Durham Museum

THE DURHAM MUSEUM

WALKING INTO A MUSEUM CAN BE LIKE STEPPING INTO THE PAST AND THERE IS NO PLACE WHERE THAT IS TRUER THAN THE DURHAM MUSEUM

Enter the Great Hall and you’re immediately swept back into the grandeur of the 1930s. The remarkable architecture is just part of the reason The Durham Museum was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2017. This treasured Omaha attraction is filled with an extraordinary array of permanent exhibits highlighting the region’s history and a broad range of traveling exhibits. Visitors will experience restored train cars, 1940s store fronts, and an array of historical artifacts native to the region. Millions of people traveled by train through Omaha for the 40 years between 1931-1971. They stepped off the train to see what you’ll marvel at today: classic art-deco style highlighted by terrazzo tile flooring, cathedral-like windows, and a ceiling of gold leaf design. Life-like bronze statues of couples, military men, and children placed throughout come alive with stories of people who once passed through the train station. Explore the lower level of the museum and experience Omaha’s history through a variety of permanent exhibits. Learn how people traveled through the years, from covered wagons to passenger trains and streetcars. Discover the fascinating culture of the Omaha Native American Tribe by stepping into a rawhide tepee or sitting by the fire in a replica earth lodge. Peek into the home of blue-collar workers to experience the way families lived over 100 years ago. View some of the rarest coins and documents in the world in the Byron Reed Collection and walk through the Buffett Grocery Store, a replica of the original 1915 store operated by three generations of the storied Buffett family. The model trains are popular with young and old alike. The train set represents Union Pacific’s main line from Omaha to Ogden and has interactive features allowing visitors to lower the crossing guards and turn on the lights. During your visit, take a break in the train station’s original 1930s soda fountain. Enjoy an old-fashioned phosphate made with your favorite flavoring and soda water straight out of the fountain dispenser. Add hand-scooped ice cream to make a luscious ice cream float or order up a malt, shake or a delicious sundae. During lunch, they also serve up hot dogs, pulled-pork sandwiches and macaroni and cheese. If your sweet tooth needs a fix, visit the retro candy shop offering a variety of nostalgic, hard-to-find candies along with fresh popped popcorn.