The Durham Museum Reviews

Really had a good time exploring this museum. So much to see and lots of hands on stuff. The traveling exhibits and permanent exhibits were great. Especially love going through the trains and the soda fountain where they serve old fashioned candy, great ice cream and phosphates. Will definitely go back.

beautifully restored train station that is an awesome learning experience and museum they have old trains and cars but also exhibits about how the trains played a role in transportation and the stockyards. while i was there, they had an exhibit of old lunch boxes, which i thoroughly enjoyed and the lego exhibit was great too

This train station has been restored beautifully with so much original beauty, including the old ticket windows. Downstairs is a wonderful museum with several intact trains to walk through. We spent about 3 hours looking through all of the history exhibits & enjoyed it.

I love trains and great train stations that can tell a story! My earliest memory of a train ride took place in elementary school at the Union Station in Kansas City, MO. Today, those memories returned as I made new ones at the Durham Museum, Omaha’s Union Station. Taking some time out from working on my current manuscript, I was not expecting to be there for four hours. It was not wasted time as I time traveled through this magnificent building.
A volunteer greets you when you pay the 11.00 adult admission fee. You’ll receive a museum guide that will give a brief outline of what to expect throughout the building. The main waiting area is breathtaking. No wonder it was named a National Historic Landmark in 2016 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. It’s art deco architecture places you in a time of the 1920’s and 30’s with high ceilings, cathedral windows, metallic materials like aluminum and stainless steel.
I was taken with the Terrazzo flooring and brass lighting fixtures that hang 45 feet in the air. They’re thirteen feet tall and weigh two tons or more than 2,000 pounds.
It was fun to visit the sculptures that spoke of each passengers’ journey. For example, Old Salesman and the Sign, Ticket Counter, Anticipation and the touching, Young and Old Traveler that touched my heart. After endless photos, reading and listening to stories told, I took a brake at the soda fountain for a quick bite. Afterwards, I made my way downstairs to visit the various galleries and walk through the steam engine, Pullman car, lounge car and caboose. (All were decorated for Halloween)
You may not spend four hours inside the museum as I did while taking part of so many things it had to offer, but you must not miss the beauty and history that this station has to offer. At it’s peak it’s reported that 10,000 people every day passed through Omaha Union Station with seven railroad lines that stopped here.
Overall: Bob, one of the volunteers, was a delight and so informative regarding the history of not only the museum but the rail system and train history.

Looking Fresher Than Ever

In May, I was back to Omaha, and also to the Durham Museum (nee the Western Heritage Museum), which is located in the old Union Station, in downtown Omaha, just off of 10th Street, and the Railroad viaduct.

This was my third visit, since about 2014, and was as exciting, and enjoyable, as my very first - but I am a “train buff.” I also remember riding many trains, in my youth, though not to many stations as grand at Union Passenger Terminal in Omaha, now the Durham Museum. Built in an Art Deco style (as opposed to the abandoned Burlington Station, across the tracks, built in a Neo-Classical style), just the outside of the building, and its lovely architectural details, should be taken in, and studied - and then, there is the Grand Hall, inside.

Since my last visit, not a lot had changed - except it appeared that many of the displays had received a fresh coat of paint:
Union Pacific #1243 looked ready to pull a load of rolling stock, across the Great Plains. This 4-6-0 steam locomotive is one of the oldest of the 10-wheelers, owned by the Union Pacific, and looks fit, with a new sheen.
The Pullman Sleeper, “National Command,” #1202, was as fit, as when purchased by the Union Pacific, and the same for the Pullman Observation Car, “Cornhusker Club.” All still so beautiful to see!

I spent a bit more time with the Omaha & Council Bluffs Railway and Bridge Company’s streetcar, as we ride somewhat similar streetcars in New Orleans, and the F-Line in San Francisco. While the current new light-rail cars might be more sleek, and maybe a bit more comfortable, they just do not have the same panache, or charm, as these older units.

Be sure to spend some time, poking around the Grand Hall, and study the various statues, scattered about - from a distance, some might look like passengers, at the ticket window, or sitting on one of the benches, awaiting there train to Chicago, New York, or maybe Denver. Also, pay attention to the stone work in the floor.

I spent over 2 hours, and still did not get to take it all in, and remember, I had visited twice before! I would plan on an entire morning, or afternoon, as this is not a museum to hurry through, reading a few of the signs - take the time to absorb the history, and the technology represented in the Durham Museum - you will be rewarded.

So much to see and learn. I find new things every time I go. Great way to show history to the kiddos too.

I enjoyed seeing the inside of the trains and going though the museum it is very nice. Also enjoy a good root beer float at the snack stand. If you enjoy trains and history you will enjoy this stop put it on the list. They also have a small gift shop!

This is a great museum inside the beautiful and historic Omaha Union Station. They usually have several exhibits going that relate to the history of the area, plus other short-term exhibits. Theirtraveling exhibits give us a reason to visit several time a year. But I must say my favorite time to visit is at Christmas. The tree is always spectacular and their Christmas concert series a delight.

Great special exhibit of Downton Abby costumes. The Root Beer Float at the Soda Fountain is the best anywhere.

We took our grandson to see the train. He enjoyed going inside of them and we also saw the huge Christmas tree!! It is a great place to go during the winter months when there is not much else to do.

The art deco Union train station is magnificent! It's in excellent condition and you can easily imagine what it was like in its heyday. The exhibits on the main floor were informative. I wasn't as interested in the exhibits on the lower floor although I did enjoy walking through the old cars. I was disturbed by some information on the international exposition. It highlighted that over 600 Native Americans from 35 tribes participated in the exposition. Then I saw that Geronimo was brought there from a military prison to be there. How many of the 600+ Native Americans were incarcerated at the time they participated in the exposition? Were most, possibly all of them forced to be there to give the impression to European Americans that Native Americans were pleased with how their land had been taken from them, way of life destroyed, and forced to live on reservations? It's horrible that we continue present history in a way that skews what we did to the first Americans.

We visited before Christmas and the decorated tree in the lobby was amazingly beautiful. The passenger trains will be a hit with the grandkids when I take them. I was with a tour group and everyone was impressed.

Great place to visit when in omaha , displays change here all the time so go often , very interesting place

This place was so cool! The art deco design of the station was so beautiful. The museum was very informative. I loved getting on the trains and seeing what they were like back in the day. Stop here if you have the time, you will love it.

My (also single) girlfirend and I get a joint annual memebership-$55.00 and both of us use the pass to see the exhibits we like and take new friends with us as a guest. At Christmas we have gone to see the tree for 25years with our children, who are now grown and still go with us to see the tree. There are great art exhibits visual quirky and history/memory exhibits...all well worth more than just the price of admission.

We stopped on our drive west. A fun way to learn about the history of Omaha and Nebraska in a beautiful Art Deco building.

This is a lovely building, nicely restored. The soda fountain on the main floor is cool, although the food is mediocre. Downstairs, there are a few real period trains that you can walk through - that need a lot more restoration. The model train exhibit didn't work when I was there. The other exhibits are pretty bad - VERY, VERY amateurish. The coin exhibit has great stuff in it, but is underlit and doesn't have the requisite magnifying glass on each cabinet, so you might as well just put them back in a vault.

If this museum was free, my review would be considerably more charitable, but considering I had to pay $11 to see this sad display, it gets a bad review. Try again, guys.

Until then, go to the Joslyn - it's free and incredible!

Beautiful and informative museum, with a very friendly staff. The woman at admissions took the time to review the map with us along with a “suggested route” that was really helpful. The bottom floor in particular is jam packed (in a good way!) with exhibits so having a rough idea of how to navigate ahead of time was helpful. My husband and I learned a lot about Omaha, and we were both particularly impressed that they didn’t skip over the less than flattering bits of the city’s history.

Beautiful building. They are doing some construction on the main floor but otherwise, the place was immaculate. It took my wife and me about two hours to completely tour the entire museum and we had a great time. We took a lot of pictures and spent the time reading as much as we could about all the attractions. While walking through the train downstairs we encountered a wonderful volunteer who told us all about the 'Lounge Car' and why the train was called 'Overland'. Nice relaxing time with a lot of neat stuff to see!

Probably one of the finest examples of fully restored and fully rejuvenated early century art deco American architecture anywhere in the United States. Literally feel like you’re back in the 1940s in downtown Omaha Nebraska. The collection of train cars in the lower level gives you an excellent feel for traveling across the country by train car. Don’t miss the soda fountain on the side of the building complete with 40’s penny candy and authentically made soft drinks, fusions, floats, milkshakes, and even some great food items. The gift shop contains some very nice jewelry, postcards, toys, purses, and other fine items for purchase. This is a great way to spend an evening and enjoy some wonderful architecture.

This museum is located in the old Union Station of Omaha. It is near the Old Market area. The building has been restored and is nice inside. The top floor has a gift shop (ok) and a soda fountain area (looked nice, we did not try anything there though). Otherwise this floor is a large open area with some sculptures of people using the railroad station, with some audio included. Most of the museum is downstairs, a series of train and street car displays (the big train is pretty interesting and worth walking through, you can see the bunk beds and lounge and more). Adjacent to this area are a series of historical exhibits running the length of the building. They cover pretty thoroughly the history of Omaha, its people and its struggles and triumphs. Definitely of some interest, but I guess I expected it to be more interactive than it was. Not terribly expensive. I would go, but only plan to spend 1-2 hours there.

This is a place my wife and I had been talking about going to for years and years. After all the years of build up it did not disappoint. The building is beyond beautiful but I was surprised by how much history there was in the lower levels. This is a must see if you are in town.

WOW! What a beautiful museum, a really fantastic museum for the entire family. They do have some workers in the main entrance, they are painting and touching up, but does not effect the lower gallery.

We took our kiddos to the MARVEL exhibit at the lower level, and it was really awesome. There is another area dedicated to the building of Omaha, the men and women who started it all, along with a full size train and carriages from Union Pacific.

If you are from Omaha, and have never been here it's worth your time to visit. If you are a traveler just passing through, please take the time to visit this wonderful museum.

The lady at the front desk was very helpful, and was able to answer many of our questions.

This is a great museum of railroad history and you got to actually sit in it and touch it and do it really great for kids as well as for adults

Stop and enjoy what was the former Union Pacific train station. Now restored to a beautiful museum. The permanent exhibts tell the story of early day Omaha. We always make this our 1st stop when bringing out of town guests.
The main floor has talking "passengers" waiting to catch a train. Which i have countless times. The old fashioned soda fountain is a treat.
Downstairs you can see permanent exhibts ranging from the stockyards to early day hospitals. Also, take the time to enjoy the trains. You can walk inside.
There are always temporary exhibts. We enjoyed WW1 & wild life photos by Thomas Mangelson. The docent in the WW1 exhibt was helpful.

I really enjoyed the extensive local items & information. More than anything though, I enjoyed the walk through the train. Being able to see it preserved so well really take one into the past. I felt as though I really knew what it was like to travel across the country by rail.
Actually, made me want to try it.

The Durham museum is simply marvelous! I especially loved the train exhibits and the malt shop!! It’s definitely a must see for anyone who visits Omaha!

This is a must visit while in Omaha. The train station has so much history and it easy to feel what it was like in the early years.

The museum is located in the old Union Pacific Railroad Station. The permanent exhibits provide information on trains and the history of the Omaha. There were two temporary exhibits. One was on Omaha's involvement in WWI. The other was an exhibit of Thomas Mangelsen's nature pictures. The exhibit which include a video was fantastic. It was the highlight of our visit.

