I was in town visiting and wanted to see how Omaha's Union Station compares to the one we have back home. It was built in 1931 in the Art Deco style and designed by LA architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood. The museum has lots of photographs and examples of materials used that would be a delight for all those interested in architecture. Downstairs was the train depot and where you can go inside and sit in the train cars. Most of the rooms appeared to be part of their permanent collection, but part of the downstairs area has rotating exhibits. The exhibit on display was "The Negro Motorist Green Book" which you may be familiar with if you watched the 2018 film "Green Book." I had a great time at the museum and would return, although check the calendar as I went when the NE SciFest going on and I prefer calmer museum visits. Still, definitely would recommend checking it out! read more

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The Durham Museum is in the old Union Station. I'm glad they were able to preserve the building because it really is spectacular. There are many permanent displays about Omaha history, and there are train cars you can walk through; enthusiastic docents are often there to answer any questions. There are temporary exhibits here as well, and in the summers they will have something cool that the whole family will enjoy. There are lots of programs here, many of them free with admission or membership. I do recommend getting a membership if you think you might want to come at least a couple times in a year. And you probably will want to! There is a soda fountain/snack bar area. The ice cream is great! The food is okay. It's a museum and not a lunch destination. The museum is located right next to Omaha's Old Market. read more

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This was my second time visiting The Durham Museum, and it continues to impress. My first visit was during a free event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and this most recent trip was with a group for the "Negro Motorist Green Book" exhibit. From start to finish, the experience was excellent. The museum provided discounted tickets for our nonprofit group, communicated clearly throughout the planning process, and had a tour guide ready who found us right away. That level of organization and customer care made a big difference. The exhibit itself was powerful and deeply educational, highlighting the history of the Green Book and the realities African American travelers faced during segregation. Through artifacts, photographs, and personal stories, it sparked meaningful conversations--especially among our younger visitors. I also really appreciate the museum's intentionality around inclusivity and programming. You can feel that it's a space designed to educate and welcome a wide range of audiences. The museum itself is on the smaller side, with exhibits primarily on the lower level, which actually made it manageable for our group to move through at different paces. My kids love the super long train you can walk through and the nearby play area. Practical perks matter too--there's plenty of parking (a huge plus), and they even offer umbrella strollers to borrow, which is incredibly thoughtful for families. Overall, a meaningful, well-run experience that I would absolutely recommend--whether you're visiting on your own, with family, or as part of a group. read more

The Durham Museum - Museums Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Stopped by the Durham to check out the new exhibits. Kids enjoyed the Elves scavenger hunt. The hockey exhibit was also great with a ton of interactive activities. Also like to see the amazing Nebraska history...always learn something new! Always great to see the Christmas tree and a visit to the cafe. Had our staple meatball sliders with chips and a drink for $13. The slider buns were cold, but otherwise a great lunch. Great way to end the year...or start the next one! read more

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The Durham is one of my favorite places in Omaha, and I love the ever-changing exhibits they have, which have always been stimulating and fun to explore! I have been at all times of the year, and it has always been very interactive and enjoyable to visit with family and friends. Their recent Aksarben Ball exhibit was super interesting, and I love that this museum highlights local history, both in their permanent displays and rotating ones. I have also been to their history of toys exhibit, which was very fun and family-friendly. Their cafe is delicious and very cute; the fun soda-pop diner theme is very on-theme for the Durham. The Christmas display was impressive, and the live music made the experience even more memorable. I am excited to see what the Durham offers in the future! read more

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Love this place, love the exhibits and I love the fact my granddaughter asks to go back time and time again! We bought a membership so we don't miss a thing! Keep up the great work! read more

I've lived in the Omaha area since 1994 (and 1979 to 1981 before that) but have never visited the Durham museum. It was a cold day, so we wanted to go somewhere indoors this week, and I decided to try the Durham. We both had a great time. I am a huge fan of the Art Deco style, and the Durham is a beautiful example. The staff were extremely friendly throughout. My wife loved the train cars downstairs, especially the steam engine and the caboose. She also had a good time looking at the Aksarben gowns. We're not hockey fans, but the hockey exhibit was very popular. My wife already had plans for our lunch and we didn't eat at the soda fountain, but the menu looked good and the prices were reasonable. We both enjoyed the gift shop and I made a few purchases. While checking out, we were told that their cash register system was getting an upgrade this week and would accept contactless payments like Apple Pay after the upgrade. Overall a great visit. I'll have to keep an eye out for the rotating exhibits and visit again when I see something interesting. read more

The Durham Museum - Main area, art deco style. - Museums Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This is a great place to see history! Lots of variety and fun things to experience. ​

