Sarah Joslyn and the Pink Marble Gift That Became Omaha's Art Museum

Of all the beautiful buildings in Omaha, few are as breathtaking as the Joslyn Art Museum, a gleaming temple of pale pink marble that rises with quiet elegance near the heart of the city. It is the largest art museum in Nebraska and one of the finest in the region. But the most beautiful thing about the Joslyn is not its marble or its galleries. It is the love story behind it.

The story begins with George and Sarah Joslyn. George Joslyn was a self-made businessman who built a fortune in the newspaper industry and became, in his day, the richest man in Nebraska. He and his wife Sarah shared a deep love for the arts and for the city that had given them so much. When George died in 1916, Sarah was left not only with grief, but with a fortune and a vision for how to honor the man she had loved.

Rather than build a monument to herself or simply pass her wealth quietly along, Sarah Joslyn decided to give Omaha something that would lift up its people for generations. In 1928 she donated more than three million dollars, an astonishing sum at the time, to build a grand arts center in George's memory. It would be a place where the citizens of Omaha, rich and poor alike, could come and be surrounded by beauty. She wanted it to reflect the love she and George had shared for art, and for each other.

The Joslyn Memorial opened its doors on November 29, 1931. Built in a striking Art Deco style and clad in elegant marble, it housed art galleries, a concert hall, a lecture hall, a library, classrooms, and a serene fountain court. It was, and remains, a gift of pure generosity to the people of Omaha.

There is one detail about the opening that captures Sarah Joslyn's character perfectly. Though tens of thousands of people turned out to see the new museum, Sarah insisted there be no fanfare, no speeches, and no ribbon cutting. She did not want the attention. In fact, on the day her extraordinary gift opened to the public, Sarah Joslyn quietly watched from the street, content simply to see her city receive what she and George had dreamed of giving it. It is hard to imagine a more humble or moving way to give.

In the decades since, the Joslyn Art Museum has only grown, expanding several times to make room for more art and more visitors, with its most recent expansion completed in 2024. Yet through every change, it has remained true to Sarah's original purpose: a place of beauty, freely shared, for the good of the whole community. Generations of Omaha schoolchildren have taken their first wide-eyed walk through its galleries, and countless families have spent unhurried afternoons among its treasures.

This is exactly why the Joslyn Art Museum is a must-visit when you come to Omaha. It is a place where you can stand inside one woman's love for her husband and her city, surrounded by world-class art in a building that is itself a work of art. Bring the family, take your time, and let the kids discover something wonderful.

When you plan your trip to Omaha, make room for the Joslyn Art Museum, and for the many other treasures this surprising city has to offer. See what is happening around town on our Explore Omaha event calendar, and start planning a visit built around the museum that began as a widow's loving gift.