Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum

The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, located between Lincoln and Omaha near Interstate 80, features over 300,000 square feet of exhibits dedicated to aviation history and space exploration. Despite its impressive collection, the museum faced a challenge due to surrounding trees and berms. Passersby, including those heading to Mahoney State Park just next door, often overlooked it. The museum needed a solution to capture the attention of potential visitors.

“We’re right next to Nebraska’s great state park, but people couldn’t see us from the entrance,” said Jeff Kalasky, vice president of operations and facility services for the museum. “Our goal was to create something eye-catching that gives passersby a taste of the incredible exhibits inside.”

The museum collaborated with Nebraska Sign to install a 5′ x 10′ double-sided, 6mm LED display from Watchfire. Budget constraints led to phasing the project over several years, and they had to coordinate with the power company to trench power a long distance. But in the end, it was all worth it.

“Watchfire’s demo truck was a game-changer,” Kalasky noted. “We did several demos over the course of the project, which gave us a clear idea of what was possible before making a final decision.”

The new sign serves as a dynamic marketing tool, allowing the museum to promote events, display visitor information, and showcase captivating imagery. Most notably, it features photographs of Nebraska taken from space by museum advocate and Nebraska native, Clayton Anderson, a retired NASA astronaut and the state’s only astronaut.

Tony Persons from Nebraska Sign emphasized the project’s impact: “The goal was always to create something visually stunning that would match the museum’s impressive exhibits. And that’s exactly what we did.”

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “Board members and museum staff love seeing the design come to life,” Kalasky added. “It’s bright, it’s visible, and it makes our museum hard to miss.”

With this vibrant new sign, the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum has significantly enhanced its roadside presence, inviting more visitors to explore the incredible history hidden just behind the trees.