Neo-Custodians: Woven Narratives of Heritage, Cultural Memory, and Belonging and Paolo Arao: Reverberations on display through April 14, 2024.

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Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts operates on a land that has been a site of human activity for thousands of years. This site was the territory of the UmonHon (Omaha), Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Missouri, and the Ioway peoples. UmonHon means “upstream,” a name marking the tribe’s settlement location on the banks of the Missouri River. Nebraska’s name is derived from the word “Nibthaska” meaning “flatwater” in the UmonHon language. In 1854, the UmonHon tribe was led to believe that they were securing U.S. protection by signing a treaty, giving up the land that now makes up the city of Omaha. Through several broken treaties, the UmonHon have a reservation one hour north of Omaha.

Accessibility

Everyone is welcome at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. We are committed to making our exhibitions and programs accessible to all audiences. If you have questions about access, please call Rachel at 402.341.7130 Monday–Friday between 9 AM–5 PM or email access@bemiscenter.org.

Website

The Userway Accessibility Widget provides a menu of options to ensure the highest quality experience for all users including video captioning, contrasting colors, highlighting links, screen reading, adjusting text size, width, and type, and more. The bemiscenter.org accessibility menu can be enabled either by hitting the tab key when the page first loads or by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears on the corner of the page.

Getting Here and Parking

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is located at 724 S. 12th Street, on the corner of 12th and Leavenworth in the Old Market, Omaha’s arts and culture district. There is free street parking in front of the building on 12th Street and a paid lot on the Northside of the building.

Public Transportation

Public transportation is available via Metro bus and every bus has wheelchair/mobility device accessibility. The nearest bus stops are located at 13th & Douglas Streets and 16th & Leavenworth Streets.

Entrances

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and LOW END entrances can be accessed via an ADA-approved ramp on 12th Street or by seven steps to the front doors. Please note, visitors must navigate a cobblestone street to get to the front of Bemis’s building.

Wheelchair Access

All public spaces and entrances at Bemis are wheelchair accessible. A wheelchair is available for use free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Call Bemis at 402.341.7130 when you arrive to have the wheelchair brought outside to you or ask Bemis staff at the front desk once you enter the building. There are multi-stall ADA approved single-sex bathrooms on the main floor with two grab bars.

Galleries

Admission is free and no ID is required to enter the building. Bemis exhibition galleries are all located on the main floor. After entering the galleries no stairs are required for access and all doorways meet ADA width requirements.

LOW END

LOW END is located in Bemis’s lower level. After entering the building, there are 18 stairs. A chair lift to the venue is currently being repaired. Guests will be escorted to an elevator through the galleries.

Elevators

A passenger elevator is available to access floors 2–5 when those floors are open to the public. A freight elevator may also be made available by a Bemis staff member for large groups. A chair lift to access LOW END at the LOW END entrance is currently being repaired. Guests will be escorted to an elevator through the galleries.

Studios

Bemis resident live/work studios are on floors 2 and 3 and can be accessed via passenger elevator or stairs during programs and tours that those floors are open to the public. All doorways to the studios meet ADA width requirements.

Restrooms

There are multi-stall ADA approved single-sex bathrooms on the first floor with two grab bars.

Concealed Carry

Concealed carry is prohibited.

Seating Options

Seating options during public programs feature cushioned folding chairs. Portable cushioned folding chairs are also available for use in the galleries free of charge and can be requested at the front desk. Seating at LOW END includes styrofoam cubes with no backs and some cushioned bench seating. We are happy to provide other seating if requested. If you need to move around, twitch, pace, or not make eye contact, know that you are welcome here.

Large Print

Large format exhibition guides are available upon request.

Scent-free

Bemis Center is not scent-free, but we request visitors enter with low/no-perfume. Many people have chemical sensitivities, which means the chemicals in scents make them ill.

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome.

Photographs

Please refrain from photographing other visitors without permission.

Services Available By Request

Texts and programs are in English. If you have questions or would like support with specific access needs such as language translation, please contact Rachel at access@bemiscenter.org or 402.341.7130 at least five days prior to your visit and we will do our best to help you attend comfortably.

CONTACT US

If you have questions, would like support with specific access needs, or have feedback about your visit to the Bemis Center, contact Rachel at access@bemiscenter.org or 402.341.7130. Please contact us at least five days prior to your visit and we will do our best to help you attend comfortably.

GET MORE ART IN YOUR INBOX

Bemis Center for
Contemporary Arts

724 S. 12th Street
Omaha, NE 68102

402.341.7130
info@bemiscenter.org

Open Now
Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed 11 am–5 pm
Thu 11 am–9 pm
Fri 11 am–5 pm
Sat 11 am–5 pm
Sun 11 am–5 pm