I love the Durham!!!! I always have a great time here. I absolutely the different exhibits and there is so much to see. I always bring my family and friends when they visit and they love it too. It's such a great price and the membership is even better since I love coming to all the exhibits. Thank you to The Durham! read more

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Beautiful art deco museum with a fun old time soda fountain..gorgeous train lobby, soda fountain and restaurant serving foods and some jerk pulled drinks...trains, cars, and plenty of history from the plains..recommended read more

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I got a Durham Museum membership as a gift for my husband for Christmas, and we've visited many times since becoming members! The Durham has several permanent exhibits like the Harriman Train exhibit, where you can walk through actual train cars from the 1940s, the Byron Reed gallery that houses historical coins and documents, and the Baright Gallery that transports you back to the frontier times of Omaha - and many more exhibits in the permanent collection! We definitely took our time going through all these permanent exhibits and only made it through a tiny bit. You can spend the whole day just at these permanent exhibits, so we will certainly be back to explore those more. The rotating collections are fabulous also. So far we have visited for the Julia Child exhibit, Toytopia, and the Sherri Geeredes costume collection for the Rose Theater. I think my favorite of these was Julia Child: A Recipe for Life. It was so cool to see Julia's life through this exhibit and participate in the interactive bits. (Being filmed on a replica of her set, sit in a tub to recreate her iconic photo with her husband Paul, and creating your own recipe for a meal almost like a video game.) The Toytopia exhibit was also very cool, seeing the popular toys from each decade. There were lots of fun things to interact with here, too, like a giant Etch a Sketch, a Zoltar machine like from the movie Big, and a huge silver Monopoly car. The only thing I'd say about this one is that it definitely was geared more towards kids (there were literally a thousand kids playing with all the items) which is totally fine, but just be aware if you are childless and wanting to check out an exhibit like this. We've also visited the Hitchcock Museum Gift Shop and the Soda Fountain cafe in the Great Hall. The museum shop is great and always has some items based around the current exhibits (we bought some fun vintage-inspired toys during the Toytopia exhibit). And the Soda Fountain has actual food but it's the treats that are heavenly, like root beer floats, black cows, and phosphates! We are super lucky to have a museum of this high quality right here in Omaha, and I definitely recommend getting a membership or checking it out once to see if you think its worth it to sign up (it is!) read more

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Extensive museum with displays and activities to engage all ages! My wife and I especially liked the chance to walk through train cars and imagine what it would have been like to travel years ago. We also enjoyed the short film about Omaha's history -- between that and the many exhibits, we learned a lot about the early years of this fine city. And oh, what a lot of interesting history! In addition, we had a delicious lunch at the throwback cafe--most especially the old-fashioned soda and the Art Deco Delight Sundae. read more

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Always a new experience with each exhibit. Christmas, enjoy a tree that rivals Rockefeller Center and trees from around the world with their individualized decorations. Julia Child earlier this year along with white Christmas costumes to add to the holiday spirit. Now, enjoy the very special display of costumes from the Rose theater collection - Such creativity! Add to it in the special exhibit area the Toytopia which will bring back childhood memories from all the games and toys you enjoyed! The building's retro style, gift shop with special items for any occasion, and the standing exhibits that include model trains, history of Omaha, and many other delights. Highly recommend the membership so that you can go back and enjoy the different exhibits throughout the year. read more

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This is a marvelously curated collection of historical artifacts, largely focused on Omaha and the developmentvif the West. They also had a terrific exhibit on Animation while we were there; fin forma "kids" of all ages. All displayed in the beautifully maintained Union Station, which iscalmostvwort the visit alone. Free parking, modestvadmission fees with a "$5 after 5:00" promotion. Easy to spend a couple of hours here. read more

Such a cool museum with something for everyone, truly! If you're an architecture fan, make a beeline to see the beautiful art deco train station lobby. If you're a locomotive buff, you can walk amongst and through trains to your heart's content, learning about Union Pacific as you wander. If you want to learn about the history of Omaha, this is a great place to get your bearings. And if you have a little one, there is plenty to keep them entertained. I highly recommend spending a few hours here and returning whenever one of their temporary exhibits catches your fancy. read more

