Our family has a membership to the Durham. We spent a few hours there again this weekend. The Durham has a great relationship with the Smithsonian so the exhibits are excellent and they change periodically throughout the year. On this rainy, Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed the Easy to Lose; Hard to Win: the Nebraska Checkers Association Exhibition which is on display September 26 - November 1, 2009. My daughter Jess played an impromptu game of checkers with another family....of course, she and her partner dominated the floor. 3 great Nebraska checker Masters are from Phelps County. Jess lives in Phelps county, near Funk and Holdrege. We also enjoyed The Art and Artistry of Ak-Sar-Ben and Omaha Public Schools' 150th Anniversary Exhibits. Set in Omaha's Union Station, the Durham Western Heritage Museum also houses several permanent exhibits. My favorite is Fraser Stryker Trans-Mississippi Exposition Gallery. The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition was held in 1898. This was a time of growth and prosperity for Omaha. The Exposition was located on a 184-acre site in north Omaha. After the event, the neighborhood had an infrastructure of roads, sewers, electricity, a park and streetcar service. Only souvenirs, photographs and other artifacts remain from this amazing event that lasted only five months and drew 2.6 million visitors from around the world. This is my favorite display. The Durham offers a taste of Railroad history, Omaha and Nebraska history, western history and American History. This is a living history museum that is constantly changing. I look forward to meeting the volunteers and listening to their stories. We listened to man tell us about his fathers experiences on the streetcars, met a group of women that rode the streetcars and traveled across country by rail in the 50's. We won't miss Christmas at the Durham either. read more

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Programming note before we begin, they have changed their name to "The Durham Museum" in order to appropriately reflect the nature of their exhibits (or something like that). Where to begin? As a museum, it's a fun day to hang out and look at the exhibits, which are almost always interactive in some way, but I don't think that people make trips to Omaha just to see it, it's sort of 'we have a day left, what should we do?' type of stop. In addition to being a mild manner museum by day, they rent out the main hall for events (like my wedding), which is what this review will focus on: My wife and aren't particularly religious, and didn't want to pick a random church/denomination just to get married in (in case we /do/ start going to church, we don't want to pick the wrong one!). Because of this, we started looking around town for venues where we could have the ceremony and the reception. We had a few requirements: it had to be cool, easy to decorate, large enough that we could have the ceremony, dinner, and dance in the same place without it feeling crowded or boring, and close to hotels (almost all of our guests were out of town). The DWHM delivered spectacularly on all accounts, and I shall now address them independently. 1) Cool: This place has cool in spades, it was at one point a major passenger rail hub, and the main portion of the building is what was once the station. As such, there is a ticket counter, a soda fountain, huge benches, and everything is carved out of stone or marble. Aside from being awesomely laid out, the decor astounds. The whole place is in awesomely classic art deco style. From the huge ceiling, to shiny (stone?) floor, to the black and white tile bathrooms, just put on your tuxedo and it's 1930 all over again. The exterior is made of these huge blocks of white stone that were beautiful /before/ they carved the whole building with in relief. Now they are just spectacular. All in all this hands down the best place in town to have fancy party (they have lots of parking too!). 2) Decorations My favorite part about this venue? Decorations are in no way needed. I would have felt like a damn fool hanging up bows, or ivy, on anything of the sort. We did put a whole bunch of votive candles over the (again, huge) air vents built into the benches in the station room for some ambiance, but anything else would have just ruined the style of the place. This was a big plus in offsetting the (slightly high) price tag for the rental; we were able to roll our decorations, flower, and event budget into one! 3) Big: If reading part 1 didn't convince you, this place is huge! And the rental includes the entire first floor, which has 3 distinct areas, the 'hall', the station, and a room that has a whole bunch of murals on the wall. This made getting married here great, ceremony in the hall, dinner in the station, dancing in the mural room. The hall is a large west facing room that is perfect for evening ceremonies. We put up a white sheet over the windows and the setting sun made the whole room glow (and a little warm, but that could have just been nerves...). The station area is very, very large. Football stadium large... but with a roof. The ceiling is so high one guest got vertigo looking at, which I think is awesome. There was plenty of room for us to set up tables for 200 people without going into the (massive) aisles between the benches, so I'm sure you could fit a lot more in. This is also where the original station bar sits, the caterers used this as the bar and it felt really cool. Finally, the mural room is just a big room that we put a dance floor in the middle of to party. It is decorated very nicely, but the lights were dimmed most of the time so it makes it hard to appreciate. 4) Because most of our family are small town folk, it's a long drive into the big city (yes, some people call Omaha 'the big city'). As such, we wanted our venue to be close enough to hotels that our slightly (ahem, heavily) inebriated families could get back to their rooms. The Durham is smack in the middle of down town, and less than a block from the Embassy Suites on 10th street. The walk from the museum to the hotel is over the 10th st bridge, which has been renovated by the city to include lots of lights and more old timey coolness to go along with the museum, so don't worry, it's safe. Lastly, the basement has a series of train cars that are 'preserved' (aka, inside) so you can go in them and see what it was like to travel by rail. This was a great place to take wedding photos! Overall, I loved the fact that we had 3 separate and distinct spaces to have our event in, I think it is nearly impossible to beat the decor, and I love that it's close to hotels (or bars, since you have to be out at midnight). I would recommend this venue to anyone planning any reasonably upscale event, and could never write enough here about how happy I was with the museum for our wedding read more

