You may have driven past it on your way to visit Scotts Bluff National Monument in Gering, Neb. Legacy of the Plains Museum displays the agricultural heritage of the North Platte River Valley on a sprawling campus, quite literally in the shadow of the monument.

The museum, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, educates and promotes an appreciation for the connection of the land in the valley with its inhabitants, including the first human inhabitants, all the way to modern farmers and ranchers.

It interprets traditional agricultural techniques, displaying hundreds of farming tools that tell the story of High Plains crops such as sugarbeets and their importance in the region. It talks about irrigation in the valley and pioneers who traveled along the Oregon Trail.

SPRAWLING CAMPUS: The museum includes two buildings of farm machinery, walking paths, a rural school and church, a gift shop, outdoor farm displays, and a large gallery to host events.

The museum, with a massive display hall filled with agricultural heritage — and a number of farm machinery specimens on display inside the museum and outside on the campus — preserves the stories of sacrifice and triumph of the region, along with the impact of cultural and ethnic diversity in the area.

Legacy of the Plains was created in 2013 through the merger of the Farm and Ranch Museum, which in 1997 bought the 100 acres where the current museum is located, and the North Platte Valley Museum, which was founded in 1961, combining the strengths of both institutions into one campus.

FOR THE KIDS: With plenty of hands-on experiences for youth, Legacy of the Plains Museum aims to provide an understanding of the unique heritage of the region and the agricultural history of the valley.

There are two full buildings of farm equipment on-site, along with a playground for kids, a railroad display, walking paths, a rural school and church, a ranch hand bunkhouse, live animals, a gift shop and a spectacular view of nearby Scotts Bluff.

Learn more about events being held or how to plan your next visit to Legacy of the Plains Museum at legacyoftheplains.org or by calling 308-436-1989.