It was an interesting museum. I learned a few interesting things about Omaha. Like others, I really enjoyed the Pulitzer photograph display. The Trans Mississippi Exposition exhibit was really interesting. I had no idea about that event, so I learnt something I didn't know, which isn't that the point of a museum Recommended.

Very interesting display of statues depicting real life situations in the train station with commentary. One can learn about the Pullman and sleeper cars, as well as the layout of the station and many facts concerning its heyday. Visitors are able to see area memorabilia covering many topics, as well as take children to the hands on area also.

This was one of the best museums we have ever been to (which has been a lot)! It is a must for any history lover or someone who wants to travel back in time to the 1940s. A tour of the passenger train is a must along with a walk through the history museum that tells the stories of the area from the early days of Native Americans to the 1950s. A snack at the soda fountain is a must! Their menu is small but very yummy. We enjoyed pulled pork sandwiches and ice cream sundaes and shakes. We will definitely be coming returning and highly recommend this museum.

Great museum with lots to see and learn. Small model railroad exhibit was fun to watch. Tons of exhibits about the history of the area. Can easily spend 2+ hours here

The Durham History Museum is a must-visit in Omaha! In addition to the ongoing exhibits, the museum hosts a variety of visiting exhibits, so check their website to see what upcoming events and/or displays may be of interest to you!! I personally enjoyed climbing in the cockpit of the steam engine and then starting at the other end of the train and going through the caboose and the various cars as they looked in the 1940s and 1950s during the glory days of train travel. The talking statues give interesting lessons about the types of people that travelled through this former Union Station, especially the thousands of military personnel off to fight during WW2. Other exhibits cover various aspects of U.S. history, as well as some fascinating looks into Native American culture. The architecture of the building itself is fascinating. There was a neat souvenir shop and a working diner/malt shoppe with a counter and stools along with tables and chairs out front!

This was the second time that I had visited the Dunham Museum, even though we are in Omaha at least once per year. On a rainy and cool, late May day, I made my way back, to explore, enjoy, and also see if much had changed in the last 4 years.

I did not notice any major changes, or additions to the displays, but then I did not have my photographs from that previous visit, to compare.

The grand hall, was as lovely as ever, even without the beautiful light streaming through the gallery windows. If anything, it might have looked even more lovely. It also seemed that things had been polished up a bit.

A few of the displays, on the lower “track level,” seemed to have been redone, or at least spruced up a bit.

The museum is lovely, and portrays a rich history of rail travel, in the previous century, plus the impact that rail had on Omaha, and the surrounding area.

I consider this a must do for families, visiting the area (or living there), as it portrays history and technology, all under one grand roof. For me, there are also strong feelings of nostalgia, as I rode trains for much of my youth. I only hope that my wife will have more free time on our visit next May, as she also remembers the days of rail travel, though probably not as well as I do, since she is younger, than I am.

I have spent a lot of time in Omaha recently, but I knew very little about it. The Durham museum is an excellent summary of history and local Omaha culture. There are a variety of exhibits, from full size train and trolley cars that you can actually enter to exhibits about Native American tribes indigenous to Omaha, to a history of the Aksarben society, a benevolent association with a rich and colorful history. In addition, there are traveling exhibits. This past weekend, there was an exhibit from the Smithsonian about the right to vote. This art deco style train station is a marvel just for architecture alone. A must see if you are in Omaha.

great place to stretch your legs. Lots of history and exhibits. both kid and adult friendly. Can stop at the soda fountain on the way out and get a treat.

Well worth the $10 price of admission. Amazing Art Deco building, filled with history of the railroads, Omaha, and (right now) Mangelson photography.

First, the station itself it beautiful, with interesting history explained and some really cool bronze 'real life' statues (Other places have versions of these - Galveston's are in white and arranged as even more of a vignette). Really nicely done. Then there is locomotive and 3 full access railcars. But the real museum - anything and everything you wanted to know about Omaha is tucked deceivingly away down there as well. Much more expansive than you initially think with displays at scale enough to keep kids interested, but also detailed signage if you would like to stop and learn about a subject in more depth. You could wander through this for a couple of hours if desired. Skipped the Jane Goodall exhibit, so no opinion there - just needed to move on to something else that day. Ample, free parking.

Much Omaha and rail history to be found here. The building itself is historical, and heralds back to the days when the depot was busier than the airport. I'd like to see the railcars' interiors refurbished, so they don't look so seedy.

This museum is top notch! Our grandchildren learned a lot about dinosaurs and enjoyed the hands on experiences offered here. Worth a visit!

Located in the Union Pacific railway station, this museum is a great place to learn about Omaha history. The varied statutes around the station personify the experience and transport visitors back in time. The restored train cars on the platform level below were excellent. The original soda fountain is still in operation serving delicious treats. Great piece of history and worth the discounted $9 admission price.

If you want to learn about Omaha and also about Union Station the make this your 1st stop! Always amazed at how much new information is available on Omaha and Union Station.

Great trip. We arrived at approximately 10:30 am and made our way towards the entrance of the museum. The museum was relatively large and was the site of the former union train station. We bought our admission tickets and started to explore the museum. The ground floor contained restrooms, and several food options. The main exhibits were mostly located on the underground level. There were many artifacts out for display, along with informational plaques that detailed what we were seeing in front of us. The museum covered the history of Omaha and how the city was founded. The museum also talked about many things that were unique to Omaha, such as the train station and the people that helped shape it. There were many train cars out for display, and we were able to walk through several of them, in order to get a glimpse of the past. We also viewed a short 15 minute documentary about the history of Omaha and how the town was formed.

Tip: I recommend spending 3 hours here if you truly want to see everything.

We visited on a very cold December day. Santa was there with Christmas concerts all day. It was a nice experience. $11 was a little steep for the museums/exhibits but it was a nice adventure.

Visited the Durham again this past week, specifically to see the 2 current exhibits.
WW1 and also Mangelson photos.

Thursday afternoon so there were people there but not a crowd. It is large, but the exhibit spaces especially for rotating exhibits is spacious but gets crowded easily.

My opinion only is the WW1 display was sparse. A few photos, a woman's uniform and a couple of infantry uniforms with also flyers.
I believe there were 3 rifles and a machine gun.
Photos of blimps and planes.....
It frankly felt crammed into a space.

The Mangelson photos were at times incredible and hard to imagine how he managed them. Everyone will have a favorite probably more. Mine was the close-ups of grizzly bears and the bison. The list a other favorites would be long.

Durham Museum is a beautifully renovated Union Station railroad facility in downtown Omaha. The renovation itself is stunning, and the historical installations (i.e. the "museum" part) was all very well done; all were interesting and packed with information and descriptions. The maintenance of the displays was perhaps the best I've ever seen at almost any kind/form of museum. You often find cobwebs, layers of dust, and deteriorating displays at many museums and public spaces. At the Durham it appeared that the entire facility had just been installed the prior day. Perhaps that was true of one or two sections, but certainly not the entire location yet the entire place was extremely well kept. Kudos to the maintenance staff here. This was a great stop to spend a couple of hours on a cool, rainy afternoon learning something about the history of the City of Omaha and the railroad and gateway to America's western frontier.

An impressive regional museum that plots a lot of the history of Omaha, and has exhibitions on different facets of historic life in the city. I really loved the art-deco style Union Station booking hall, and the sculptures showing passengers frozen in time. Our visit coincided with the Nebraska SciFest Public Expo which had a range of stalls aimed predominantly (but not exclusively) at children.

There are a few railroad cars, and we had a very interesting chat with one of the volunteers there... just a shame that the station no longer serves the function it was built for.

The Durham Museum is absolutely spectacular. Housed in the former Omaha Union Station, the building itself is an architectural gem. They just don't build them like this anymore. You can just feel the history from the moment you enter the doors. It makes you wish you could travel to the past and board a train here like so many people once did. The soda fountain on the main floor has some wonderful treats and provides a cool experience.

Most of the museum attractions are on the lower level of the building. The majority of exhibits detail the history of Omaha and the Union Pacific Railroad. The exhibits are interesting, well-presented, and informative. In addition, there are real trains that you can tour as part of your general admission ticket, and the bricks from the original platform are even still in place. The Pulitzer Prize Photo exhibit currently on display through May is a MUST SEE.

The staff was so friendly and helpful. The woman that sold me my entry ticket was delightful and made sure to answer any questions I might have. The soda fountain staff were also attentive and kind.

The only real criticism that I have is that the model trains didn't seem to be running during my visit. But that's definitely not enough for me to give the Durham anything less than 5 stars! Don't miss this place if you are visiting Omaha!

The Durham is in a classic early turn of the century pre art deco style Americana style of architecture train station. It is beautiful. There is a small gift shop which didn't appeal to me and a old fashioned style soda shop where you can get drinks, sweets and light meals. The museum showcases Omaha history, mostly started at the Caucasian invasion, but some with native American origins as well.

I reckon this one has something for everyone. Extremely family friendly.
As someone who knew very little about the history of Omaha, I learnt SO much in a 90 minute visit, that just flew by.
You could probably spend 3 hours there, no problem
Very helpful staff
Wide variety of exhibits & all really well explained
Not to mention the incredible architecture
An easy15min walk from the tourist info centre
Single entry was $11 for an adult
They also had a special day on where you could pay $15 for entry to 4 sites around town, including shuttle to get you there
Wish I’d found it earlier in the day to take advantage of that
Would definitely go again

Aside from its many great architectural and regular exhibits, I like to visit each year for their summer exhibit. This year it's the American Adventure taking you thru a maze where you are questioned and given hands on opportunities to see whether you'd survive as one of the original explorers in America. My only criticism is the overhead lighting placement frequently caused the need to stand in ones own shadow and made reading information difficult. Otherwise it's a fun, educational experience and I totally recommend a visit.

Great old and well restored art deco building. There are a few permanent exhibits and some activities for kids. My suggestion is keep an eye on the schedule and visit during one of the regularly held special exhibitions that you are interested in. Easy parking and reasonable entrance fee. A convenient and interesting attraction that doesn't take a lot of effort or time to enjoy!

What a great way to step back into time. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ A must for all ages. Can’t wait to go next time with friends. I’m sure they will enjoy their first visit as much as I did.

I love this place. It’s the old train station. The main floor shows the old station. The lower floor has a lot of exhibits. All my kids also loved it. Walking on the old train cars was very cool. A great spot.

The most comprehensive collection of Omaha and Nebraska history publicly available. Not to be missed is the truly world class coin collection accumulated by the late Byron Reed, an Omaha real estate tycoon, which contains an example of the 1804 silver dollar of which there are only a handful of specimens exist!
This is THE place to nerd out on railroad history as well. Several actual trains grace the lower level of the converted Art Deco train station speaking to it's origins as the link to the Western frontier. The model railroad is not to be missed as the time and effort put forth is worth appreciating.
All in all it is a great place to spend the day with family, a date, or solo. An annual pass would be a good idea if you are close since they have quite an array of rotating exhibits as well.

I have been to The Durham Museum in the past but did not remember the place. I went again to take my 82 year old father since it was something he could do to keep busy. We were both enthralled with their new display of the Pulitzer Prize winning photos. It was heartbreaking but captured humanity and hope all in one setting. Do not miss this event.

Gorgeous building! The museum is in a retired railway station and it is grand, so very grand. The exhibits are well presented, quite varied, but completely engaging. Walking through the Pullman cars was a treat. Parking is free but limited to vehicles under 7’4”. It is gated and no access for an RV.

