The Durham Museum in Omaha, Nebraska

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Omaha, Nebraska · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibit

The Durham Museum makes its home in Omaha's Union Station, a National Historic Landmark and a showpiece of Art Deco design, where restored passenger cars, regional history exhibits and Smithsonian traveling shows share the old station halls.

  • Inside Omaha's Union Station
  • National Historic Landmark
  • 1940s passenger cars to board
  • Authentic 1931 soda fountain
  • Smithsonian affiliate
  • Free two-level parking deck

The Durham Museum at a glance

Hours
Fall 2026: Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday noon to 4 pm, closed Monday
Admission
Check durhammuseum.org for current prices; groups of 10 or more pay $12 self-guided or $15 guided per person, plus tax
Seasonal events
Halloween at Union Station, Christmas at Union Station, Union Station Guided Tours (Saturdays), Fairy Tale Storytime and Platform Play
Plan for
About 2 hours; the enhanced guided group tour alone runs one hour
Best for
Families, history fans and anyone who loves old train stations
Best ages
Preschoolers to grandparents
Parking
Free two-level parking deck, entered from 10th Street (main entrance level, 7.5-foot height limit) or Leavenworth Street (taller vehicles). Cars left after hours are towed.
Accessibility
Accessible parking on the 10th Street level at the main entrance; wheelchairs and motorized scooters loaned first come, first served; service animals welcome.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to The Durham Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Omaha.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A railroad station that became Omaha's home for history

Long before it was a museum, the building at 801 South 10th Street was Omaha's Union Station, a place where travelers could get a haircut at the station barber shop or a meal in its restaurant before catching a train. Today the station is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, and it is widely counted among the finest Art Deco buildings in the country. The museum's staff still like to point out those everyday details on their guided tours, because they show the station as working people knew it.

The museum that moved into the station was once called the Durham Western Heritage Museum, and its mission has stayed focused on the history of the American West and the region around Omaha. It now goes by The Durham Museum. Its permanent galleries are joined by a steady run of traveling exhibitions on history, culture, science and industry, made possible by the museum's affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution and its ties to the Library of Congress, the National Archives and the Field Museum.

One thread the museum keeps returning to is the 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, a world's fair that drew some 2.5 million visitors to Omaha in just a few months. The Durham cares for artifacts from that fair that are now more than 120 years old, alongside the Byron Reed collection of rare coins and documents. Docents and education staff carry those stories to school groups, families and visitors from out of town.

Train cars, storefronts and the great Art Deco hall

Most visitors start by simply looking up: the station's Art Deco architecture is a big part of the experience. From there the permanent exhibits include restored passenger train cars from the 1940s that you can climb aboard, a row of 1940s storefronts, and a wide range of artifacts that trace the history of Omaha and the surrounding region. The Byron Reed collection, with some of the world's rarest coins and documents, has its own space.

Traveling exhibitions rotate through during the year and are included with museum admission. Before you leave, stop at the Soda Fountain and Candy Shop, built around an authentic soda fountain from 1931, and browse the Hitchcock Museum Shop. On Saturdays at 1 pm, a guided Union Station tour goes deeper into the building's years as a working train station.

Don’t miss

  1. The 1940s passenger carsRestored train cars from the 1940s sit inside the museum, and visitors can step aboard rather than just look through a window.
  2. The 1931 soda fountainAn authentic soda fountain from 1931 still serves treats in the Soda Fountain and Candy Shop, a favorite end to a visit.
  3. Union Station's Art Deco architectureThe station is a National Historic Landmark and one of the best Art Deco buildings in the country, so the building itself is a major exhibit.
  4. The 1940s storefrontsA street of recreated shop fronts shows what everyday Omaha looked like in the decade when the station was busy with trains.
  5. Trans-Mississippi Exposition artifactsObjects from Omaha's 1898 world's fair, which drew about 2.5 million visitors, tell a story many newcomers to the city have never heard.
  6. The Byron Reed collectionRare coins and documents, some among the rarest in the world, make this an unexpected stop for collectors.