I didn't have high expectations of this museum, I was going more for the enjoyment of my husband and son. I had a blast! There is so much to see and being able to get on the trains is great. There are so many great items in the store it was hard to hold back. The soda fountain was a nice treat at the end of our adventure. read more

Get "train"-sported back to yesteryear at Omaha's Durham Museum! Marvelous art deco exterior architecture and tastefully done exhibits makes this a must see for train and history enthusiasts alike! read more

Unfortunately, we didn't go into the museum. The one star is for the awful lady up front with white hair and glasses. We were checking out the museum near the entrance by the gift shop and she told us we couldn't stand there. We had to either be in the gift shop or be in the roped area to buy tickets to decide whether we want to buy tickets or not. Really? We weren't going to barge in without buying a ticket! Thanks for making the decision for us. read more

Nostalgic museum. I love the bronze sculptures of passengers buying tickets, sitting on benches and boarding the yesteryear train. The photo exhibit is exceptional and draws you back in time. I attended a fundraiser event in Swanson Gallery and it was so elegant. The architecture and art decor design is a roll back to the 1940's. My favorite event is coming to hear local choirs sing in the main station. Great for families. Don't forget the old fashioned soda jerk fountain. Love this place! read more

Such a wonderful wealth of knowledge. The information is well payed out and a some is interactive. It's a must see when you are visiting.

If you are in Omaha with a few hours to spare this is a museum worth visiting. The permanent exhibit gives you a good history of Omaha: economy, education, sports... The temporary exhibit we got to see was excellent: photography Pulitzer prices. This makes me think they really manage to attract top class rotating exhibits. read more

We were visiting our airman for Thanksgiving and took time to visit the museum. It is absolutely beautiful and well kept. The architecture is gorgeous and you certainly feel as if you have gone back in time. The "talking" statues and the museum itself are full of history and information. We loved walking through the trains and experiencing what it was like to travel in years past! The woman working in the gift shop was so sweet and kind. The soda shoppe was a perfect end to our day. I felt as if I had been transported in time, loved every minute! read more

Had no idea this was here. Super fun time. Lots of history and more in the whole museum.

I've been here several times over the years and it's definitely a must-visit if you're visiting from out of town. The best part of the Durham Museum is the building itself. It's a renovated train station and they have old pitcures of its former life posted through. In the lower level, they have a few passenger trains that you can walk through. They also have rotating exhibits some of which are interesting and some aren't. To top it off, you can even get some ice cream at an old fashioned soda fountain and candy shop. I also took The Gritty City tour a couple of years ago and it was interesting. I plan to take part in the Millionaires and Mansions tour in September. read more

I went here with three people. I saw a lot of exhibits at this place. It had a lot of history about trains and Nebraska. It had a soda fountain and a nice gift shop. read more