The Durham was absolutely beautiful. I particularly loved the old soda fountain. All of the train exhibits were a lot of fun, as were the statues on the main floor.

It’s located in a strange area but I had a nice time here. The train cars are cool to see, the museum is interesting and large, and there’s a cute soda shop inside to check out.

Enjoy the Durham and love the constant change of programs. Christmas at the Durham is delightful! History is displayed beautifully. Entertaining for all ages.

Nice facility and interesting historical items to see in the museum including several dinosaur skeletons.

very interesting place to visit great displays the coin collection was extremely interesting the exhibits do change which is great

This museum has an amazing collection of items from the history of the rails as well as an on-depth look at the history of the area 1800 and after. Very carefully constructed exhibits, energetic volunteers, all in a beautifully restored train depot

The Durham Museum is the old Union Pacific Train Station, just inside looks like your going back in history, as walk through that up stairs , and you see what people back in the day felt, the ahhh. when go down to the museum you find a lot of historical facts and items used in the making if the UP Railroad.

Bought a season pass for the Durham to take the grandkids to see an exhibit on dinosaurs - and of course all the other excellent exhibits there also! Well worth the price for two adults and two kids for an entire year of various exhibits. The venue is clean and well organized and worth repeating visits.

A beautiful restored train station in the tradtion of WWII. Lots of exhibits of that time in our history. Don't miss the root beer floats at the soda bar.

Wonderful maze where kids learn what they needed to do to survive if they were colonists who came to Jamestown. Lots of fun.

This is a fantastic history museum. They have great exhibits. We take our kids here often. Young ones really love the trains as well.

After entering and amazing big room with a small eatery, you go
into the museum which has old coins and many, many other
interesting collections.

The American Adventure maze exhibit was so much fun. We stopped in on a whim and worked our way through the puzzles. The kids really enjoyed the historical "choose your own adventure" aspect, as well as being able to see how the original settlers did it. We, of course, faired better than the settlers.

The Durham Museum is housed in the old Union Pacific Railroad Station -- a beautiful facility. The first floor of the museum is the restored waiting room and soda shop with life size statues of former patrons discussing life at the time they used the station. The lower level has a huge museum of both permanent and changing/traveling displays. I need to go back -- be sure to allow several hours to view it all.

The building itself is worth a visit for the art deco features and some nostalgia pieces. Great soda fountain. Always interesting exhibits. Well worth spending a couple of hours here.

Was not quite sure what to expect when I came to this highly rated museum but I did not expect what I found. The museum occupies an unused train station. But what a station. When you first enter the museum you are essentially entering the ground floor of the old station that at one time was the finest example of an Art Deco train station in perhaps the entire world. On the ground floor level you can admire the building, visit the soda fountain which retains its original menu and look. In the hallway there are some exhibits that tell you about the station and its role in Omaha’s history. But then you go downstairs where you would originally catch the train and the real fun begins. They have some trains you can visit on the tracks but the highlight is the extensive displays on the City of Omaha and the important historical events connected to this place. Many of the displays are three dimensional and all are thematic so you can learn about the worlds fair, the meat packing industry, the development of the Union Pacific railroad, etc. I learned so much about Omaha and loved it. Lots to do here for kids. There is currently a special exhibition here as well on T REX and dinosaurs. If you want to understand Omaha and its role in the development of the West. Come here.

Beautifully refurbished Union Station in all its Art Deco glory is a delightful way to learn about or relive Omaha history, particulary with respect to its impact on railroading.

The museum is chock full of Omaha history, which makes it so fascinating. One of my favorite things is the railroad car that you can walk through and see what train travel used to be like.It was fun looking at the prices on the menu in the dining car - $1.25 for filet Mignon! They have many interactive displays with the trains and other displays. I learned so much about Omaha from the hours I spent there. The gift shop has some lovely souvenirs, too. It is well worth the visit just to see the beauty of the building itself. We rode rental bikes to the museum, but there is plenty of parking. The soda fountain has so many treats - ice cream and candy. I felt like I had stepped into the past as I sat there and had my root beer float. It is definitely worth your time to check this out.

What a fantastic museum! The building is gorgeous. It is just about how I remember all train stations back years ago! The seating, the counter, the brass 'cages', the neon taxi sign, the soda fountain.....and then downstairs the train cars! We moved to California from Vancouver BC and took the train so this was awesome to relive that! I was/am curious about how the Placerville, CA stagecoach got to Omaha however, Placerville is just east of Sacramento.......lots of effort and attention to details were put into this most interesting museum. The fictional recorded conversations for each statue are most interesting, so listen carefully. Two hours minimum if you can ! ! !

This museum is in the old Art Deco designed Union Pacific Depot for passenger trains. There is a wealth of information here about rail, Omaha, and more about Nebraska. Do not pass up the statues in the beautifully restored waiting area of the depot. There is a great soda fountain offering food and fountain drinks, still in the art deco style of the past. There is a miniature train layout and train cars to walk through as well as many other exhibits to show life in the past in the area. An elevator is available and parking is easy and free. Give yourself plenty of time to see what interests you. The building itself is worth seeing, the restoration is magnificent.

We visited just to see the Art Deco building, but stayed a good two hours ( and could have easily stayed another two if we had planned our day better). The upstairs decor is amazing, including the original soda fountain. The downstairs exhibits are well done and full of interesting info about the area and about trains. We loved going through the train and hearing some fascinating bits from Bob, a docent. And we loved the photo archive and would spend time there if we lived in Omaha. Free parking and friendly staff.

Great museum in a the grand train station. Learned the history of the city in this surprisingly large museum. Worth the visit!

From an era where everyday things were works of art & built to last. Beautiful historic old train station. Magnificent architecture. I enjoy seeing & going through the old railroad cars. A blast from the past!

This Art Deco train museum is truly a gem! Our group loved it and you can explore at your pace and based on your interest! Our train loving family loved it! It’s beautiful and was a great way to explore during a hot summer day! Even just an hour and you can hit the highlights or stay longer and see it all!

I took an adventure to the Durham Museum. Housed inside the beautiful Omaha Union Station, we had a chance to enhance our Christmas fix once we laid eyes on the beautiful, 40-foot decorated Christmas tree in the main hall of the building. It was dedicated by Steve Croy in memory of his father who planted it in 1985.
I was swept away by the beauty of the train station and its décor. After snapping a few pictures, I made my way to the lower level. White Christmas-The Exhibition, was a treat for the eyes.
My journey began at the display that featured the coat, whistle and viewfinder used by Robert Alton, who was the choreographer and dance director for the movie. Edith Head, designed the clothing. The famous “blue dresses” seen in the musical number, Sisters, is displayed along with one of the blue ostrich fans that Danny Kaye used with Bing Crosby in their mock up of the above song later in the film.
Costumes used during the dance scene, Mandy, are still just as stunning as they appeared in the movie. Later, at the display of the cast party, the dress worn by actress, Mary Wickes, who played the housekeeper at the almost defunct inn, was a St. Louis, Missouri native. She had a long-acting career and died in 1995 after her vocal work on the Disney film, Hunchback of Notre Dame.
While viewing the clothing worn by both the women and men from various scenes that I could quote from the movie, it felt as though I were on the actual set. At the end of the exhibit, the original red dresses worn during the final musical number in the film, were never located by Paramount. The ones that were displayed during in the exhibit were replicas.
Anyone in the Omaha, NE area, that loves the movie White Christmas as much as we do, should take a moment out of your busy, crazy, whirlwind day, and get lost in this exhibition that will make you smile.

If you like trains, you will love this. Or if you like museums, you may well like it too. Many interesting exhibits, with many of them, but not all, centering on transportation.

We love walking around the Durham! Our kids like the trains and I enjoy learning more about Omaha’s history! Plus all the rotating exhibits throughout the year let you see and learn something new every time you go!

We had a banquet here beautiful building also there was a live orchestra good acoustics we toured the trains downstairs just overall a great experience

Interesting and even captivating museum, creative exhibits, and a genuine sense of what it was like in the days everyone traveling looked to the railroads.

Plenty of parking on the deck connected.

This is not the Louvre or NY Met but if you have a couple of hours to kill in Omaha (and I did) for $12 you can not go wrong. They were running an art and a WWI exhibit in addition to the history of Omaha and trains. Super friendly staff - walking distance from Old Market.

It was a rainy day so I decided to stop here on a whim and I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed walking around and the architecture is amazing. The displays are very informative and kept my attention. They also have real train cars that are a lot of fun for families. Really good way to spend an afternoon with the family especially if it's cold or rainy outside.

I was walking around and found interested the way the museum it's about. Is very interesting to learn story and walk around the museum.

I was alone visiting the museum and you can appreciate the art and the architecture more closely.

I would probably visit the next time but with company.

I rated as average since for me it was not like having a whole new experience in museums.

Growing up in Omaha, I have memories of Union Station, especially at Christmas. Now they have turned it into a museum about Omaha and the railroads. Don't miss it.

If you like U.S. history or trains, this is a must. Now a beautifully restored museum, this grand light-filled building was once Omaha's magnificient Union Train Station where a million plus passengers a year once passed through. In its heyday it was one of the nation's busiest and most important train stations. Today's it's a reminder of what put Omaha on the map. The museum is very well conceived. Life sized sculptures - peddlers with luggage heavy with samples, ticket sellers, children playing, travelers sitting and reading newspapers... - are well-placed in the grand waiting area to take you back to the 1920s and imagine the busy-ness of the station. Downstairs you can walk through entire train cars fully refurbished with sleeping rooms, bathrooms, common sitting areas. In these cars you'll find well-informed and interesting guides to sit with and ask questions about trains and railroads. And you'll find shops down there fully stocked with items available to train travelers then. Large maps, photos, and wall plaques tell railroad history. It was here at this station that one of the very first escalators in the nation was installed, as well as conveyor belts for loading luggage. Give yourself 1 to 2 hours. There's a gift shop, though its items lean towards children. And, yes, this is a fantastic place to bring children! Has elevator, food concession, and ample free parking directly in front of the building.

We totally enjoyed all of the exhibits and how they were presented. In the main hallway, there's couple sitting on the bench that you can hear "speaking" as well as a couple of wartime soldiers, someone ordering a train ticket, etc. There's just so much to see that we actually ran out of time to see it all. Definitely worth visiting when you're in Omaha.

This place is mind blowing. So beautifully designed. So well maintained.

When I checked out places on Trip Advisor, it showed this as a place to visit and suggested buying tickets in advance. I tried buying and Trip Advisor indicated a sold out situation. I called the museum and was told no problem. Building was almost empty.

Nice free parking at museum.

We love museums and this one is housed in a beautiful train station. For history buffs or architecture lovers alike.

When train travel was the rage-there really was no finer place than the Durham to meet a train. Decorated in an art deco style from long ago and refurbished to its slender, this is the perfect place to visit while in Omaha on a cold, hot or rainy day. The train museum is interesting and the museum does a wonderful job of rotating exhibits to keep people coming back. This time of year, the Christmas decorations are beautiful. Visit the ice cream parlor/ soda fountain for a trip back in time. You won't be sorry!

I loved my time spent here, I probably spent too long talking to some of the local volunteer guides. I also had a wonderful milkshake at the original ice cream parlour there. It is also situated in a very beautiful building, the old train station. I also enjoyed wandering around the museum collection, the old train cars, collections and much more.

Great time good experience. The exhibits are good the history is very informative. Loved the trains. Absolutely loved the RR station do not miss the talking statues.(4 of them). We also got a tour by a volunteer. She was great. Time spent 2.75 hours. Free parking.