Climbing aboard, storytime on the platform and a soda at the end

Train-loving kids get to climb into real 1940s passenger cars, which is usually the moment they remember. The museum describes its exhibits as hands-on learning for all ages, and the 1940s storefronts and the big station hall give small visitors plenty to point at. On fall Wednesday mornings in 2026 the museum ran Fairy Tale Storytime and Platform Play from 11 to 11:30 am, so check the calendar for the current version of that program.

For practical planning, the main entrance and accessible parking are on the 10th Street level of the free parking deck. The Leavenworth Street level has a staircase up to the entrance, so families with strollers will find 10th Street easier. A soda or candy from the soda fountain makes a good reward at the end.

Plan your visit: tips for The Durham Museum

  • Use the 10th Street entrance to the parking deck if you have a stroller or wheelchair; it is on the main entrance level.
  • Vehicles taller than 7.5 feet should enter from Leavenworth Street.
  • Saturday Union Station Guided Tours start at 1 pm.
  • The museum is closed on Mondays and on Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
  • Groups of 10 or more should send their request at least two weeks ahead.

The station gets dressed up twice each fall and winter. Halloween at Union Station ran through November 1 in 2026, and the museum's holiday season, Christmas at Union Station, has its own page on the museum's website with the current year's dates. For more holiday ideas around the state, see our guide to Christmas train rides in Nebraska and our roundup of Halloween train rides in Nebraska.

Docents, educators and a station that needs friends

The Durham's docents and education staff lead the guided tours, school programs and storytimes that bring Union Station to life, and a board of directors oversees the museum. Visitors help keep it going by buying admission, booking a group tour, shopping at the Hitchcock Museum Shop or the soda fountain, and following the museum on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The museum also posts job openings on its Join Our Team page.

More railroad history on both sides of the Missouri

Omaha and Council Bluffs make a strong rail weekend. Just across the river, about 4 miles away, are the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and the RailsWest Railroad Museum. About 33 miles northwest, the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad is also worth a look for its history. Browse every train museum in Nebraska to plan more stops.

Every train museum in Nebraska

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

I love that kids at the Durham can climb right into passenger cars from the 1940s, inside a real old station. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to help Rally aboard, and that is the feeling I hope every small visitor gets there: welcome, come on in. My mom would have loved that soda fountain too. If your little one wants to keep the train going at home, our coloring pages are free to print.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at The Durham Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

The Durham Museum in Omaha: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the Durham Museum in Omaha?

The Durham Museum is at 801 South 10th Street in Omaha, inside the city's historic Union Station near the Old Market. The building sits on the 10th Street bridge, and you can reach the museum's parking deck from either 10th Street or Leavenworth Street. The main entrance is on the 10th Street level. Call (402) 444-5071 for directions.

What are the Durham Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum's fall hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. It is closed on Mondays. Hours change by season, so check the calendar on durhammuseum.org for the specific day you plan to visit, or call (402) 444-5071.

Is the Durham Museum open on holidays?

The Durham Museum is closed for most major holidays, and it specifically lists Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day as closed days. Holiday weeks can also bring special hours around events like Christmas at Union Station. Before a holiday visit, check the museum's online calendar, which shows whether it is open on a given date.

How much does it cost to visit the Durham Museum?

The museum posts current general admission prices on the Hours and Admission page at durhammuseum.org, so check there before you go. As of October 2026, groups of 10 or more pay $12 per person plus tax for a self-guided visit or $15 plus tax for a one-hour guided tour. Traveling exhibits are included with admission.

Does the Durham Museum have free days?

The museum does not advertise regular free admission days on its main visitor pages, so call (402) 444-5071 or check its calendar for any special free events. One thing that is always free is parking: the two-level deck attached to the museum costs nothing for visitors during business hours.

Is parking free at the Durham Museum?

Yes. The Durham Museum has a two-level parking deck that is free to all visitors. The 10th Street level puts you at the main entrance and has a 7.5-foot height limit, while the Leavenworth Street level suits taller vehicles and has stairs up to the entrance. Cars left after business hours are towed.

Is the Durham Museum in Omaha the same as the Museum of Life and Science?

No. The Durham Museum is a regional history museum in Omaha, Nebraska, housed in the city's old Union Station. It is not a science center and is not connected to the Museum of Life and Science or other museums that share the Durham name. If you want Omaha's train station museum, search for The Durham Museum Omaha.