Ok, imagine this, 64 year old, 34 year old, and a 4 year old. 4 year old is train crazy. Give us five hours and a little cash and we tore this place up. It was great for all of us. My mom enjoyed seeing all the antiques and telling my son about them, and he had a great time on the train and sleeper cars. And he loved the trolley. We were sad that the model railroad was down for maintenance. The exhibits with the kids science stuff was fun and we were lucky and there were several other kids in the room which gave my son someone to explore with. We enjoyed the gift shop but did not get anything from the soda fountain. There was an annoying family who took over twenty minutes to place their order and we got sick of listening to them argue...it was easier to move on. read more

As others have pointed out, the main floor of this place is a beautifully restored train station. Having been there three times in a decade, I think one visit is enough for most people. But a visit is definitely recommended, if only for the old sleeper train cars down in the basement, where you can sit in a plush seat and imagine yourself rolling across the plains, like Archie and Edith Bunker sang, "back when girls were girls and men were men." read more

We recently attended a wedding reception at the Durham Museum and it was absolutely beautiful. It was a smaller wedding so the reception was sectioned off into an ornate ballroom of sorts with high ceilings and a dance floor. My only complaint was that the bathrooms were VERY far away as you had to walk all the way to the opposite side of the train station. In heels, it was not ideal, however, the train station part that you walk through is so much fun! They have kept the history alive with passenger statues and original seatings. It takes you back to the 1920's! read more

Gorgeous building and architecture is worth a visit in itself. The soda fountain was fun--finally had my first phosphate. You can walk through real train cars, the staff are knowledgable, easily self guided. Lots of local history, and a temporary exhibit (was Egypt when I was there). Minimal fee to get in, but who doesn't want to support such local gems? Worth a stop. read more

Fun place to take the kids ! Little less Chaos lots of historical education and awesome trains to play on for the littles !

I enjoyed this museum mainly because I love trains and train history. The museum is built in the old Union Station and is well restored, but mainly focused on trains and the history of Omaha. It was deserted on the Tuesday evening that I attended, but I can imagine this place being popular for school trips and family outings. Lots of room for the kids to roam and climb on trains. read more

It's a great museum for little ones. I wasn't as impressed be the exhibits as I thought I would be. The model trains are pretty neat to see so if you're a train buff then check this place out. I just assumed it was larger than it actually was. read more

Awesome museum to brief you on Omaha history. Educational, fun and interactive exhibits! read more

The Durham Museum - Museums Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This museum was so much fun. I loved the interactive exhibits and the train cars. Also, the soda fountain was nothing to snooze at!

We like museums and this one has a nice feel to it. There are some very nice train displays that are fortunately indoors. My daughter had fun inside and we even caught the Christmas concerts next to the large tree in the middle. There appears to be a lot of focus getting things prepared for renovation in the area. We enjoyed wandering through the exhibits and eating in the soda shop in the main hall. read more

One of the highlights when visiting Omaha, The old train station makes a great place for having this expo. The have all the Omaha history very well explained, and have special exhibits from time to time. I remember off the top of my head one about the Aksarben carnivals (a story of its own), Katherine Hepburn movie dresses and most recently an expo on Egypt with a real mummy and a replica of Rosetta stone. It also is cool to go inside the trains. The volunteers are very friendly and helpful. Grat for kids. If you go around Christmas time, don't miss the tallest Christmas tree in Omaha. It is something else! Great for wedding and for taking pictures! read more

this is a LOVELY LOVELY Museum and I am so glad I took the time to visit it. I highly recommend it to all Yelpers to visit and come see. they have a wealth of interests and right now a beautiful exhibit on Katharine Hepburn and all her costumes that is partnered with one of the theaters to show her movies. what a treat! my highlights were the soda fountain ( made me remember being taken to the old fountain by my grandparents who lived near 38th and Dodge) and every exhibit was SO interesting! I especially liked the large interactive model trains and the larger cars that you could actually board and check out. and that main hall. that is GORGEOUS..i loved that they left the benches there and you could experience the hall that way, please go visit the nice people at the Durham Museum and tell everybody about it so they can visit too. I loved it! read more

We visit the Union Pacific Railroad Museum regularly. Love it. There are lots of wonderful parties thrown all through the year. We especially love the unveiling of the huge Christmas tree each year the day after Thanksgiving. Holidays in Omaha are not complete without several trips to the Durham to see Santa and his reindeer! The museum is GORGEOUS, by the way. The full sized trains are just fun to walk through. We always stop by the old fashioned soda fountain to pick out a cheap treat from the candy store (mostly under 25 cents). read more