Good museum to spend a few hours in. A lot of information on the history of Omaha. Several train cars showing travel of the time. Some items to keep the kids entertained such as a lego area and wall.

Enjoyed the several displays , artifacts and beautiful architecture of this museum. Coins to trains.

The Durham is a beautiful place full of history and fun. Their traveling exhibits that rotate draw people in, but don't forget about the permanent exhibits. Want to learn some very interesting coin history? Just ask! I'm fascinated by things I had no knowledge of before. My son attended summer camps here a few times and loved it. They have terrific event venues, host holiday family events, and go out of their way to anchor this section of Omaha.

Very interesting and Beautiful train station. So gleaming and bright.Had never been a Big station before, so enjoyed it.

I took my 10 yr old son and 8 yr old daughter. We had a great time exploring some history. The lady at the snack shop even gave my kids a complimentary soda off of the old sods jerks. Really cool!

Lots of what was promised was not exactly what was built up to be. First off the union station was just a sight for the eyes, so beautiful. Second, it’s absolutely freezing in there. Seriously pack a sweater. The train car was absolutely beautiful and so amazingly preserved. However, the “store fronts” are yet to be seen. I saw like some faux fronts in a hallway and went thru one grocery store. Otherwise, you need to have a strong desire to learn about Omaha. I think the price is unjustified. I thought we would spend the day and really, we spent maybe 3 hours. The Lego exhibit was cool but basically a large room for kids to build. Otherwise, the lunchboxes were the highlight for me. I’d wish we had done the Luminarium now.

We we're looking for something fun to do on a Sunday afternoon while I was visiting my daughter and 13 year old grandson. The Durham Museum at the old Union Station in Omaha was a perfect choice. Art Deco archetecture and lots of history of Omaha. Great learning experience. The also had a WWI exhibit. Loved it. There were several families with young children they were having a great time too. There are several train cars to walk through.

If you love history, this is the place! It is just amazing.

The second I walked in my jaw hit the floor. It is so beautiful. It really was unexpected. I've been to many museums which are a let down, but this one was not!

Just to see the train and the station was enough.

I would definitely recommend this for children. I think they would find it very fascinating because of the actual trains!

It is a true gem to be kept in such great condition almost 100 years later.

We really didn’t expect much, but thought let’s see it. The reviews were good, I read to expect to stay 1-2 hours there. We stayed about 4 hours. The museum is deceiving large. The displays and info were very well done. After doing the whole museum we had old fashioned floats and malts!! This is a must for everyone.

The Durham is a beautiful art deco former railroad station that had been restored. They have several special exhibits throughout the year. The current 1 is a Jim Henson exhibt. In addition, is a accurate overview of the city. We take our out of town guests to see Omaha history. They always enjoy. We are members and get our money's worth. Day tickets are still a good value for your money. The main area has several life size statues depicting passengers waiting to take a train. They decorate seasonal whuch us fun.The original soda fountain is delish! COVID safe masks, plastic shields etc.
Enjoy

I am older and overweight but was super excited to visit and walked all the way to the back to see all the blooms thinking I could pay for and take the tram back. Wrong! You have to buy it in the beginning although they have a building and office in the back of the garden. I walked back no real issues with several stops, just have one bad ankle and know my limits. I feel certain they would make a ton of additional money by allowing for Tran tickets to be purchased at the back stop. Had also hoped to get back and have lunch at the cafe before it closed and didn’t .... another missed opportunity to take my money! The outside gardens weren’t really doing anything but the inside green house was lovely.

We took our 2 grandchildren and it was an awesome experience. Lots to to see from trains, old history and dinosaurs. Great learning experience for kids.

It was an expensive I received with my support work that I enjoyed to it's entirety.I was amazed by all that I seen and learned in this clean environment.Once I'm able to travel in the outside world I plan to have a day with a few of my grand children.

The Durham Museum was at one time Union Passenger Terminal, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It was the Union Pacific's first Art Deco railroad station, and its completion established Omaha as an important railroad terminus in the Midwest. Passenger service ceased in 1971, and Union Station was donated to the City of Omaha by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1973. That year the station quickly became the home of the Durham Museum. The Union Pacific Museum and Archives were also located there. The museum offers a broad-range of traveling exhibits covering subjects ranging from history and culture, to science, industry and more through its affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution and strong ties with the Library of Congress, National Archives and the Field Museum. Regularly hanging exhibits offer subjects for all ages. The annual Christmas tree lighting draws hundreds of people into the museum, and its ethnic tree display is outstanding. The museum also houses many aspects of the history of Omaha - displays, photos, coin collections, etc. I would highly recommend a visit to this attraction when in Omaha!

A pleasant surprise - a great facility. Impressive this was built in 1930 as the Union Station for the railroads. Great Art Deco architecture that has been restored and seems like a big step back in time. 10,000 passengers a day used to flow through this station. Small cafe in the main hall that serves a tasty lunch in the original lunch counter. The basement area has a nice display of Omaha history over the years. Currently there is a special exhibit of James Cameron's "Into the Deep" which was a big surprise. Four videos, each about 12 minutes, very informative and interesting. Free parking in the lot. We have a tall RV that would not fit in the lot, no problem, free parking on the street in front.

We visited the museum over labor Day weekend with our son and grandson. A great place for kids especially the trains and the trolley hands on! We enjoyed the special exhibits on WWI and the photographs of Tom Mangelson.

Educational, entertaining, well maintained and enjoyable for all ages. My little granddaughter loves this place. A must visit while in Omaha. You’ll be impressed. I am every time we go. New exhibits every time. Christmas is special for all ages.

Beautiful lobby! This museum is a mish-mash of Omaha, train and other history and culture. While the soda counter is nostalgic, I’d skip the food and dine out nearby.

We stopped there on our visit to Omaha. The train exhibit is the best a I am an O gauge guy I was really excited to see their layout. What a great experience. You must stop there on any visit to Omaha.

Enjoyed seeing the old union station as well as the soda fountain stand. I learned a lot of new things about Omaha and enjoyed walking through the train. Great place for adults as well as children.

The Durham is a beautifully restored Union Pacific train station.
In addition,to permanent displays you can enjoy seasonal and traveling exhibts. Don't forget the soda shop!!
The guitar exhibt is fascinating, as well as beyond the vote.
A membership is worth the price with the many benefits.

Really enjoy spending time here a couple of times a year. They have enjoyable seasonal events. Kids always have a good time and progressively learn new things as they get older. Food is actually decent for a quicker lunch with family.

This museum is housed in a beautiful old train station. It has an extensive amount of exhibits on the history of Omaha. It was interesting.

no matter the season, take the little ones. the 3-8 year olds love the lower level trains and cars to go in, the villages,etc. during christmas its really special.

We love train stations, even the ones that don’t function as train stations any longer. This former train station is beautiful inside with sculptures of people waiting for trains,buying tickets, etc. On the street level you have the former waiting area, a working soda fountain and a gift shop. My husband had a chocolate egg cream soda, and I had a huckleberry shake. So good. The exhibits are downstairs and include an old dining car and a passenger car, an old grocery store, art and history exhibits and a special exhibit while we were there about politics. I could have spent hours there. Loved it. Great for kids, too.

A gem in downtown Omaha! History comes alive at this Museum, once busy train station where the east met west. I actually left that station as a small child and remember the bustle, the sounds of the announcements about trains coming and going. The Durham is an Omaha icon! The historical maze downstairs along with opportunity to walk through a real passenger car from days gone by was a plus.

We weren't sure exactly what to expect when we heard the words, "Train Museum", but the Durham Museum was that and a whole lot more. It was really the history of Omaha and the plains of Nebraska, and a step back in time. I loved the soda fountain, and actually sat on a stool and drank the first cherry phosphate I have had since I was in 7th or 8th grade, and that was MANY years ago. Definitely worth your time and money!!!

The Durham Museum is a wonderful repository of Nebraska history, particularly of the City of Omaha. It is also a great place for those interested in railroad history, mostly relating to the Union Pacific in it's early days. There are a couple of rail cars that you can walk through, as well. The museum building, itself, is a great example of the old, spacious train stations of years ago. Right now there is a special dinosaur exhibit which would especially appeal to children, but would be enjoyed by adults, too. Be sure to drop in and get yourself something at the old-fashioned soda fountain on the main floor. Would bring back lots of memories for many people.

This museum also is a great social and banquet venue. I wish I had more time to explore. The space is easy to navigate and a very popular spot for local school trips.
Nice staff. Knowledgeable event team. Cute gift shop and tables for a quick bite.

There is really a lot to see and even do at this museum. Don't forget to stop at the soda fountain at the far end and order a phosphate and/or a sundae. The prices are nice, and it goes to support the museum.

Amazing examples of Art Deco design! Kids liked the talking statues. The James Cameron exhibit was interactive and I loved seeing the different artifacts and sketches. We got a phosphate, 2 malts and an ice cream sundae with very reasonable prices and the perfect treat while we were there!

This museum is outstanding. We were there for several hours and could have stayed longer. It is beautiful, educational, and fascinating. Each exhibit was detail oriented. We stopped at the Soda Bar on the way out. They offer a variety of actual soda, milk shakes, and sundaes. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon while we were in town visiting relatives.

Not expecting much, we visited the museum on a hot day looking for a comfortable way to spend the day. Boy, were we surprised! This museum is well worth the time and money. The exhibits are spectacular, especially the Byron Reed collection of spectacular coins as far back as colonial times and books that go back as far as the 1300’s. Well one book is that old - but there are other old books as well.

The Durham Museum is the old Union train station for Omaha. Beautiful main floor, with a lot of history including a pivotal piece in transporting troops during WWII to the East Coast. The main floor has gift shop and an old soda fountain, and a few things to look at but you get threw the first floor pretty quickly. The lower floor contains some old trains that you are able to climb aboard and examine in addition to some exhibits which some are seasonal and some are permanent. It took us about 90 minutes to walk through everything--not completely reading everything, but taking note of the things that caught our eye. I thought the entry fee was a little high--$11 or $12 if I remember correctly, but a history buff may find it well worth it. The teens really enjoyed climbing on the trains.

What a delightful surprise. Found it fascinating how the building was built. The whole experience was delightful. We enjoyed eating at the soda shop.

We have visited the museum several times. They have special displays throughout the year. Beautiful at Christmas time with the tree inside. A good place to visit on a hot day or a cold, snowy day.

This had actual train cars you could go in, sit down, relive the past. Cars, wagon trains, history everywhere! The union station was beautiful with speaking statues to give the feel of how it once was. This is a definite TO DO if you're in Omaha!

I spent 2 hours here because there is so much to see. The Pullman train cars are so cool to walk through. The museum is housed in the old Union Station which is a beautiful building and was decorated for Christmas. And two of the other exhibits were definitely worth the time.

A great air conditioned spot to grab a quick drink and snack from the soda counter and admire the beautiful building built in the 1930s! We didn’t pay the admission to the exhibits but the lobby and quick run through the gift shop gave us all we needed to experience what an amazing building this is!

It was a great day to get out of the 100+ degree temp and see the exhibits here. The place is full of history not only about the Omaha area but also how this place was a hub for train travel. Friendly staff and well documented displays. Free wheelchairs and scooters. Small lunch counter with decent prices. Beautifully kept original train station lobby.

