Great Platte River Road Archway Monument - Kearney, Nebraska Commemorative Archway and Museum

The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument is located directly off I-80 Exit 272 at Kearney, Nebraska. It is essentially a history museum documenting over 150 years of transportation and communication across America. The hours of opening vary throughout the year but generally the attraction is open daily from 9am, except between the start of November and end of February when it opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only from 10am.

The Great Platte River Road Archway is an interactive adventure that pays tribute to the pioneers who passed through Nebraska on their way West between 1843 and 1869. These men, women and children were hugely determined to reach their destination having to tackle mountains, rivers and valleys along the way whilst carrying their cherished belongings in wagons or strapped to burros. This interactive exhibits and shows give visitors the opportunity to experience the excitement of news coming into a distant trail, a buffalo stampede, the words and faces of those that lived and died on the route, the building of the railroad, the creation of the Lincoln Highway (America's first transcontinental road), and today's modern transportation system.

The archway itself was opened in 1999 and weighs 1,500 tons with the exterior designed to resemble a Nebraska sunset. Concerned as to how the structure could cross 308 feet of a traffic heavy interstate road without causing complete traffic chaos, the constructors built the archway beside the highway and lifted it in to place. As a result a 10 hour transport of the Archway using rubber tired, self propelled modular transporters was needed to eventually get the structure in place.

Sights and sounds to be seen at the archway exhibits include an entry movie and show. Visitors can also see the Oxen and Covered Wagon exhibit, Sweetwater Rescue exhibit and three automobile related exhibits including a Model T exhibit. An authentic 1914 Model T Ford and a 1927 Oldsmobile car can bee seen in the Lincoln Highway exhibit, whilst the Drive-In exhibit includes a 1961 Cadillac Convertible.

Special tours are offered to school groups including an historic reenactment presented by actors and actresses from the archway. This tells the story of Eliza Donner, the challenges of the Pony Express riders, tales from an early Irish immigrant, stories from Ft. Kearny commanding officer Frank North and how the railroad came about. Scout programs are also produced here to help enrich local knowledge and learn about topics such as general American history, Indian tribes and the Civil War.

Visitors can purchase souvenirs at the gift shop, which features hand-made, home-made and home-grown products from natives of the state. The Chuckwagon Restaurant has barbeques from 11am to 2pm Monday to Saturday. Parking at the archway is free with trucks and RVs welcome, whilst visitors are advised that only guide and assistance dogs are permitted inside the Archway, and all pets must be kept on a leash and picked up after at all times.