In collaboration with the University of Nebraska State Museum, Nebraska Public Media Labs presents Expedition Nebraska. This 3D interactive experience features two levels of exhibits about Nebraska’s natural history, set in an open-air courtyard amidst the Nebraska Sandhills.
“The Museum Builders” exhibit is set in the very first museum space, a room in the University’s original building, University Hall, and tells the story of the State Museum’s earliest days. Visitors can interact with artifacts present from the earliest days of the museum collection and learn more about the museum’s founding.
“The Cave of Time” exhibit on the lower level is a simulation of a Dakota sandstone cave with seven portals allowing you to travel to seven ages of Nebraska prehistory via simulations that showcase different climates, landscapes and prehistoric animals.
Mini-Review
This is a great experience covering a variety of items from the University of Nebraska’s collections. It’s a free experience available through Meta’s App Lab and it’s well worth the download to learn about the rich natural history of the state. Explore dinosaur skeletons at scale, learn about ancient aquifers, and see the progression of the landscape over millions of years.
The “Cave of Time” exhibit does a great job of presenting ancient creatures as skeletons you can walk up to, plus recreations of their natural environments to see how they lived.
The Museum Builders provides a glimpse back to the early days of the museum. Learn about the people and techniques used to assemble their collection.
It’s similar to actually going to a state museum but you can enjoy it from anywhere. The graphics and sound aren’t AAA quality, but it’s free and it does a great job of fulfilling its goals. Check it out!