The impressive art deco main hall was a sight to behold, and I was most interested in the old rolling stock, photographic history, store replica of Warren Buffett's famous grandfather Earnest, and story of Indian tribes in the area. Learnt so much.
There's bound to be something every member of the family will like.
Well worth the $15 entry fee.

My granddaughter (8) and I stopped here on the day we were flying out of Omaha. She was delighted with the talking statutes, and the train cars. She loved the exhibits in the attached museum, even the buffalo.

The Pulitzer exhibit that they have there currently is worth the admission alone. This is a very powerful display of photographs that everyone should go see. The rest of the museum is very neat as well with many different train types and local history of the area.

Went in to gawk at the Art Deco interior with visitors and stayed for the museum. The mix of history and artifacts of a growing Omaha was superb. They loved the train cars. The bonus of the Mangelsen Photo Exhibit was a treat. Don't miss this.

You have to go to the Durham Museum because it is a gorgeous and grand 1931 Art Deco railroad station with awesome historical exhibits. All the stonework and neon are so beautiful. For a laugh and low budget lunch, have a bite at the old fashioned luncheonette, which is festooned with sineage from the Depression Era and staffed with high school kids as servers. I had a meatball grinder and apple sauce in a plastic single serve cup. My wife had the chicken salad meal with chips. Soft drinks were included. The bill with tax before tip was $16.06. Good to lower your overall vacation food budget and a feast for the eyes. Like the food, the service was acceptable -- and polite.

I am so happy that this building has been so well preserved to take visitors back to the era of train travel. We went to the Durham to see a special exhibit on race and one on rock and roll, thinking that we would be in and out in a couple of hours. Wrong. The exhibits we went there to see were excellent but the rest of the museum was the wonderful surprise. There was an outstanding range of information about the history and development of the Omaha area. We ended up coming back the next day to finish browsing through exhibits. Displays were plentiful and written in such a way as to be of interest to the average visitor. The building, in its Art Deco style, is breathtaking; the passenger train exhibit gives a great impression of the bygone days of train travel.

Hadn’t been here in awhile. This museum was great for providing history of Omaha. Interesting to see how Omaha has changed over the years. Informative exhibits (both temporary and permanent). We enjoyed stopping at the soda fountain before leaving. Root beer floats and malts were delicious.

We loved this museum! The lobby is well preserved and beautiful. Downstairs there is a museum that brings Omaha railroad and other history to life. It was easy to imagine a WWII soldier passing through this station. Displays are interesting and informative. The admission fee is reasonable and well worth it. We learned about it on Trip Advisor, and we certainly were not disappointed.

The museum was well laid out, full of authentic pieces, and housed in beautiful Union Station Omaha. Great exhibits and access to a fully functioning authentic soda fountain. Definitely worth the stop!

This museum is in the old Union Train Station, which itself is an architectural gem of a building, with classic art deco designs from the 1890s. In addition to the building, though, they have lot of galleries with photos and descriptions of what life was like during the age of train travel. It's very eductational, even if you are not a train buff. Downstairs, they have a good selection of old rail cars on the tracks that you can walk through. Plus some activities for the kiddos. In addition to the bits about train travel, they have a history of Omaha from native settlement to the present. It's got a lot of galleries, so plan at least an hour to wander among them and appreciate all the different exhibits. It's a pretty large overall exhibition area, and you'll do a lot of walking. (They have a lot of benches and elevators so it's accessible.)

One other neat thing is that the old station soda fountain is still working. It was fun to grab a classic root beer float and hot dog there! I thought this was the best part of my visit to Omaha. It's a must-see.

The entrance of the museum used to be the entrance of central station in Omaha and is a beautiful piece of art-deco work!! The museum is simple but nice and gives an overview of the history of Omaha and Nebraska. Though not as good as the one in Iowa. Still enjoyable though

My family and I absolutely love the Durham Museum. It's a great mix of history and learning. My kids love the traveling exhibits that come in and we love all of the tours that are hosted throughout the year. My kids also love touring the passenger train and watching the small model trains move.

I love the Durham! Always changing venues with interesting displays of historical information. A must stop when in Omaha!

I got there at 2:30 on a Sunday and only had an hour and a half to get through. I wish I would’ve allowed more time because it was spectacular. You get to actually walk through all the re-created sets and feel like you get to live a part of history. I think it’s as much for adults as for kids! Definitely don’t miss walking through the train.

Went to the museum for a wedding. What a beautiful venue. We have visited there several times with grandchildren. They always want to go back. Don’t miss this GEM in Omaha. Very educational and just a fun place to go.

May 3, 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.

The focal point of the Durham Museum, formerly known as the Durham Western Heritage Museum, is the Main Waiting Room, currently the Suzanne and Walter Scott Great Hall, which is 160 feet by 72 feet and spanned by a 60-foot-high ceiling of sculptured plaster with painted gold and silver leaf trim, 10 Cathedral-like plate glass windows, patterned terrazzo floor, columns of blue Belgian marble and a wainscotting of black Belgian marble. If that isn't enough, the Great Hall is lighted by six immense chandeliers, each 13 feet tall and five feet in diameter, and suspended 20 feet from the ceiling. Located at 801 South 10th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, the museum is dedicated to preserving and displaying the history of the United States' western region. It is housed in Omaha's former Union Station, an art deco building that was constructed in 1931 and once was one of the busiest train stations in the United States. At its peak, 64 passenger trails and 10,000 passengers utilized the facility. The last passenger trail departed in 1971. The museum opened in 1975, then underwent a $22 million renovation in 1995 and 1996 that was largely funded by Charles and Margre Durham. Today, the museum is open from 10 to 4 Tuesday through Sunday. Current exhibits include Dressing the Abbey, a costume exhibition highlighting fashion fro the epic TV drama Downton Abbey; Theater Row, highlighting stage and screen in early 20th century Omaha; On the Homefront: Nebraska and World War II; Bekins Moving and Storage: Telling the story of one of Omaha's great companies, featuring a restored 1922 Mack flatbed truck; 1890 Union Pacific locomotive; 1924 Pullman Observation Car; 1949 Southern Pacific Lounge Car; 1956 Union Pacific Pullman Sleeper Car; Buffett Grocery Store, a replica of the original Buffett Grocery Store that opened in 1915 in Omaha's Dundee neighborhood; and a Benson Street Car, which took passengers through the neighborhoods of Omaha in the 1940s. Finally, take time to visit the Byron Reed Gallery to see the vast collection of coins, documents, books, maps and other items of great historical importance that the famous Omaha real estate agent put together in the late 19th century. See the 1804 dollar, Colonial coins, coins from Imperial Rome, Ancient Greece and Egypt, Confederate currency and letters written by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Clay, U.S. Grant, even Frederick The Great and Robespierre. In 2016, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark.

When we have out of town guests the Durham is a must see for local history.
Our family enjoyed several hours of the beauty of the art deco main floor, as well as early Omaha local cultural and history
You can walk through a train, sit on a street car, stroll through local history.
We all enjoyed.
My suggestion is that military should get an admission discount, due to the history of the former train station with the military. Not just on membership. Not just a thank you to our out of town son for his service! A membership would not be beneficial due to being stationed out of the area.

While not the most *exciting* stop in Omaha, the museum is worth the trip, if only to take a momentary step back in time.
The echoed halls of the train station are your first stop, and the retro appeal extends to the ticket-booth turned gift shop and vintage soda fountain. There was plenty to see and a very friendly staff that answered ant questions we had and made some helpful suggestions.
The teenagers were less impressed, but we caught them having fun a few times and even learning a little bit.

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.

The Durham Museum takes you to a time your parents or grandparents might have traveled through. So authentic. You fell as though you are living that era. I could close my eyes and picture the long dresses, the trunks, the top hats etc. Loved it.

Superb museum in many ways. The displays are great, and the building itself is the Omaha Union train station that went out of use and was adopted right away into a museum, so it did not slide into neglect and vandalism like so many others. You'll learn a bit about the city, Lewis and Clark, and many other subjects. The rail cars are carefully cleaned and restored, and an otherwise good mix of the hands-on and don't touch. Gift shop is really good. If you're going for the train connection, the area has two other train museums, sort of where Sheldon will go if they're a heaven.

There is a TON of cool stuff to see that will keep you busy all day! So much cool Omaha history in one place and a number of interactive activities.

This is a wonderful museum inside the Union Station. The main floor has beautiful architecture, the history of passenger travel, a gift shop and more. The lower level has so much more to see including old railroad cars that we could walk through. Some of the areas tell the history of Omaha from covered wagons to the 20th century. Some displays are interactive while others include a mockup of a family home and a photo archive. We spent over 3 hours and still could go back to see more.

First impression, it’s beautifully crafted. It has a small museum shop which unfortunately doesn’t have much but its ok. The train station is quite big and has a lot of unique historical items. It was very nice and I would recommend it. Also now in the month of December they have a huge Christmas tree! It was gorgeous!!!!

Great for the whole family very educational yet fun -
You could easily spend a whole winter day there !

We took our grandchildren here over the holidays. Everyone had a great time. There was something for everyone, ages 2 yrs to 50+.

Went to the museum and saw the new dinasour display. Great!!There is so much to see here. The trains are great.The displays are great. This is so informative . The museum is huge and clean and staff is friendly.Great place for all ages to visit

A beautiful vintage train station, with good historical exhibits on Omaha, as well as a temporary Nelson Mandela exhibit.

Outstanding museum in the old train station, beautifully restored.
Impressive collection of Omaha and western history and art.

The Durham Museum, located nearby to downtown Omaha's Old Market area, is without question, a excellent facility...of such high quality that it is within the Smithsonian heirarchy. Yes, it is that good.

An incredible display of history, and array of historical items...the mind is almost overwhelmed. And quite usually, the museum will also be hosting a rotating exhibit of high renown as well.

Take a visit...at least 1 to 2 hours to get you started. And if you get a bit parched and have tinges of hunger...there is an old fashioned diner/soda fountain on the premises !!!

Enjoy !!!

I loved the architecture and design of the museum main entrance. The original structure is all intact and they have wonderful bronze status scattered around the building.

Nice train carriages in the main display area, some of which you can go in to.

Nice exhibition space, slightly stereotypical and unrepresentative of the diverse cultures that have contributed to building the area, but interesting.

Note: So I rode down and ended up wandering around the outside of the building trying to find a way in. If your riding or walking make sure you go via the main road or look for staircases that take you up to the main entrance.

Love making a trip to the Durham Museum. It is such a step back in time to when it was a grand train station in Omaha. All the interactive live-size statues of what it was like to travel by train back in the day. On the other floors are awesomely cool displays that are always fun to revisit and explore. Then there are the traveling, special displays that are nothing short of amazing to see - we never tire of all there is to see here. The architecture is just as phenomenal as the displays - don't miss it!

So glad the Museum was open on Monday (website said it was closed Mondays). This beautiful Union Station, restored to its elegance, has so much history displayed inside, from a soda fountain, train cars, vintage cars/trucks, streetcar, huge model train layout of a community, old coins/tokens and especially enjoyed the Fighting For The Right To Fight Exhibit, African American Experiences in WWII, includes audio accounts of some of these hero veterans. Spent nearly 3 hours here and cold have spent more time. Well worth the visit and so glad this was part of our itinerary. If ever in the vicinity again will definitely visit again.

The museum is located inside the Omaha Union Station (OUS). There is plenty of free parking. The entry is on level 3 from the parking lot of the OUS. On this level you can find a gift shop and dining opportunities as well as pay for admission to the museum.The main exhibits are on level 1 and give a thorough history of Omaha. There is a significant emphasis on rail transportation. It is quite a good place to spend a few hours to learn about Omaha.

