Attraction
People of all ages can find something to their liking in Omaha’s Old Market shopping district. This trendy hot spot is Nebraska’s largest tourist attraction and a source of pride for Omaha residents. For those seeking brick streets, specialty boutiques, horse-drawn carriage rides, Victorian storefronts, sidewalk cafes and ethnic restaurants, the Old Market can offer them in abundance.
The Strategic Air and Space Museum is a 300,000 square foot facility, displaying more than 30 aircraft. This celebration of aviation features the SR-71 “Blackbird” and the “Peacemaker.” Visitors can take tours, view films and audio/visual programs, experience interactive exhibits and an Aircraft Restoration Gallery.
The National Historic Landmark of Girls and Boys Town offers to tell its story from the humble beginning in 1917. Started as a small home for troubled and abandoned boys, it has grown into a country-wide movement with programs and residences in many cities and is one of the United States’ largest providers of services for troubled children. The site features a Hall of History, Leon Myers Stamp Center and Spencer Tracy’s Oscar from the movie “Boys Town” on display. The best part – admission is free.
Several famous birth sites can be found while in Omaha. Visitors to the Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens will learn that the former president was not only born in Omaha, he was given the name Leslie King, Jr. Other little-known facts are available, as well as views of the Betty Ford Rose Garden. Malcom X, the African American activist, was also born in Omaha and while the home of his childhood no longer exists, an historical marker points to this National Register site.