Kearney Welcome Center Set to Open in 2025

(KEARNEY, NEBRASKA) Visitors and residents of Kearney will soon be welcomed by a brand-new visitors center.

The Kearney Welcome Center is set to open in February of 2025 and will provide guests the opportunity to learn more about Kearney, while encouraging further exploration of the area. Inside, guests will find a locally-inspired mural near brochures and a kiosk. Displayed along the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows will be banners showcasing area highlights. The floor is designed to represent the Platte River, complete with cranes suspended from the ceilings ‘flying’ throughout the space. A large, interactive map will highlight many of Kearney’s attractions and an adjacent display will feature a snapshot of upcoming events. A piece of Kearney history will also be on display as bricks from downtown

Kearney streets have been repurposed and used in the Then & Now community history area. Sandhill Cranes and their natural environments will be a focus throughout the center, complete with displayed content captured by Nebraska photographer Michael Forsberg, along with footage of the cranes taken at Rowe Sanctuary.

The Welcome Center is part of the Kearney Partnership Building, which will house offices for not only Visit Kearney, but the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, and Buffalo County Economic Development as well. In addition to the office space, there will be community rooms for new and existing businesses to utilize for meetings or collaborations. Both the offices and meeting rooms will be open for use mid-November.

Right off of Interstate 80, the new building is located near hotels, convention centers, the hike and bike trail, the SportsPlex, and Younes Landing, which is in development itself. The Welcome Center will be open seven days a week to visitors and the community and will serve as a designated Nebraska visitor center during summer months.