We had a private party here, great place. Love that they've kept much of the original style. It's open and huge, original benches, ticket windows etc... Loved the old train cars, very neat to see. Fun place to have a party as you get to see the museum (or most of it) too!

I love this place it’s Art Deco design the great exhibits they have that change often Christmas time is a wonderland of beauty this is another don’t miss in Omaha once you go you will want to go back is such a great place

The exhibits about history are most interesting if you are an Omaha resident, but some of them are of general interest. If you are a fan of Art Deco design, the highlight is the building itself. The exterior is nice, but the interior is fantastic.

The museum always looks wonderful at Christmas. It’s a great place for family photos. Santa Claus is a great attraction for children.

Up stairs is the old train station. There are statues of people from days gone by. When you walk up to one, it starts to talk. That is kind of fun. They also have an old fashioned soda fountain up stairs. Down stairs there are entire trains that you can get one and look around and there are recreations of shop and homes too. It is a fun place to bring the family. Free parking and no entry fee.

Very enjoyable evening, not crowded, discounted price after 5. Great displays if you’re interested in Omaha history, traveling exhibits also usually interactive and fun. The beautiful historic building is kept in conditions you would have seen when the trains were the way to travel.

Wonderful museum, a lot to see! Everything from old train cars to war clubs. The exhibitions are very pedagogicly arranged as well. Not to mention the building itself which is impressive.

This is always a great visit and Christmas is extra special. The tree is wonderful. The volunteers are amazing. The soda shop is very nice too. Take the family to see the trains and the history.

We had a great time at this museum! We got there only 45 minutes before close, but still had enough time to whip through the museum. Our favorite parts were walking through the old train car and having ice creams and sodas at their old soda shop (super reasonably priced).

Give yourself plenty of time to go through the museum. It will take several hours. If you have children ages 2 to 8, plan on spending time in the train area downstairs. Children just love the trains, and they can even go inside the trains, and walk all around them. They will even learn about how trains work.
Adults will enjoy the other exhibits. The regular exhibits throughout the museum are nothing less than fabulous. Learn about soldiers returning from the war as they traveled to this train station. Take note of the life size sculptures in the main area. Explore the special exhibits that the museum brings in for set-up on the lower level.
If it is Holiday time, be ready to be WOWED by the incredible Christmas tree at the Durham. It is always spectacular! The real tree is donated by someone in the Omaha area who has a giant tree on their property that they would like to offer to the Durham Museum for the Christmas tree. The Museum retrieves the tree, sets it up in the main room, and then volunteers spend hours upon hours decorating the tree to its perfection. It's quite the sight. There are often times when holiday caroling groups will perform at the museum, and this only adds to the festive feeling.
The Durham Museum is an Omaha treasure, and how fortunate we all are that we can visit this historical building that has been beautifully preserved and learn something new each visit!

Love the Durham family enjoys each visit. Love the exhibits. Staff is always friendly, and available for questions.

Was slightly disappointed with the museum. The museum was beautiful in the architect point of view, but the displays could be more fun. They need to organize the displays in a circle so you can get the start to finish of history.

It was scorching in Omaha and I was looking for something fun to do-indoors. The museum came up in my search and I was not disappointed! Being from the East Coast I did not know as much as I should on mid-west history and this was a great way to learn a few new things and have some fun too. The train cars are a must see- it is nice to be able to walk inside and go into rooms as if you were travelling by rail! Also a root beer float from the soda fountain is a must at the end of your journey. Thank you for a fun afternoon- in the AC!

Love this museum. It is definitely worth the money. And the soda shop is great. Me and my husband each had a root beer float there and it amazing.

The art Deco Railroad Sation is not to be missed. The regional design forms of Corn and Cattle are exceptional

This was my 2nd time to attend this event. It is awesome getting to see all of the different cultures together in one place. And I love the entertainment from different ethnic groups also. I will go back hopefully next year!

We happened to visit the Durham when they were running a $5 admission special for a weekday evening. Being a former railroad station, the main area was massive, beautiful, and very Art Deco. It also included a little diner/cafe that was closed/closing for the night while we were there. The lower level includes decommissioned train cars you can tour, as well as plenty of historical displays, exhibits, and even a small theater that screened short documentaries.
We also happened to visit a temporary exhibit that enabled patrons to “role-play” as early settlers and attempt to survive by completing tasks as they negotiated a maze representing the first year of the settlement, which the kids/teens with us found the most entertaining part. One of the teens with us kept “dying” and would go through again, determined to “survive.” In all, it was an enjoyable stop on our vacation, especially for the price.

Very neat place. I was here as part of a converence. I will be back to spend more time looking around. Food, drinks and exhibits were great.

I loved the art deco building, history of train travel and beautifully restored. It even has a functioning soda fountain.

To go into the Dunham is stepping back in time. Lives it. If you are a lover of classic movies 30 / 40 / early 50 you will enjoy going to the Dunham. Imagine sitting waiting for your train to take you to a trip across the county. Waiting for your soldier to come home from duty. Just people watching. Yes. It is an imagination stirrer! To boot if you like trains take a trip to the lower level and enjoy another trip in the past.
Varying exhibit also are displayed which add to the curiosity vibe

Love it!

This museum is great. The preservation of the art deco station is amazing. The exhibits telling the story of Nebraska are great. The train cars that are on display are very nice and it is nice to be able go into them and not just look at them over a rope. The original operational soda fountain is very unique and quite good.

On a roadtrip across the US, we've visited many museums and this rates as one of the best. Your first experience even before you buy a ticket is the awesome & cavernous railway waiting room with perfectly restored art deco fittings - just beautiful to behold. This visual experience can then be amplified by a sweet, soda or snack purchased in the soda shop with its original 1950s fittings (where you can purchase some now politically incorrect candy cigarettes!)
On the 2 floors beneath the waiting room are a range of exhibits relating to the local history of Omaha. All are very well explained by placards. Train buffs are well catered for with a large O guage model railway & several Union Pacific 1950s streamliner cars. These are, relative to others we've seen, particularly well preserved and unlike other museums with similar exhibits, you are allowed to walk through them & sit in the seats. In particular, some of the seats have been converted into their sleeping configuration to give a very good idea of both how the conversion (cleverly) worked & how comfortable it may or may not have been.
The non-rail exhibits are well done also.
In summary, we thoroughly recommend this museum to anyone who is either a train enthusiest or wanting to learn about local history. The museum has its own free carpark, for autos only.
No museum is perfect and the shortcoming of this museum is that the exhibits are not in any sort of historical order. You can reference however a wall-to-wall timeline of Omaha history, but it is impossible to remember it when observing exhibits elsewhere, so you are left confused at times about the order of events.

We like old train stations in major cities and have visited stations in NYC, LA, St. Louis, and many more. They are all similar yet different. This one is oustanding. The most unusual thing is that it is incorporated with a small museum. This results in a small admission fee, (We went on $5.00 Tues after 5). The station is nicely restored and features some informative plaques and a few bronze statues of passengers, customers etc. We spent some time in the station and were prepared to leave when we decided to peak into the permanent museum (not the dinosaur show or whatever may be rotating). Pleasant surprise. Small managable museum that had a couple of old trains (not just the locomotive) that you could walk through, a few unusual old vehicles and quite a few displays of western history, mainly 1800s-1940. Great way to spend a couple of hours.

The trolley tours are informative, educational, and fun. ALL of them are great with volunteers who are very knowledgeable. The museum itself is well maintained, excellent exhibits and many traveling exhibits that are well worth your time.

This is an essential visit in Omaha. I have visited many times over the years when visiting Omaha and it is a wonderful time. An awesome venue with nice exhibitions. I would wish the main exhibition would be refreshed. It’s been the same for many years. While the special exhibitions do add to the “replay” value of the Durham, I do find the main part a little aged.

Even with all the people it was a great visit trains and dinosaurs. What a great day with our granddaughter.

This place is right as you head downtown, but thankfully they have a separate free parking lot and there is plenty of space. The ticket agent was very friendly and we got there about an hour before they closed. We hit the highlights, but if you really want to go through everything you’ll need 90 minutes to two hours.

The lower level where all of the exhibits are, and it includes two full size trains and you can go through one of them and it’s really impressive. There is a streetcar you can go into as well. There are a few exhibits of the history of Omaha, and since we are visiting for the first time it was all new to us. There is also a traveling exhibit on various non-train topics, but we skipped it since we didn’t have time.

On the top level is an old fashioned soda fountain. While it took some time to get the order, we got some sundaes and shakes and it was delicious. There is also a store but by the time we were done with our treats, it was closed.

Overall a good time and would go back!

Outstanding faculty - guided tour if trains was awesome - Pulitzer Prize photos was well done but grim.

The Durham museum is easy to access and very well displayed. The history of the area is rich and varied. Full train cars to climb aboard!

Even without all the adventures that await at this experience, the incredible art-deco interior of the lobby is stunning! They just replaced the lighting with LED's so it looks even more fantastic.
During Covid, you must order timed tickets, but get there when they open as there's too much to see in a day. The statues in the lobby talk, there's a movie to see and be sure to share an old-fashioned ice cream soda with your sweetheart in the soda fountain and candy shop.
We had a blast chatting with the friendly, knowledgeable docents. There's always something new to see, even their website can't list everything there is to enjoy at this treasure of Omaha.

Both of the current exhibits, WW I and Thomas Mangelsen' photographs were amazing.
The building exterior and 1st floor entry and interior are visually exquisite. Do not stop on the first floor. Take the stairs or elevator down to the see more exhibits.

The museum is in a beautiful building. Very well maintained. There are nice old trains to see and walk through. Most of the exhibits mean more to the people who live in the area than the visitor. A lot about their history. But it was nice to see it. There were more things to read than to actually see. We didn’t care much for the T-Rex exhibit. It was lacking in much.

Super cool museum. I learned so much about early settlers of Omaha to present day. Beautifully designed in art deco style former train station. We really enjoyed the layout and learnings!

The building is beautiful and has so much potential. Sadly, the exhibits were disappointing. Went for the James Cameron special exhibit which didn't have much. The regular exhibits were ok but not that interesting. My favorite things were the building and soda fountain.

Omaha’s old Union Station is preserved wonderfully and is very festive for the holidays. Biggest public Christmas tree in town, at 40’ and there are several small trees decorated by various ethnic groups. It’s easy to imagine yourself having just arrived and disembarked from a train in the 40s. The several statues are so realistic you can think they’re real people and they make for fun photos. Beautiful architecture. Walking through the full-size trains on the lower level is a walk through history. The small gift shop in the old ticketing area has many train-related books and train memorabilia.

Visited in early July right before Railroad Days on a Tuesday evening when it's open in the evening. Since I didn't have the family, this was a great time to go out there. If you're staying in Old Market, you can walk there, but parking is free. The main hall reminded me of Grand Central Terminal when I was growing up. I enjoyed the models downstairs, where you can go in, and the model storefronts. I did check out the T-Rex exhibit and thought that would be great for my kids. For just myself, I was able to get through everything in about an hour and a half.

Spent an air-conditioned afternoon on my first visit to Omaha experiencing exhibits, film, artifacts, trains and a buffalo,; also enjoyed the visiting Australian Museum TYRANNASAURUS REX wxhibit

A wonderful building beautifully preserved. A true gem for the Omaha area. The picture might be a little deceiving. There is a downstairs area where the actual train station was with awesome train cars that you can walk through. Well worth the trip if you're in the Omaha area, especially if you enjoy trains.

