The subject matter was chosen because of hte museum's close proximity to the Platte River, used by 500,000 cranes as the midpoint resting area along their 7,000 mile migration path. The Hastings Museum also has 10 whooping cranes on display, which is the largest collection of this endangered bird in the world. Cranes are our living birdge to an ancient past. They are the oldest living bird species, which dates back some 60 million years, so they are truly emissaries from a distant age.
Cranes mate for life and live longer than most birds.
In many cultures they are important symbols for longevity, good fortune, vigilance and nobility. We know that cranes have been coming to Nebraska for at least 9 million years, so they have danced along the banks of the Platte for as long as it has been here. Cranes can be found on all continents of the world except South America. Cranes choose the flat water of the Platte River as a staging area where they rest and take advantage of the abundance of food in preparation for the next stage of their migratory flight. When bowing, a crane retracts its neck, lowers its head, bends down, and extends its wings.