We had a fabulous family visit to the Durham Museum to extend our seasonal celebration of Christmas. From the parking lot to the end, we had a great experience from start to finish. The Durham Museum used to be the main train station during the 1898 exhibition in Omaha. It is now a beautifully renovated and maintained museum. The facade is pristine washed and stunning. The moment you walk in, the sites fill you with wonder. Shining gold and silver window treatments and wall/ceiling designs. Gorgeous marble and stone walls and pillars. And of course, a 40 foot tall Christmas tree. Absolutely stunning! Prices were fairly reasonable: $8 for kids, $12 for seniors, and $15 for adults. We did wish it was less for kids, but well worth the cost! They had a great activity for the kids. They had a sheet with 9 pictures of cartoon elves. The 9 elves had life-size displays throughout the lower level. If the kids found all nine, and took "s-Elfys", they could get a jolly rancher on the way out. The kids loved the challenge and we found all 9! We enjoyed the Christmas tree displays on the first floor, but the lower level is where the magic happens. Full of interactive and life size displays/exhibits about Nebraska history, we learned a lot and had a hoot doing it! Some highlights included a massive train maintained to look like a luxury old-time train liner, an ancient Wells Fargo Wagon, and a history film. We also visited the dual-special exhibit: 1. Costumes from the movie "White Christmas" and 2. Julia Childs wardrobe, props, and history. We absolutely loved this interactive exhibit and learned so much. There was also so much we didn't see at the museum...we'll have to go back! For example, they have diner modeled after the 30's and 40's. It looked yummy and fun. So you could definitely visit during a meal time. We look forward to future visits, but for sure during the holiday season! read more

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A very thoughtfully preserved nostalgic trip into all things Nebraska and early 20th century midwestern train culture. Staff are friendly and helpful, and the museum is kept very clean. read more

We were just here for a wedding, and I love how this works! The entry area is great for mingling with folks before the ceremony. Then at wedding time everyone moves into the wedding area, the nuptials happen and then you head to the lower level as the upstairs transforms into a beautiful seated dinner reception. After dinner you head back into the dancing area, it's very slick! and quickly transformed. We loved the wedding and all the seamless details. read more

Love this place. The history of eras in omaha are awesome! Take a walk back in time! Lots of exhibits and great fun!

Loved this museum. Attended a private dinner event, which included the museum. The museum provides the context behind the founding of Omaha and continued westward expansion of our country. Wonderful luxury train cars to explore and a whole lot more. Was the highlight of my week-long visit to the area. read more

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They had me at lunch box exhibit. My special needs brother and I have been collecting for decades. He would have loved this exhibit but now has Alzheimer's so it was bittersweet. We drove from MN just to see this. Excellent exhibit that also includes some history. Plus the Holy Grail of lunch boxes - Toppie. Never thought I would see one in person. Missing Gunsmoke (including LL error) and Brazil Batman to name a few. Excellent collection though. The Super Hero exhibit was fun and interactive. Also enjoyed the other exhibits; especially the coins. Nice train exhibit and model train too. Don't miss this museum. I was also pleasantly surprised by the soda fountain as it was inexpensive and good. Have some ice cream, a perfect end to your visit. read more

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The old train has always been my favorite! They always have a fun exhibit featured as well!

Deleted my photos too quickly, but we got lucky the last Sunday of the month. They have a historian speak on different topics... Kyle was well-versed.... We love history and we very much enjoyed it. read more

May 2025, the museum interior is beautifully restored . Kyle was very knowledgeable about the history of the while giving the walking tour around the museum. Love the old fashion soda fountain shop inside where you can get a bite to eat or drink. It could take a good 3-4 hours to go through the museum. This is a MUST visit if you are coming to Omaha, NE. read more

The museum was super fun and age appropriate for my 7 and 5 year old. They enjoyed the trains, bus and the historical play areas. They also enjoyed the special exhibit about animation. We ended the trip with a yummy stop at the soda fountain, where shared a milk shake and a phosphate cherry drink. We had a great time! read more

This museum is FANTASTIC. I had originally not planned on going in as I didn't think I'd be too interested in the history of the area or the trains but it was fascinating. The art deco lobby alone is worth seeing in all its grandeur. You will learn a lot wandering around the exhibits and learning what life was like in Omaha and the region throughout the years. The train section is also fantastic, I even enjoyed playing with the model trains. They also have a classic 50s-style soda shop with pretty good food and great milkshakes. It's a bit overpriced but it is a museum so it's to be expected. Admission was a bit more than I would have liked to pay but I think it was worth it to see everything. It's also in a great location and very walkable. If you have a few hours to spend in Omaha I highly recommend it! read more

