Joslyn Art Museum

Visiting the Joslyn is something I did since I was a kid. I loved (and still do) looking at the art on display and letting my imagination run wild.Before the museum closed for renovation, I took my kids and spent most of the time in art works (the kid section of the museum) and in the sculpture garden.Now, we spent most of our time in the newly expanded contemporary area. I love that the gift shop is in the open and not in a cramped, dark room. When the weather is nice, there is a patio one can sit outside. I heard good things about the cafe. The sculpture garden (and water feature) is still there. The only downside is parking on the property has been reduced.

The Joslyn Art Museum is the most recent place that we have visited here in Omaha. It is a large complex which was recently renovated and expanded, housing a wide variety of artwork--some are beautiful pieces while we wondered why others were even qualified as art... My wife several times commented, "I could do that".The American Art section displayed several Native American items, including painted buffalo robes. That section connected most closely with me, since this area was frontier land when various explorers and pioneers temporarily settled here during their treks westward.The European Art galleries included a couple of Monet paintings. I much preferred the American and European artwork to the contemporary art which is exhibited in the newer building.The museum's buildings themselves are good artwork. The exteriors present an interesting mix of old and new architecture. The spacious interiors provide plenty of room which allows for a peaceful, relaxed experience.

This is a marvelous museum for all, regardless of age and experience with art/history. And it has a fantastic collection of both modern/contemporary and more historic pieces (artists included: Degas, Rembrandt, El Greco, and Konstantin Makovsky, among many others). Immediately upon walking in, there's a cute gift shop with art and photography books, clothing/accessories, and other souvenirs, including a section for kid toys. I also noticed that it was free admission (seemingly every day) and for everyone, which I thought was wonderful! The building itself can also be considered art: from the parts we explored it has at least 2 stories, with each room hosting a variety of pieces from different artists and eras. There was also a cafe/eating area, a sculpture garden, and several sections with chairs and couches where you could simply relax. Overall this was a great museum and a rich experience that I thoroughly enjoyed! If I'm ever back (and when the weather is a bit warmer) I'd love to explore it more and get a better look around the gardens and other rooms!

I am so glad that Joslyn has finally re-opened! I moved to Omaha about 6 years ago and had not gotten the chance to explore the Joslyn, and I am so glad that we did. The Joslyn is a beautiful building that houses even more thoughtful and beautiful art. I loved looking at all of the piecies, and thought that the gallaries were curated perfectly to capture emotion and display the art. My favorite piece was bright flowers that was on a pure black background. The striking difference between the colors was very eye-catching. Not to mention this painting was created in the 1600's- adding to the appeal and constantly making me wonder what life was like back then. It was interesting to see all of this old artwork that offered a glimpse into the foods and scenes that our ancestors encountered. Not to mention, admission is FREE! The joslyn is the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon!

I'm usually not one for art museums but this blew my breath away. There were so many interesting pieces and wonderful works that my family really enjoyed. I brought my family and we couldn't stop mentioning the stalagmites made entirely of buttons. I loved the fountain and some of the earlier pieces within the southern building. If you happen to get a little hungry, there's a cafe within. They don't allow the goodies through the museum, but the option of having a cafe is always nice! I highly recommend if you're looking for something new!

Not a huge museum person, but I stopped by since it was free and I am so glad I went!! The museum is massive and so beautiful! There is such a wide variety of art, so there is something for everyone. Right when you step inside, you can appreciate the gorgeous modern architecture of the building. There are tons of rooms and galleries to explore. The shop also sells a variety of merchandise such as prints, books, postcards, cups, cards, puzzles, stationary, socks, etc. the cafe is situated in a nice area with floor to ceiling windows and ceiling glass windows as well. Love it!! And there's a big chihuly art sculpture by the windows as well near the cafe seating. Workers were super friendly. There's an area with coat hangers for your large jackets and coats. Parking was free. And admission was free as well - so crazy!! My expectations were low since it's free, but it might have been my favorite museum so far, even better than the ones in Seattle and LA!Highly recommend!

This is such an amazing thing to have in downtown Omaha. I was pleasantly surprised by how big it is on the inside and since it had renovations done, it had been a long time since I have visited. I spent a few hours here and definitely want to go back again! I'm excited that they update and change exhibits. Overall a good experience. I have major, major respect for all the artists and appreciative of the staff. They even had audio and visual exhibits!

When your family, friends, s/o's family and friends come, whomever really, come have them join you on your quest to enjoy the art that Joslyn has to offer! I'm only an amateur art connoisseur, and I really enjoy walking around to witness great art structures, pieces, and even alternating exhibits. The Clean Slate café also has great food and coffee/drink selections - check them out!

We went to see the new addition of modern art. The outside looks more like a beautiful casino than an art museum-architecture is beautiful and modern.The exhibit halls are roomy with life-size pictures and statues. There's a wide variety of art here. Access to the original museum is easy going through the inside and there is also a dining area if you want to get a light bite to eat.We were proud to show it to out-of-town visitors .

My husband looooves going to the Joslyn and we were both itching to get back after their renovations. We've been back twice since it's opened so far and it is lovely! There is so much open space and natural light and the outdoor area is lovely as well. You definitely won't be disappointed with an afternoon spent here, made sweeter by the fact that it's always free!This review, however, is primarily about the new dining area/cafe. The menu here is so mouthwatering, I feel like I need to try it all and maybe one day I will be successful in that. We went recently for a lunch and truly had a very tasty, satisfying meal overall.I got the kimchi grilled cheese and my husband wanted to try the special of the day which was a vegetarian succotash. We shared a side of the Bombay potatoes. The kimchi in my sandwich wasn't super strong, but added a very nice tang to a very rich and creamy sandwich! I would 100% eat this sandwich again and maybe even try to make it at home - it's so good! My husband also really enjoyed his succotash and the bites I had were delicious, but he did comment that it wasn't quite as filling as he had hoped.The Bombay potatoes were a bit disappointing to both of us - it was the only dish that was lacking in flavor and was overpowered by the yogurt compared to how many potato pieces were there. This dish I probably wouldn't order again unless the recipe changed significantly.I washed it all down with an iced tea sweetened with simple syrup. It was a very lovely afternoon with a great meal. I look forward to trying more from their menu!