This place was pretty cool. I love the exhibit I went to see. Women Who Rock. The people were helpful and the building was amazing and really fun to see. Also from the store that carried tons of stuff from past exhibits it seems like they have lots of progressive shows here. Which I really liked. The ladies in the gift shop were super nice. read more

What a great way to spend the weekend away from home! The 1968 exhibit was awesome as well as the rest of the exhibits. A great place not just for kids and old people but a young couple like us! read more

Upon entering the building, I immediately felt like I was transported into the 1940's. The old ticket and information Windows have been transformed into a gift shop. Toward the other end of the main level there is a soda fountain where you can buy popcorn, "vintage" candy, ice cream, and a select few lunch items. The lower level is outstanding. There are trains you can actually tour. Pictures are welcome as far as I know. The rest of the lower level feels much like a history museum. It is very kid friendly, with many interactive areas and little replicas of houses and products. It is spread out enough that even on a crowded day, you will be able to comfortably see everything. If you like American history, definitely take a trip to the Durham Museum. read more

I had very little expectations for this place but it turned out to be fantastic! So many old things from recent history to see. It seems to keep going and going. You will be transported to a much simpler time here. Worth a visit when in Omaha. read more

This place is amazing! I took my two boys who love choo choo trains and we had a great time. We were lucky enough to go when Sue the T. Rex was there. Great train models and you can even walk through the train cars on display. Great time! read more

Probably my favorite museum in the Omaha metro. Love the Omaha history, the train history and the traveling exhibits. Staff are friendly and helpful. Great place! read more

Attended the Buffalo Bill Wild West and Creating Camelot exhibits on Saturday. Outstanding!

Good history lesson of how old things get old and new take over. Worth the money if you wanna pass your time (takes 3 to 4 hrs) . Would I go again ..!!! Certainly not.... read more

I would not recommend planning an event at the Durham Museum. I just spent the past 3 weeks emailing back and forth with the Events Coordinator to plan a corporate event in three different spaces at the Durham. Come to find out, the Events Coordinator didn't realize the spaces weren't available for the date I had requested. I wasted 3 weeks emailing back and forth and talking on the phone planning an event in space that had already been booked. Complete waste of my time and incredibly annoying. read more

Ultra lame. Attended with fam and we where vastly underwhelmed...sorry. Hard to discern a logical pattern for viewing the exhibits--hope we truly saw all there was... read more

I love the Durham. I don't love when staff comes at quarter til and rousts me out, following me around and repeating, "It's ten til...It's five til..." and escorting me out, "Come this way," he ordered. I will continue to be a member for the exhibits, if not the people skills of the staff. read more

My family and I visited the museum today with my in-laws who have lived in Omaha for 25 years but whose first time at the Durham was also today. The main lobby was beautiful, and the giant Christmas tree was not to be missed. We enjoyed walking through the train cars, and I particularly enjoyed the exhibit of Christmas trees from around the world. The other exhibits just weren't that attention-grabbing. The special exhibit in the Velde Hall was titled: Goosebumps: The Science of Fear. It seemed especially odd that this exhibit should be found at a train museum and at Christmastime. How about watching a video clip on panic disorder...anyone? Anyone? Or reading up on social anxiety and "how to cope"? Aside from the weirdness of it, it just wasn't that interesting and was barely even mediocre, I felt, in its presentation. Much more exciting, at least to my kids, whose faces lit up in big smiles, was ringing the bell at Station 1. Overall, I'd say it was something nice to see indoors on a cold day, but if I am in Omaha in the future, I wouldn't feel a need to make a return trip. read more

The museum is ok but one of the staff was obnoxious, constantly interfering with us when we took some photos in the grand hall. There was no signs for not allowing visitors to take photos and she did not interfere with white folks taking photo but only with Asian tourists. Do not ever want to go there again! read more

Great winter camp between Christmas and New Year's for the kids. It was a little pricey but not much more than daycare. As a member, I paid $30 per child per day. It was $300 well spent. They had a blast and it kept me from hearing, "I'm bored" all week. read more