KIMBALL, NE — A traveling exhibit from America's largest museum will be in the panhandle for the next two weeks. 

"Crossroads: Change in Rural America," a Smithsonian exhibit examining the evolution of small-town America in the 20th century, will be in Kimball until Thursday, September 30. 

Organizers held a kick off event on Saturday before the exhibit officially opened to the public on Monday. 

The exhibit is located at the Plains Historical Society in downtown Kimball. 

Plains Historical Society President M. Timothy Nolting said he just so happened across information and the application for the exhibit online. 

"I thought, 'well let's give it a try,'" Nolting said. "In fact, I did it before I even went and talked to the board and told them I applied and we would see what happened."

Originally he wasn't very optimistic of the town's chances to land the exhibit. 

"I really thought it was going to be a long shot," Nolting said. "I guess I would have been disappointed but not surprised if we had not been chosen."

Humanities Nebraska made the decision to make Kimball the first of seven stops the exhibit will make while in the state. 

Humanities Nebraska Associate Director Mary Yager said they have been working with the Smithsonian for 25 years to bring this exhibit and others to Nebraska. 

"We were really impressed with the plans they had for hosting the exhibit and having some special programming in the community," Yager said."

According to a news release, Kimball is hosting a pair of panels about Kimball to complement the exhibit. The first, "Kimball Area Business, Then and Now" is set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15, at the Kimball County Transit building.

The second will focus on the history of agriculture in Kimball and surrounding communities. It will take place on Wednesday, September 22, at the same time and place as the other panel. 

Humanities Nebraska will host a pair of presentations on September 16 and 17, at the Kimball Library. The first is titled "Stories from Nebraska's Agricultural History: Water" and starts at 6:30 p.m.

The presentation set for September 17 is entitled "Saving a Legacy" and will focus on the history of Japanese-Americans in the Nebraska Panhandle. 

This is all part of the Smithsonian program Museums on Main Street — a partnership to bring exhibitions to rural America. 

The exhibit will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday through September 30.