We visited the Durham Museum on free root beer float day! Yummy. The station is set up just like it was when it was at its peak operating time - World War II. There is a soda fountain where you can get delicious fountain treats. The railroad cars are in the downstairs section along with a great display on railroad history and the city of Omaha. We spent several hours just going through and reading about the founders of the city, the railroad and interesting facts about the time period.
The rotating exhibit right now is dinosaurs and features a number of hands on activities for children.

A co-worker mentioned this to me and it was a perfect way to kill a couple of hours before my flight home. The lobby in the front is really interesting and in great shape. The rest of the museum gave a great overview of Omaha's history.

Must visit when in Omaha! This museum is housed in Omaha’s former Union Station, an architectural gem. There is something for everyone with historical exhibits, kid friendly exhibits and the building itself. Museum entrance is the top level where you experience Union Station beautifully restored, the gift shop and museum cafe. Recommend walking around this level to appreciate beautiful architecture.

Then descend to the main museum level, a larger space with a later extension that houses historic passenger train carriages arranged in chronological order so you will experience Victorian-esque decor, art deco then a sleeper cabin. These have been beautifully restored and a friendly volunteer was onboard during our visit to share stories of the carriages. Volunteer did a great job with historical stories for the adults and piqued interest of the kids. There are historical exhibit so you can learn something about Omaha.

The museum has temporary exhibits as well and Jane Goodall was featured in Aug’24.

I have been to this museum many times and have always loved the exhibits. They have a dinosaur exhibit at this time and I believe you will really enjoy it. There are many things to see in this museum and it was also a train depot many years ago. You can also walk through a couple of train cars.
I hope you decide to go and have a great time.

This is an amazingly beautiful building with some neat things to see. Walking through the train is fun as you try to imagine traveling that way. We also enjoyed walking through the "town" and seeing all the neat things from the past. Ending the visit with an ice cream sundae is a must.

A rainy day in Omaha, and we wanted to do something inside. Several local people had highly recommended this museum for its elements of transportation. I liked that concept. But it turns out this museum is so much more. Yes, it is very cool to see the steam engine, caboose, and passenger cars. But there is a lot of local Omaha history in there as well, which is very interesting as well.

The main portion of the station is very impressive. Built during the golden age of railroad travel, the opulence is understated but beautiful. The soda fountain is a highlight. My wife and I both had a phosphate, which brought me back to sodas I used to have as a kid.

We spent several hours in this museum. Still raining when we left, so a good way to avoid it.

My family visited this museum on our way through Omaha. what a great space! The waiting room along is worth just stopping in to see to experience the grand space that people travelled through. The museum on the lower level is very well done with a huge number of exhibits including cars, trains, stage coaches, home interiors, etc. Really well done and worth the visit. It also has a great retro soda shop in the lobby. Parking was easy and the facility was clean and easy to navigate.

We enjoy bringing our kiddos here, or experiencing the museum as adults. It is a great step back into history and fun for the whole family.

My wife gave me a behind the closed doors tour for my birthday and I really enjoyed the time the curators gave and the knowledge they shared with us. We learned so much more about Omaha and we are both history buffs anyway..
Excellent facility!

We have loved being members for many years but will be dropping our membership. The temporary exhibits lately have had a strong politically left slant. The museum is gorgeous and does such a fine job of telling Omaha's history. Why does everyone feel compelled to make a political statement these days? Can't we just enjoy a day at the museum without being plunged into political controversy?

Beautiful renovation and use of the former Union Station in downtown Omaha.
A combination of displays, mini-historical groupings, a working soda fountain for light dining, and some vintage real railroad cars to explore.
There is also a working model railroad that should be experienced by kids of all ages.
Changing special exhibits add to the variety, and you might want to pose with one of the detailed (sculpted) passengers scattered throughout the space.

If you have older children (4th grade and up), this is a great stop. We have kids ages 10, 7, and 5. The younger two kids were honestly just bored. Yes, there is a big train to walk through, but beyond that, it wasn't really that great for younger kiddos. There are lots of displays to walk through and learn about NE history. These were interesting to the parents and my older kiddo. The Jamestown visiting experience was the only thing the entire group actively enjoyed. In all, it was a great stop during a rainy day on our trip, but I wouldn't go back with young kids.

Be certain to visit the old train station to enjoy the station, learn state and city history, and explore train transportation. It's open until 8 on Tuesday nights and after 5:00, admission is only 5 dollars. The train station has a small snack stand complete with an old fashioned soda stand. A delightful short or long visit, depending on your schedule and wishes! ENJOY!!

We loved this museum, an incredible value with so many interesting exhibits. The model train and exploring the trains and streetcars were a couple of our favorites. The Omaha at Work and Trans-Mississippi galleries were both very interesting in highlighting the role Omaha played in the westward expansion during the 1800's. Lastly, have TOYTOPIA as a temporary exhibit is a blast for young and old alike. At only $15 ($12 for seniors), this makes for an outstanding value.

This is one of those typical, generic, stuffy museums with dark spaces and stale air that has so called art from before nineteenth century. It is suffocating. There was a modern art gallery and that was a breath of fresh air. The museum is free so it did not hurt too much.

A very interesting museum! Lots of Omaha history. I especially liked the Native American exhibits and railroad cars. The coin and token exhibit was phenomenal! Also tried a malted milk shake at the retro soda fountain counter.

This is a great museum that has train exhibits and several rooms of history of the Omaha and Nebraska area. They also have a diner that has hot dogs and ice cream selections with great atmosphere from back in the era.

This place was awesome! Parking was right outside the entrance. The view from the entrance was trains, tracks and more trains and tracks. The hall was expansive. The realization was amazing. We could picture ourselves waiting for a train in this station. Seats with life sized statutes were scattered among the first floor. It was definitely a step back in time, with the exhibits on the timeline of history. The lower floor had a antique train with cars we could walk through. The little home and family gallery was interesting. 100 years of history captured in this museum.

Love going to the Durham and am now a member. Have many happy memories waiting for the train to take us to Chicago. Now I go with my grandsons to check out the awesome exhibits. It's inside so the temperature is constant.

e were in Omaha having lunch & my husband surprised me with a visit to your museum which I've talked about for years. I'm a big fan of Art Deco & preservation of historic structures so I must've taken 1,000 photos! Even the air vents were pieces of art! I put myself in the shoes of a traveler back in the 40's & dreamt of the many patrons who put their feet in the same places I was, even in the soda fountain. I enjoyed every minute of it. A true treasure for Omaha.

This is a beautiful museum, and it's worth a few hours to visit. The old train depot is also a museum of the history of train and transportation in Omaha, as well as the history of Omaha as a city. Fascinating! It's also interactive enough to keep young kids engaged.

The train station is amazing...love the sculptures. Lots of wonderful collections and exhibits. Even an authentic working soda fountain

We have visited the Durham 2x in the last month. The 1st with our young grandchildren. The 2nd with out of town family for railroad days.
Both enjoyed walking through the restored train cars, seeing the various exhibts of Omaha history and the western frontier.
The temporary exhibit of dinosaurs was ok.
Our grandkids loved the legos. Railroad days family enjoyed the art deco of the station and history of the city.
I like to bring 1st time visitors to the city to Durham, do they can get a bird's eye view of Omaha!

this is something you should see if visiting Omaha it is a beautiful old train station,at xmas they have a huge decorated tree and santa great way to spend a Sunday

Came here with my two kids, ages 9 and 5, and it was a great way to spend a couple hours. My son who loves trains greatly enjoyed being able to go in all the train cars and also the model train yard. I personally loved the old school soda shop and candy store. This isnt a huge meseum but it was well cared for and all staff was pleasant.

We went an hour before closing because we didn’t think we should end a 10 day stay in Omaha without seeing this site. We’d heard it was good, but all of us were unconvinced. That was until we got inside and went on the train. It is worth admission to be able to walk through an old train with cars from the 30s, 40s and 50s. I felt like I was on the presidential whistle stop tour at one point, and later like I was headed to “Pine Tree” with Danny Kay and Bing Crosby in White Christmas at another. Such fun to be on board the train like you see in the movies!
The traveling exhibits were also good. We could have used an hour more as we left wanting to see more.

The museum is a favorite for our grandkids and we continue to enjoy our visits too. The rotating exhibits are always worth seeing and the soda shop has good stuff there too. The girls are always nice and it's seems to be a good place to volunteer if you are interested.

The Durham is a museum of Nebraska and American history inside a beautiful art deco railroad station. Terrific permanent exhibits and always amazing temporary displays. Enjoy an old fashioned soda fountain, too!

The Durham Museum is a blast - it truly transports you back in time to the early days of Omaha and has an excellent display of train cars and engines and the like that you can climb through and explore. That oversimplifies it, but it is truly enjoyable!

The Durham Museum is a fascinating step back into Omaha history and, yet so much more. The sculptures throughout the main open concourse are so well done and placed throughout. There really is so much to see throughout the museum. A highlight is a diorama of the 1898 Omaha World's Fair. There is also a fascinating coin collection. This is a great family visit. Oh, you must stop by for an Ice cream sundae at the malt shop!!!!

We visited on a rainy Sunday and found the museum to be quite crowded. The museum did not have a good flow, and the displays were almost overwhelming.

Walking through the train was a highlight of our visit. I also enjoyed the architecture of the Union Station lobby.

This museum is probably suited to families with younger children.

We had a group of 10 and arrived to see the Christmas tree and al the decorations. They were preparing for a wedding that evening and the staff was rolling out tables and setting up chairs and did not care that there as people trying to view the tree and take pictures. We were in the way as they rolled these tables into position. No apoligies or excuse me's.

$22 for 2 adults to keep ourselves entertained for a few hours. Cool exhibit on the work of James Cameron and another section with a painting of Omaha. The building is gorgeous as well. There were a few others areas that seemed pretty dated, but the ocean footage for the James Cameron exhibit was interesting and there were plenty of things to look at there. There is a lot of potential for this museum and I imagine it generally does well in this area. Updating a few areas to add a bit more depth for a visitor would make this an impressive museum.

Great historical landmark and art deco masterpiece. The architecture is wonderful, and the opportunity to check out the historic passenger cars of train travel from years past is an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

We expected to spend an hour or so here but instead we had to leave after 3 hours but could easily have spent much longer! Beautiful Art Deco station, with two original trains for you to wander through and wonderful exhibits in the halls.
Well worth the visit, really good for children as well

This building inside and outside is lovely and the displays explain the building materials and what you might call a little eye trickery. The train cars are a big hit and many of the displays keep children in mind. Of course the dinosaurs are terrific. I learned things from all the displays.

Loved all the history that was shown here!! I really enjoyed it all! I would say you need about 3 hours for this. I enjoyed a root beer float!

A must see for sure!!! An original train station preserved beautifully!! Down stairs is packed full of awesomely laid out history and actual trains you get to walk through and sit on. Old cars and trucks. You actually could spend all day looking at and reading everything. It's awesome!!!

The upstairs has been restored. Beautiful! The statues were fun to interact with. The dinosaur exhibit downstairs was amazing! Walking through the old trains was fun for the kids. There was a guy in the train car that was super friendly! He had lots of Omaha history information as well as 'must see' hot spots.

What a surprise. This museum had a lot of nostalgia of trains but also an interactive exhibit which was fun and educational. We spent plenty of time looking around. There is something here for all ages. Although we were adults we had as much fun as the kids. Recommend to everyone.

