Summertime is the perfect time to get out and discover more of Nebraska. This outdoor scavenger hunt is just the thing to get the whole family out of the house to discover some fabulously creative public art.
There are plenty of reasons to visit the neat little towns of Nemaha County, Nebraska during summer vacation or any other time of the year. But this summer, you’ll want to head to Auburn, Peru, Brownville, and Johnson-Brock for a very specific reason: bee-catching.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
Or maybe bee-spotting is a more accurate phrase. Thanks to the efforts of community leaders, volunteers, and artists, Nemaha County has a special spot on the 2020 Nebraska Passport. The passport, an annual scavenger hunt of tourist destinations throughout Nebraska, is featuring Honeybees In The Heartland, a public art project of un-bee-lievable proportions.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
Twenty-six fiberglass honeybees are scattered throughout the small southeastern Nebraska county. Each one is decked out in its own unique design, ranging from the familiar black and yellow stripes to funky and colorful patterns.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
The fiberglass bees stand 39 inches tall and 50 inches wide. Each started out as a proposal from a local or regional artist, which was then reviewed and approved by the Honeybees in the Heartland committee.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
Local businesses sponsored the bees and were allowed to choose which design they wanted to sponsor. After completion, the bees were placed in various locations throughout Nemaha County.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
The hope was that the bees would become a new tourist attraction for the towns, villages, and communities that make up the county.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
So far, it’s working. There has been quite the “buzz” about this unique outdoor art display, which is largely thanks to its inclusion on the 2020 Nebraska Passport. Even people who aren’t collecting Passport stamps are joining in the hunt and trying to find all 26 bees.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
According to the project’s organizers, the significance of the honeybee is multifaceted. The bees are a nod to the area’s agricultural identity and a reminder of the insects’ profound significance to our crops and to the entire planet.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
But another connection was discovered after the project was well underway. The honeybee is Nebraska’s state insect thanks to the efforts of an Auburn teacher and her third-grade class, who petitioned lawmakers to make it so in 1974.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
If you want to go honeybee hunting this summer, head to Auburn and pick up a map from El Portal restaurant or Cafe Metro. You’ll find 19 of the sculptures in Auburn, two in Peru (and another a few miles outside of Peru), two in Johnson, one in Julian, and one in Brownville. Set aside a whole day to find them all; they are all in public places, but some do require a little bit of sleuthing to find.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
The honeybee sculptures will be on display in Nemaha County for the foreseeable future, but the 2020 Nebraska Passport only runs through October 31st. You can find more information about the project from the Auburn Arts and Events Facebook page.
Facebook/Auburn Arts and Events
While you’re in the area, be sure to show your support for local businesses by stopping in for a meal or some shopping. If you know of any great Nebraska restaurants that deserve to be spotlighted here on Only In Nebraska, please tell us about them right here.
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Address: Nemaha County, NE, USA
