[NFBN-Lincoln] Lincoln Monopoly and the Pershing Mural tactile model

Tue Apr 14 23:59:53 UTC 2026

Hello,

Just wanted to remind everyone to send emails in support of the following!
Like Mark said, even if it's just a quick "in support" message. Thank you!

From: NFBN-Lincoln <nfbn-lincoln-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Coleman
Mark via NFBN-Lincoln
Sent: Monday, April 6, 2026 9:12 AM
To: nfbn-lincoln at nfbnet.org
Cc: markmurraycoleman at gmail.com
Subject: [NFBN-Lincoln] Lincoln Monopoly and the Pershing Mural tactile
model

Good morning Federation family,

During the February and March Chapter meetings  we discussed proposing and
advocating for the inclusion of the Pershing Mural tactile model housed at
the Nebraska History Museum to be included as a property for the forthcoming
Lincoln Monopoly game. I looked into the process for proposing Lincoln sites
to be included on the Monopoly board. It appears the selections will be
determined by Hasbro and its Monopoly collaborator, Top Trumps. The
following email has been set up to receive recommendations for the Monopoly
Board: 

Lincoln at TopTrumps.com <mailto:Lincoln at TopTrumps.com> 

This morning I submitted an email proposing the tactile model as a site to
be represented on the Monopoly Board. The text of the email is posted below.
If members and allies want to participate in supporting the effort, I would
encourage sending an email to the Top Trumps email address above. You can
feel free to give your own explanation of the importance of including the
mural on the Monopoly board. However, even simple one sentence messages
would demonstrate that there is community interest in the project. It sounds
like the deadline for submissions  is mid to late April, but I could not
find a precise date, so don't wait too long. 

Posted below is the text of the email I submitted this morning.

Thanks,

Mark Coleman, NFBN Lincoln Chapter First VP 

Text of submitted email:

On behalf of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska Lincoln
Chapter, I propose the inclusion of the 3-D tactile model of the ceramic
tile Pershing Auditorium Mural located on the first floor of the Nebraska
History Museum at 131 n Centennial Mall North in downtown Lincoln. This
exhibit was installed last year and represents a milestone in museum exhibit
accessibility. When plans were announced to demolish the historic Pershing
Auditorium a few years ago, a community wide effort spearheaded by Lis
Shea-McCoy emerged to preserve the historic mural affixed to the auditorium
which has graced downtown Lincoln since 1957. As the movement gained
momentum to preserve the 762,000 individual tiles for the purpose of
reassembling the mural  , Barbara Loose asked what could be done to ensure
this project would be accessible to Lincoln's active blind and low-vision
community. The innovative tactile model created by John Olson and 3-D
Photoworks which Mr. Olson co-founded proved to be the answer to this
question.   

Choosing this tactile exhibit as a  property on the Lincoln Monopoly board
provides a unique opportunity to represent several important landmarks and
institutions of Lincon with a single selection including the following:

-The Pershing Auditorium, which for many decades served as Lincoln's primary
municipal entertainment venue and has hosted concerts, sporting events,
circuses, and a variety of other events and exhibitions since the
auditorium's opening in 1957.             

-The Pershing Auditorium Mural, which has been a beloved feature of downtown
Lincoln since its completion in 1957. The mural, known as the Nebraska
Picasso  was created by artists Leonard Thiessen and Bill J. Hammon. The 140
by 38 foot mural was the largest mosaic mural in the United States at the
time of its creation consisting of 762,000 individual one square inch
ceramic tiles. The tiles currently are being reassembled to recreate the
mural at Lincoln's Wyuka Park.  

-The Nebraska State Museum, which hosts the exhibit and the Nebraska State
Historical Society which led the effort to save the Pershing Mural. The
Nebraska History Museum is a vital downtown Lincoln institution which has
been preserving Nebraska history and educating Nebraskans since 1983

-Lincoln's innovative and trail blazing blind community. Lincoln's blind
community has been on the cutting edge of creating opportunities and raising
the expectation of blind and low vision people for over a half century.
Lincoln boasts an active chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
which has continuously produced leaders whose impacts have been recognized
at a national level. The chapter has played an important role in bringing
the tactile Pershing Mural model into existence. The Nebraska Commission for
the Blind and Visually Impaired, headquartered in Lincoln, has been
responsible for innovations in rehabilitation and skills training for the
blind that have had global impacts. 

-The 3-D tactile Pershing Auditorium model itself, which creates an
opportunity for blind and low-vision people to experience the mural in a
manner many of us have never had the opportunity to experience before. The
three by ten foot model was created with the advocacy of Barbara Loose and
the NFB of Nebraska Lincoln Chapter and with funding from the Nebraska
Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. This amazingly detailed
exhibit individually represents each of the 762,000 ceramic tiles in a
tactile manner that can be touched and felt by the blind and sighted alike.
The exhibit also includes audio descriptions of the history of the mural and
of interesting events that have been hosted at the Pershing Auditorium.

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