I was very impressed with this museum and thrilled that there was a traveling Downton Abbey costume exhibit during my visit. The staff that I encountered was very friendly, and the location was beautiful. I enjoyed walking through the passenger train on site as well. Great value for the price!

This is a gorgeous building, still showing its foundations as a train station. The woman at the ticket booth loved her job! She was so happy telling us everything about the museum, the original ticket counters and some light history. Then we started with a movie about Omaha's history and went to see the exhibits. There was a good bit about the history of the area, plus old trains / trolleys, and an Animation Exhibit with some cool things. I couldn't understand the connection of Omaha or Nebraska to the animation but we still enjoyed it a lot.

The Durham hosts several different exhibits throughout the year. We went to the Mangelsen exhibit. A selection of his best photographs.
The Durham is a very nice facility and I would highly recommend any of their offerings.

First off, when my Mom studied at Creighton she used to take the train into the station that is now the Durham. Although we have family in Omaha we had never down sightseeing before - and the Durham Museum was a fun stop to both learn and have a fun lunch at the Soda fountain (my kids had never had sloppy joe's!).

They also have bronze sculptures in various areas of the museum that "talk" to you.

Recommend to learn more about the history of Omaha!

This is my favorite place to bring visitors to Omaha. The building itself is amazing and the way it has been transformed from railroad station to unique museum is wonderful. Bronze sculptures of railroad passengers help folks who don't remember those days get a sense of the great days of railroad travel. The exhibits downstairs of Omaha neighborhoods is a delight.

This place was neat. We went for the Dinosaur experience which quite frankly was probably not worth it alone (this will depend on what you are looking for- my 9 year old loved it). But the museum is much more than just that exhibit and we probably spent 3 hours, so it was definitely a home run. With the Byron Reed collection and the historical exhibits and Children activities, there’s something for everyone if you are the type of traveler who goes to museums. Easy to get to and free easy parking and close to downtown.

Confusing layout, no help from front desk people.

Liked that they had strollers on-site.

Trains were great.

Dino exhibit was so-so (liked that it was hands on experience for the kids), but it was small.

Historic building was beautiful, and parking was free and easily accessible.

Not worth the price. It was $43 for 2 kids & 2 adults, took us about an hour to get through the whole thing. Unless there’s an exhibit you REALLY want to see, I would not recommend.

The trains were great, the rest was nothing much to see. I feel the price was quite high for the collection on display.

This is one of the most enjoyable museum experiences I've ever had! It really helps put you in the mood and feels like you're living in the 30's and 40's in this beautiful example of a classic large rail station and hands-on walk through rail cars.

Took our granddaughter here after seeing The Big By 4014, Had a great time with the dinosors all the rail cars, The bronze figures she was fasinated by them, But the only draw back way to many people. Only because of railroad days!!! !5.00 for the wole family.

Beside the excellent history of the Omaha area, there are traveling displays that are interactive. It is easy to take young ones here and they are never tired of the experience.

A really wonderful old building with Art Deco at its best. We wandered around looking at the artefacts and learn about the history of this building. It’s truly remarkable and lovely oh to have been in this era. Staff were friendly. Something here for young and old. Great gift shop there. Glad we stopped.

Always an interesting place to visit when friends and relatives come to town
Exhibits for all ages and interests...
Well worth the time...

A very nice visit to the Durham museum today with Jane. The current exhibit is James Cameron's" Into the Deep. ". I was unaware he was such an explorer. Very cool stuff of him at the deepest part of the ocean . Titanic and Bismarck shipwrecks. Also Titanic relics both from the real ship and his movie. Kate Winslet must be awful short and thin because her dress is tiny. Jane and I both said "That was way cool" on leaving. We recommend it. Don't forget to get a phosphate at the soda counter($2,25). . And Orsi's pizza ( An old Omaha Italian staple) is a block away, (Take out only but great).

Our family enjoyed the whole museum, the history & the architecture. The past of Omaha and the trains.

If you like architecture and/or trains, this is the place for you. The station is beautifully restored with train cars and an engine on the lower level. All in covered conditioned space and open to enter. In addition a number of exhibits about the Omaha area and history are very well presented. You can even enjoy a root beer float in the cafe.
Plan on about an hour here. Parking is free and close.

This is an ever changing museum. They change the main theme every few months. They always have the full size trains and several model train setups. In the train station area there is a soda bar where you can get chocolate sodas, green rivers and the like also food. Downstairs are the trains and museum. I always allow three or four hours although I suppose many are happy with two. There is plenty of free parking.

We had some extra time in Omaha so we thought we would check out this museum. It was a very good stop. Lots of exhibits to see. Good and providing an in depth history of Omaha. Well worth the entry fee. Stop if you have time!

Wonderful mid sized museum with a great collection of history focusing on Omaha and surrounding environs. The building itself is a work of art. The exhibits were all well done, informative, and interesting. The special exhibition on tyranosaurs was fascinating.

I chose to spend the morning here because I wanted to see the preservation of union station. It did not disappoint. The building is in perfcet condition and you can't help but feel you have traveled back in time. The neon lights are all functioning, the soda fountain is working, and the wooden benches look beautiful. I could not help but think of all of the people who once walked this hall. The statues set up around the station have recordings of stories told by travelers through union station. I also enjoyed the short fild on the history of Omaha.

The beautiful upper level, the well-preserved and well-presented Union Station, is a poignant place in Omaha and national history. The main portion of the museum, however, is in the Lower Level, occupying about three times the square footage of the Upper Level. It is an eclectic collection of collections, covering a range of historical material, focused more on topic than time continuity. The train-based displays are, naturally, among the most topical.

I would encourage the visitor to sit down with the Museum Guide and prioritize the areas you want to see, as most of the museum is laid out in one straight line.

Went with nieces and their children and we had a great time! They loved the sculptures and the trains!

Went there to see the museum and got the bonus of seeing the Thomas Mangelsen photography exhibit...absolutely wonderful museum....highly recommend it.

Our group of 5 enjoyed our first visit to the Durham museum. The James Cameron exhibit covering the Titanic, the Deep-Sea Challenger, and The Abyss were good with artifacts and mini props. We spent approximately two hours in the museum. We also looked at the Reed coin collection with many rare coins.

I anticipated a lot of train memorabilia and while there was enough of that, we also loved the exhibit on Jane Goodall and her work with primates. It was targeted to both a casual audience and one that might want to learn more. We also enjoyed some poignant history areas, grabbed lunch at the soda fountain (so-so) and took much longer in the larger underground facility than you would think. Gracious docents, staff and overall good time.

Very impressive building inside and out and very well maintained building. Very informative information on 2 floors but was a little boring at times.

What a fantastic place to visit. My wife and I too our 3 year old granddaughter and we all truly enjoyed it. The staff was very friendly and there was so much to see and do. We also ate lunch there. Very good meat ball sandwich and our granddaughter enjoyed the Mac cheese kids meal.

We love visiting the Durham Musuem many times a year! They have rotating displays and it's always a great time!

This is a must to see in Omaha, NE!! Great historical experience about Union Pacific railroad. Make sure you walk through from caboose to engine of the actual 1940s decorated train. It definitely gives you the feel of the spacing with train travel.

We had visited this museum in the past. We went this time for the Nelson Mandela Exhibit. He was remarkable man who led his country out of apartheid. From his education by Methodist and after serving 26 years in prison, Mandela was the first elected black president of South Africa. The exhibit follows his life from his childhood until his death. Few people have had he impact that Nelson Mandela had.

After the visit of that exhibit, we took time to looks at other exhibits that highlight the history of Omaha.

A great place for young or old. Lots of train exhibits and history for younger kids. Much Omaha history for adults. Remembering things like the old stockyards is a special exhibit.

There is a nice set up of a train that people can walk through. There could be more exhibits, but not sure if there is any extra room to add them. There is a soda fountain that is a nice place to stop and try some of the items from the "old days." Parking is free, so if you don't mind walking you can use this as your parking lot if you are interested in walking downtown.

Heard from a local that this was a particularly good museum. Free parking out front. $11 for an adult ticket. Nice Art Deco preserved well. Working soda fountain. At track level, there are exhibits that are both permanent and traveling. Currently they are running a WWI exhibit and a nature photography one. I spent nearly 3 hours working my way through it all. Wonderfully done displays of Omaha history with nice artifacts and easy to read displays. The traveling WWI exhibit was very well done with nice explanations of things. There is a train you can walk through that was pretty neat. I was very impressed, having been to many Union Station style museums, this is probably one of the best ones I’ve seen.

We have visited the Durham Museum several times. They change there special exhibits regularly. If you want to learn a little bit about Nebraska and there begins with trains, this is the place to have fun doing it. We love exploring all of the different areas and rooms, you are sure to learn something new every time you visit.

I absolutely love the architecture of this place! Rotating exhibits means there's always something new to see throughout the year, and on occasion special events. The historical information of the city is interesting. The train cars are fun for all ages.

When I was a kid we always traveled by rail and the exhibits at the Durham Museum bring back all of those memories in a delightful way.

I enjoy when the Durham has events. I enjoy visiting the Durham and my kids do as well. I wish it were a little more interactive, but always a treat to visit. Highly recommend.

This is one of the better museums we have visited and we have been to all of the lower 48 states. The first floor hall really gives you a feel of what it was like to travel by train back when that was really the only efficient way to travel. The lower level has lots of cool exhibits of real trains, real trucks and an o gauge model train garden. On the train garden, I really wish they would run more and larger trains. The lower level has many historical displays about trains and Omaha. This was just a great museum that we really enjoyed during our stay in Omaha. The museum also has a fantastic gift store and an old fashioned soda shop. Plenty of free parking and a reasonable admission. DON'T MISS.IN OMAHA.

My time was limited so I opted not to visit the museum (which I regret) but I enjoyed seeing the beautiful art deco architecture of the Omaha Union Station.

We went here as part of a tour. The art deco building is stunning. The trains downstairs are lovely Be sure you see them.

Beautiful.great place to visit. Beautiful building and full of history. Friendly people work there in soda fountain area. So polite and professional.

Even though we went as a couple, the museum had many inter-active exhibits for a family and children

We have a membership (for the last several years) and bring out-of-town visitors to this museum frequently. The train history and the full scale train alone are worth the stop in.

Cool place to see the old travel trail cars they used in the early days of the railroad. The history of the museum is amazing and the architecture is awsome!

Recently visited THE DURHAM MUSEUM and realized how magnificent this historical, art deco building is. THE MUSEUM incorporated a lot of traveling exhibits that has wide appeal to everyone. The lower level has a permanent exhibit of turn-of-the-century Omaha as well as restored UNION PACIFIC engine and luxury passenger car from a bye gone era. There is always a temporary exhibit that is fresh and appealing to younger children...it is a place for all ages.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. What a wonderful step through time. Love the ambiance and friendly staff.

The Durham Museum had a lot more than I expected. It's best described as the Omaha History of Museum, with a massive exhibit devoted to all aspects of Omaha's history. But it's also noteworthy for the spectacular Art Deco train station in which it is housed, and the actual train cars that you can walk through. And there are several kid-friendly areas and exhibits and a special exhibit (currently Nelson Mandela). I regretted that I only had an hour to spend here, as it would have taken three hours to see everything.

This museum gives a great background for any visit to Omaha! We loved all of the information about the native Americans and the railroad fueled settlement of the plains.

This place is huge. The bottom floor had different rail road cars. The museum had very interesting displays about history of the area. Upstairs that day they had free root beer floats at soda fountain plus they had other food. We really enjoyed our time there