Omaha area offered rare view into American history and meaning of freedom

uring the week of March 29 - April 6th, Omaha area residents will have the unique opportunity of viewing one of only 25 remaining original copies of the Declaration of Independence printed on the evening of July 4, 1776.

The Declaration of Independence Road Trip, a non-profit non-partisan project founded by producer Norman Lear, hopes to inspire Americans to participate in civic activism, to exercise their rights and to vote.

The document will arrive at the Durham Western Heritage Museum, 801 South 10th St., in Omaha on Friday, March 28th. The public is invited to view the document


	Omaha's Durham Western Heritage Museum

at the museum Saturday, March 29th - Wednesday, April 2nd from 9am until 9pm, Thursday, April 3rd - Saturday, April 5th from 9am until 4pm and Sunday, April 6th from 9am until 9pm.

The exhibition is being presented by national sponsors Home Depot, AXA Financial, Inc. and the United States Postal Service. Local sponsorship is provided by Omaha World Herald, Peter Kiewit Foundation and the Iowa West Foundation. The United States Postal Service is the Official Carrier and will deliver the document escorted by a police motorcade to the museum.

The Host Committee Honorary Chair, Mayor Mike Fahey, will present the document upon its arrival in Omaha.

Exhibit Features also include:

	An entertaining and educational video that explains the history of the Declaration and its relevance to contemporary America, hosted by Reese Witherspoon, a descendant of one of the signers of the document.
	An extraordinary 14-minute film, produced by Norman Lear and Rob Reiner that includes a powerful theatrical presentation of the Declaration of Independence by a distinguished group of actors, including Mel Gibson, Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Spacey, Michael Douglas, and Renee Zellweger, among others.
	A collection of historical, current photographs and video of social and political movements in our nation's history.
	A modern-day "Liberty Pole," a central gathering place where opinion cards are placed to invite individual expressions on various topics, such as equality, freedom and happiness. (These cards double as postcards that will be sent to participants, courtesy of the United States Postal Service, one year later to remind them of their pledge to civic involvement.)
	On-site voter registration.
	New interactive, touch screen youth voting booth.

Admission is $4 for adults and FREE for children 12 and under. All military personnel in uniform and their immediate families will be admitted FREE on Monday, March 31st from 6 - 9pm

On behalf of the citizens of Omaha, Nebraska, I am proud to welcome the Declaration of Independence Road Trip to our city. This once in a lifetime opportunity provides citizens throughout the region a chance to reconnect with our history and view the document that helped found the freedoms we cherish today.

The Declaration of Independence Road Trip couldn't have picked a better stop than Omaha's own Durham Western Heritage Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian. As one of Omaha's top attractions, the museum provides and ideal venue to view this exhibit for residents and visitors. In addition, it provides a great educational opportunity for our youth - reminding all of us how important it is to be involved in government on all levels, participating in democracy and exercising our right to vote.

For Omahans and visitors across the region, seeing the Declaration of Independence provides a chance to personally experience our country's exciting beginnings and renew our sense of patriotism and pride in the United States of America.

For these reasons, I heartily welcome the Declaration of Independence Road Trip and encourage everyone to view this symbol of our country's history.

Mike Fahey
Mayor, City of Omaha

The Declaration will also be on display at the Omaha Public Library on Saturday, April 5th.

Any questions or to schedule a school group tour, please contact Arleen Bailey at Durham Western Heritage Museum at (402) 444-5071, ext. 522, or

dodonnell@dwhm.org