Omaha Children’s Museum had a sneak peek of its winter special exhibit, “Forever Forest,” last week. And it. Was. Awesome. It’s open now, so you can see it for yourself. There’s a giveaway at the end of this post to make your next visit FREE!

Ok, full disclosure, in addition to being a blogger here, I work at Omaha Children’s Museum. So, No. 1, last week wasn’t the first sneak peek of the exhibit for me. No. 2, I’m an employee there, so you know I’m biased.

But, it’s still awesome.

What to expect

From transportation to home construction, “Forever Forest” covers many areas where trees play a role in our lives.

“Forever Forest” is simply teaching families how we live, work and play thanks to trees. To do so, there is a part of the exhibit that reflects the forest, forest life, and recreation in the forest; then there’s the transportation of lumber and processing it into the everyday products we use. And finally, the real-life applications of what we use wood for.

Pretend fishing at Omaha Children’s Museum. The fish and poles have magnets on the ends.

There’s a lot packed into this space, and I envision a lot of time spent here on cold winter days.

What’s next for “Forever Forest”

Omaha Children’s Museum is taking “Forever Forest” on the road for its first-ever national touring exhibition. After Omaha, 2,000 square feet of the exhibit will begin a tour to other children’s museums, science centers and other cultural institutions for several years (likely, 10).

The termite colonies inside the “Forever Forest” exhibit at Omaha Children’s Museum. Kids can use a magnifying glass or camera to see the termites up close.

If you’re good at math and measuring, and have seen the museum’s upstairs exhibit space, you know that there is way more than 2,000 square feet up there. We’re lucky in Omaha, and have a lot more space than the typical museum has for a traveling exhibit. So, here in Omaha, you’ll see a lot more than what hits the road.

Some of the things unique to the Omaha exhibit:

– Climbable tree trunks donated by Fontenelle Forest (one has a verse etched into it by local artist, Watie White)

– Toddler space with a little playhouse

– Camp Cottonwood, where the museum’s education department will hold four different programs

– Termite display (way more fun for my kids than I expected)

– Kayaks and camping area with a pretend pond perfect for fishing.

And quite a bit more!

Forever Forest Giveaway

Want to see it yourself? Omaha Children’s Museum is providing a family four pack of passes for one reader to visit! To enter, just use the Rafflecopter entry form below. Giveaway ends Sunday, Oct. 29, at 11:59 p.m. CST. Must be 18 or older to enter. Good luck!

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