazines like The Reader and Omaha Magazine. The Omaha Star, started in 1938, is Nebraska's only African-American newspaper.
The Omaha World-Herald is the largest employee-owned newspaper in the United States. Many people in the area subscribe to it. The Omaha World-Herald Freedom Center is a huge printing facility downtown.
Famous People
Omaha is the birthplace or home of many famous people. Malcolm X was born here in 1925. Actors like Fred and Adele Astaire, Nick Nolte, Marlon Brando, and Gabrielle Union were born in Omaha. Henry Fonda grew up here. Marlon Brando's mother encouraged him to act at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Montgomery Clift also came from Omaha. His family home is still standing.
Omaha has a rich music history with legends like Wynonie Harris and Buddy Miles. The band 311 is also from Omaha. Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest people in the world, lives in Omaha.
Diverse Communities
Native Americans have lived in this area for thousands of years. These include the Omaha, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes. As Omaha grew, people from all over the world came to live here. Early groups included Czechs, Irish, Germans, and Italians. Also, African Americans, Greeks, and Jews settled here. Today, there are growing communities of people from Sudan, Mexico, and other parts of Central and South America.
Other Cool Places
A part of downtown Omaha is called the Old Market. It used to be a place for fruit markets and warehouses. Now, it has many shops, restaurants, bars, and art galleries. The streets are made of uneven bricks. You can also see horse-drawn carriages and street performers.
Near the zoo and the Old Market is the Omaha Botanical Gardens (also known as Lauritzen Gardens). This 100-acre botanical garden has 13 outdoor areas. These include a rose garden and a children's garden. Kenefick Park is also here. It has two of the largest locomotives ever used in the United States. These trains overlook Interstate 80.
Omaha has many community gardens. These include Big Garden, City Sprouts, and Dundee Community Garden.
Omaha is home to many nonprofit and charity groups. One famous one is Father Flanagan's Girls and Boys Town. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo is considered one of the best zoos in the world. The River City Star offers boat rides on the Missouri River.
Omaha has five sister cities around the world. These include Shizuoka, Japan and Braunschweig, Germany.