What exhibits are at the Durham Museum?

Permanent exhibits include restored 1940s passenger train cars, a row of 1940s storefronts, artifacts tracing the history of Omaha and the region, and the Byron Reed collection of rare coins and documents. The museum also hosts traveling exhibitions through its Smithsonian affiliation, and those are included with admission. Its Current Exhibits page lists what is showing now.

Can you go inside the train cars at the Durham Museum?

Yes. The museum's restored passenger trains from the 1940s are set up so visitors can climb aboard and look around, which is a highlight for kids and rail fans alike. The cars are indoors in the old station, so a visit works in any weather. The Saturday Union Station tour adds more railroad history.

What was the Durham Museum building originally?

The museum occupies Omaha's Union Station, a train station that once had its own barber shop and restaurant for travelers. The building is now a National Historic Landmark and is considered one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. The museum itself was formerly called the Durham Western Heritage Museum.

What is Christmas at Union Station at the Durham Museum?

Christmas at Union Station is The Durham Museum's holiday season, and it has its own page on durhammuseum.org. The museum posts that year's dates, holiday hours, Santa visits and any tree events there each fall. Plan ahead for the busiest weekends, and call (402) 444-5071 if you have questions about the holiday schedule.

Does the Durham Museum do anything for Halloween?

Yes. Halloween at Union Station is the museum's fall celebration, and as of October 2026 it runs through November 1. The museum's calendar lists the related activities and times. Fall weekdays have also included family programs such as Fairy Tale Storytime and Platform Play, so check the calendar for the week you plan to go.

What events are happening at the Durham Museum this weekend?

The best place to check is the calendar on durhammuseum.org. As of October 2026, Saturdays include Union Station Guided Tours at 1 pm, and the fall lineup has included exhibit tours, a calligraphy workshop and a Museum Insider Tour on Saturday, November 7 from 9:30 to 11 am. Listings change often.

Does the Durham Museum offer Union Station tours?

Yes. Public Union Station Guided Tours run on Saturdays at 1 pm as of October 2026. Groups of 10 or more can also book a Union Station guided tour that covers the building's life as a train station, including its barber shop and restaurant, plus tours on the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition and on traveling exhibits.

Is the Durham Museum good for toddlers?

Yes, for a shorter visit. Little ones can climb aboard the 1940s passenger cars, look around the old storefronts and enjoy the big station hall, and the museum has run storytime programs on the platform for young children. Use the 10th Street level of the parking deck for stroller access, and save a treat at the soda fountain for the end.

Does the Durham Museum have a soda fountain and gift shop?

Yes to both. The Soda Fountain and Candy Shop is built around an authentic soda fountain from 1931, and it is one of the most loved parts of a visit. The Hitchcock Museum Shop carries gifts and souvenirs. Hours for both generally follow the museum's own, but call (402) 444-5071 to confirm.

Can I book a group visit, birthday or private event at the Durham Museum?

Groups of 10 or more, including birthday celebrations, reunions and team outings, can book self-guided or guided visits during regular hours, and the museum asks for requests at least two weeks ahead. For private events or renting space in Union Station, contact the museum at (402) 444-5071 or info@durhammuseum.org to ask what is available.

Is the Durham Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. Accessible parking is on the 10th Street level of the free parking deck, the same level as the main entrance. Wheelchairs and motorized scooters are available at the main entrance on a first-come, first-served basis, and service animals are welcome inside. Buses and vans can unload on 10th Street near the west doors.

Is the Durham Museum hiring?

The Durham Museum lists open positions on the Join Our Team page of its website, under the About section. That is the best place to see current jobs and how to apply. For questions about volunteering or working with the museum's education programs, you can also email education@durhammuseum.org or call (402) 444-5071.

What train museums are near the Durham Museum?

Two are just across the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, Iowa, about 4 miles away: the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and the RailsWest Railroad Museum. The Burlington Northern Depot Museum in Red Oak, Iowa is about 40 miles away, and the Sioux City Railroad Museum is about 93 miles north if you are planning a longer rail trip.

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Kelsey Cecil
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