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We decided to visit this museum on a whim right before school started for the year. We didn't realize there was only an hour and a half left before they closed, but we went ahead and purchased tickets. After buying tickets, the guy that assisted us let us know that we had 10 days to upgrade to the family pass. Luckily for us it was only $9 more to do the upgrade so we went ahead with the family pass. The inside is absolutely gorgeous! The craftsmanship of the flooring, the ceiling, everything about it is gorgeous. They decorated beautifully for Christmas too. We were kind of rushed, but we went ahead and watched the quick movie on Omaha. We checked out the trains, the home, The White Christmas exhibit, and the Julia Child exhibit. Both were great exhibits, but I really enjoyed The White Christmas most of all. They have a couple more exhibits lined up throughout the year that I'm really excited to see as well. I can see where small kids would love all the Lincoln logs and other toys they have throughout the museum for kids to play with. Our boys are a little older, so they didn't take advantage of all the toys, but they did enjoy looking at the trains and walking around and seeing how cheap things were all those years back lol. I definitely recommend this museum for newcomers, visitors, and residence. read more

I have been to the Durham multiple times as it is pretty much a staple for Omaha! I have never had a bad experience here. The staff are always friendly and the museum is always well kept. I throughly enjoyed taking my nephew to the event they had regarding toys. He loved playing with all the different toys and it was fun to see some of the "vintage" ones they had! I totally recommend this place. A tip is that you can get a free pass through the Omaha Public Library if you have a library card. This community is great!! read more

The entrance to the museum is the old train station and it's breath-taking!! Incredible architecture and history. There are a couple trains you can explore and neat exhibits. There's a diner in the lobby area that's darling. I took off a star for some things being closed and parts of the museum didn't have much to offer children. Tons to read and look at though! read more

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Great spot to go if you want to get out of the house for a few hours with the family, lots of interesting local history for the whole family to enjoy. There is a full train you can walk through to feel what it was like to travel the country in the 30s 40s. When we went they had the Superhero exhibit on display which was very cool. There's even an old diner that serves food, milkshakes, malts, classic sodas and candies. read more

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Recommend this place for all ages, this was a hands on experience. my kid had a good time and we plan on going back. read more

We had such a wonderful experience here! To think, all this beauty and history was almost lost. Christmas is probably the best time to visit when it is decorated. The exhibits are fun and getting to walk through, sit down, and enjoy the train cars are just as exciting for the adults as well as the kids. They have traveling exhibits that are sure to keep the experience different each time you return. There was plenty to see and enjoy, we were a group of 4 adults in our 40's and exhausted by the end so keep that in mind when taking the little ones. Be sure to check out the gift shop on the way out, lots of local artists and makers have products there! read more

The Durham Museum - Windows in the main terminal - Museums Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Super cute museum inside the old train station. It covers the railroad history of Omaha, and you get to learn a lot about Omaha history in general. There are also temporary exhibits. There was a great Julia Child one while we were there. read more

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I've been to the museum before but today special. My mom was donating two Japanese weapons my Das brought home from WWII. She didn't want to sell them or give them to one of her kids (completely understandable). Emma helped me set up the transfer and made it feel very special for my mom. She explained everything without us having to ask any questions. Thank you so much. The museum is a must see. They have so much history about Omaha and the surrounding area with interactive stuff for little kids, trains they can even walk through or ring a bell etc. very fun. read more

Beautiful building...great history...loved the center room such character. Liked the ticket counter, and old soda fountain. History talked to me at ever turn. BUT much interuptions...by loud set up noises, and careless respect for displays... There was a function at almost closing, and was disappointed that the caterers leaned their wooden and metal tables on some of the displays...so we could not see... their set up was hectic, and were in they way, of all who payed their admission to view! I felt it was rude, and ruined the focus of the musems spirit...why not do after closing...looks as if it cost a pretty penny. Without the noise...and arrogance of the folks setting up...who, I felt disrespected the customers...I'd of given more stars... read more

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Go check out the Hall of Heros. It is a cool exhibit for all ages. It is really interactive for kids but has some cool facts for adults. It brought back some childhood memories. Highly recommend taking the family and spending an afternoon at the Durham. read more

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Good museum overall. It's a truly great museum if the traveling exhibit is something that interests you

I went with my best friend Mary to the Durham Museum today, the over visit was fun and I had a blast. We went to see the exhibits and got ice cream. But the only thing I had a problem with was when I was paying for the pocket watch I was getting, my total was 16.36 and I had handed the cashier a 20 dollar bill, but I didn't get any change back. I wouldn't recommend buying from the gift shop. Unless you want to get robbed of your money like I did. read more

Great atmosphere and history of omaha. Staff is friendly and courteous. New painted ceilings look amazing. read more

Don't expect anything mind-blowing. The train walk-through is interesting and kids love it. I'm still trying to figure out the gigantic James Cameron exhibit. He had to have paid for it himself - it's so full of NK style praise and so boring. I really don't care about his Rolex (product placement) or scribbles from his childhood. If you want a painless way to learn about Omaha's history this place seems to double as the local history museum with a lot of wall mounted plaques. Not bad but overpriced for what you get IMO. read more