Traveling Through Nebraska: The Zoo Family Roadside Attraction
The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska, is home to one of the most iconic roadside attractions in the state - the Zoo Family. Situated in the parking lot of the zoo, the Zoo Family is a group of large, anthropomorphic family members consisting of a mom, a dad, a boy, a girl, and a baby. Each figure, sculpted of cement and standing between 16 and 20 feet tall, is designed to resemble the typical American family. The sculpture, crafted by artist Bob Cassilly in 1993, has since become a staple of roadside attractions in Nebraska, inviting passersby to snap quirky photos with the larger-than-life family.
Standing immediately outside the zoo's entrance, the Zoo Family has greeted millions of visitors since its installation. Not only does the installation bring levity to those visiting the zoo, but it also pokes fun at the idea of the quintessential 'nuclear' American family. Its presence acts as a juxtaposition to the exotic creatures found within the zoo, perhaps symbolizing the disconnection between suburban America and the unbridled rawness of nature.
The zoo family bears a striking resemblance to 'The World's Largest Ball of Twine' in Cawker City, Kansas, another quixotic roadside attraction lying proximally to the Sunflower State's border with Nebraska. Much like the twine, the Zoo Family is kitschy in its subject matter but exists outside the realm of grandiose marvels typical of roadside America. This makes the Zoo Family more down-to-earth, yet also utterly more lovable.
Each member of the Zoo Family serves as a testament to the creativity and peculiarity inherent to roadside attractions across the United States. As such, this structure represents the creativity often imbued by sculptors exploring non-traditional formats, unburdened by specific guidelines governing so-called 'serious' art. As is typical of these eccentric roadside figures, subtle information, intricately woven within the crevices of the statues, gives visitors important historical and environmental knowledge upon deeper inspection.
In the tradition of the dinosaur figures gracing front yards in Alliance, Nebraska, the Zoo Family is also indicative of a deeper desire to celebrate whimsy, charm, and individuality, even if it means going against that which is considered 'serious art'. Similarly, displays in more intimate locations – smaller attractions housed along rural highways – also hold deep interest within travelers seeking diverse insight into small-town America and its people.
In relation to roadside architecture found elsewhere around the nation, the figures appear almost understated when compared to the excessive luminosity and enormous designs typical of comparable art installations across the United States. With quaint characters huddling together in solidarity as sun-kissed symbols along the seemingly forgotten Nebraska byway, tourists visiting the Henry Doorly Zoo are likely to delight in uncovering these cherished relics.
Located a few miles south of downtown Omaha, 40 miles north of Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the I-29 and Highway 370, the Henry Doorly Zoo can be reached at 3701 S 10th Street in Omaha. Because of these and other inimitable roadside attractions peppered throughout a wide expanse, travelers from around the world continue to plan engaging detours on their path.
The combination of a singular fusion with the state's geographic location, the sense of all-American nostalgia characteristic of the design and, ultimately, an atmosphere for interaction both among families as well as photographers traveling independently will continue to prove that the location truly makes this sculpture one unique draw worth visiting while 'traveling through Nebraska'.
Standing immediately outside the zoo's entrance, the Zoo Family has greeted millions of visitors since its installation. Not only does the installation bring levity to those visiting the zoo, but it also pokes fun at the idea of the quintessential 'nuclear' American family. Its presence acts as a juxtaposition to the exotic creatures found within the zoo, perhaps symbolizing the disconnection between suburban America and the unbridled rawness of nature.
The zoo family bears a striking resemblance to 'The World's Largest Ball of Twine' in Cawker City, Kansas, another quixotic roadside attraction lying proximally to the Sunflower State's border with Nebraska. Much like the twine, the Zoo Family is kitschy in its subject matter but exists outside the realm of grandiose marvels typical of roadside America. This makes the Zoo Family more down-to-earth, yet also utterly more lovable.
Each member of the Zoo Family serves as a testament to the creativity and peculiarity inherent to roadside attractions across the United States. As such, this structure represents the creativity often imbued by sculptors exploring non-traditional formats, unburdened by specific guidelines governing so-called 'serious' art. As is typical of these eccentric roadside figures, subtle information, intricately woven within the crevices of the statues, gives visitors important historical and environmental knowledge upon deeper inspection.
In the tradition of the dinosaur figures gracing front yards in Alliance, Nebraska, the Zoo Family is also indicative of a deeper desire to celebrate whimsy, charm, and individuality, even if it means going against that which is considered 'serious art'. Similarly, displays in more intimate locations – smaller attractions housed along rural highways – also hold deep interest within travelers seeking diverse insight into small-town America and its people.
In relation to roadside architecture found elsewhere around the nation, the figures appear almost understated when compared to the excessive luminosity and enormous designs typical of comparable art installations across the United States. With quaint characters huddling together in solidarity as sun-kissed symbols along the seemingly forgotten Nebraska byway, tourists visiting the Henry Doorly Zoo are likely to delight in uncovering these cherished relics.
Located a few miles south of downtown Omaha, 40 miles north of Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the I-29 and Highway 370, the Henry Doorly Zoo can be reached at 3701 S 10th Street in Omaha. Because of these and other inimitable roadside attractions peppered throughout a wide expanse, travelers from around the world continue to plan engaging detours on their path.
The combination of a singular fusion with the state's geographic location, the sense of all-American nostalgia characteristic of the design and, ultimately, an atmosphere for interaction both among families as well as photographers traveling independently will continue to prove that the location truly makes this sculpture one unique draw worth visiting while 'traveling through Nebraska'.
