Omaha is the best-kept secret when it comes to magical holiday decorations and events. For something truly special — and indoors — plan a visit to The Durham Museum during the holiday season. The annual celebration, “Christmas at Union Station,” begins every year the day after Thanksgiving.

Disclosure: I am a blogger ambassador for The Durham Museum. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.

Before I get into all the Christmas events and Santa sightings happening at the museum, here’s a quick Durham Museum 101 for those who need it. If you’re visiting with kids, be sure to read this family guide to the museum.

Where is The Durham Museum?

The Durham Museum is located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Situated in the iconic Union Station building, the museum has retained the charm of a bygone era.

It’s a walkable distance from the Old Market. The exact address is 801 S. 10th St.

Dining at The Durham Museum

The Durham Museum has an old-fashioned soda fountain and candy shop, where you can purchase everything from snacks to actual meals.

My family is a fan of getting ice cream sundaes there, but you might want to also try getting a float or a phosphate.

Of course, popcorn is also a good choice.

The food prices are pretty reasonable at the museum, and museum members receive a 10% discount on the food.

However, if you want to eat elsewhere, the museum is near a lot of great restaurants. The closest restaurants include two pizzerias: Orsi’s (Omaha’s oldest restaurant) and Via Farina (upscale wood-fired pizzas).

There are a lot of great family-friendly restaurants in the Old Market if pizza isn’t what you’re looking for.

Is parking free at The Durham?

Yes. The museum has an upper lot and a lower lot. During busy events, especially the tree lighting, you may find that both lots will fill pretty quickly.

During select events overflow parking, with shuttle drop-off at the museum, is available at the Conagra Brands parking lot, Seventh and Leavenworth streets. Otherwise, you’ll find a mix of metered and free parking in nearby neighborhood streets.

The largest indoor tree in the area

The tree at the museum is real and it is ginormous. It’s decorated with large ornaments that kids love seeing up close.

Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus are at this tree lighting event, with the tree serving as a cool backdrop to your photos. Expect a long wait, but kids usually get a present after talking with the big guy.

And, in my opinion, this Santa looks like the real deal.

Christmas at Union Station exhibits & events

Durham Tree Lighting Ceremony

Every year, the museum holds a popular tree lighting ceremony with lots of kid-friendly activities planned throughout the museum before the big countdown. I have vivid memories of caroling with a thousand other people right before the countdown. It’s amazing.

The tree lighting ceremony is always held the day after Thanksgiving. In 2019, it’s held Nov. 29 from 4 to 8 p.m., with the ceremony starting at 7 p.m.

Tip: I’ve attended the tree lighting a few times. It’s extremely popular — and crowded. I recommend designating one adult in your group to claim a spot near the tree about 30 minutes prior to the countdown.

Related post: Everything You Need To Know About Durham Museum Annual Events

Santa at The Durham

In addition to the following times, Santa will be visiting during the Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Holiday Cultural Festival, too:

• -Saturdays, Nov. 30 through Dec. 21, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• -Sundays, Dec. 1-22, 1 to 4 p.m.

• -Tuesdays, Dec. 3, 10 & 17 5 to 8 p.m. The museum stays open late on Tuesdays, so they’ve planned fun nights of holiday crafts, live music and of course, the man of the hour, Santa.

Ethnic Holiday Trees Exhibit

While the big tree tends to steal the spotlight, you should seek out another annual exhibit trees (of the miniature kind). The Holiday Cultural Trees Display showcases how cultures from around the world celebrate the Christmas season. It’s on display from Nov. 29 through Jan. 5, 2020.

This is one of those exhibits that adults like way more than kids. We were lucky to get a cursory glance from my son, and my youngest didn’t even pause to notice the room.

Log Cabin Christmas

The museum’s historic log cabin is decorated for Christmas and during the scheduled times Log Cabin Christmas, a docent will be present to show guests the cabin and share pioneer holiday traditions.

When: Nov. 30 through Dec. 29

• -Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• -Sundays, 1 to 3 p.m.

Holiday Cultural Festival

Held Dec. 6, from 4 to 9 p.m., the Holiday Cultural Festival features local cultural organizations proudly displaying their crafts and traditional dress, while musicians and dancers perform throughout the evening.

I’m excited that one I’m involved with, Omaha Sister Cities Association, is one of those participating groups!

The festival is a good time to buy hard-to-find ethnic foods and gifts you know your grandma will love.

Holiday Concert Series

You can hear holiday music performed live by local entertainers, school musicians, and choirs each weekend during Christmas at Union Station, as well as on Tuesday evenings. Performances are by different groups at different times.

2019 Holiday Concert Series Schedule

When: Nov. 30 through Dec. 22

• -Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• -Sundays, 1:30 to 4 p.m.
• -Tuesdays, 5 to 8 p.m.

Want to check who’s performing? Click here.

Noon Year’s Eve

Celebrate 2020 early with an afternoon party on Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There’s live music, crafts, and activities, culminating in a celebratory bubble wrap stomp and balloon drop at noon.

Visitor information for The Durham Museum

If you’re planning your first visit to The Durham Museum during Christmas at Union Station, here’s are a few details you’ll probably want to know about:

The Durham Museum

Where: 801 S. 10th St.

Hours: Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; also closed Nov. 22). During holiday hours beginning Dec. 2, when the museum will also be open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Adults, $11; seniors (62+), $8; children (ages 3 – 12), $7; and FREE for children 2 years and under and members.

Tip: Throughout the holiday season, you can drop off non-perishable food items at The Durham for the Food Bank for the Heartland in support of ConAgra Foods’ Shine the Light on Hunger campaign.

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The Durham Museum is an Omaha institution housed in the beautiful Union Station building. The museum has a permanent collection focused on the preserving the history of the region, and there are regular traveling exhibits. I enjoy visiting the museum with my kids to see the new exhibits, but also during Durham’s special annual events.

Disclosure: I am an blog ambassador for The Durham Museum. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.

Where is the Durham Museum?

The Durham Museum is located at 801 S. 10th St. in downtown Omaha, Neb. It’s just a few blocks south of the historic Old Market district. You an easily walk to the Old Market from the museum, though it may be just long enough for older kids to complain about it.

Parking is FREE at the museum, and plentiful. For some events, overflow parking can be found in the field to the east of the museum.

Do special events cost extra?

Most special events at The Durham Museum are included with regular museum admission and free for those with a membership. However, some evening events are ticketed.

There is also one unique event called Railroad Days, and since it is a multi-venue event, there is a pass that you must purchase that will get you into each venue, including The Durham Museum.

Related post: 20+ Museums In Omaha You Must Visit

Annual events you should go to at least once at Durham Museum

I’ve spend my fair share of holiday seasons at The Durham Museum – Christmas, Halloween, Railroad Days, you name it.

If you go to just one special event, I highly recommend going to the tree lighting ceremony in November. It officially kicks off Christmas at Union Station each year.

But, there are so many other unique annual events to attend! So, I made this list for you to experience my favorites. Unless I say otherwise, assume the event on this list are included with museum admission.

Halloween at The Durham Museum

Halloween is a lot of fun for all ages at The Durham Museum. There is a mix of all-ages and adults-only events.

If you go to one Halloween event, make it the annual Great Hall-oween Haunt. This annual evening event involves trick-or-treating with historical figures, a dance party, games and crafts.

The Great Hall-oween Haunt has already happened in 2019, so check back next October for 2020 details. Costumes are definitely encouraged.

In 2019, the museum expanded its Halloween offerings, though. So, since the Haunt has already happened, here are a few other activities.

• – Spooky Tales for Tots – On select Wednesdays, the museum includes a story time and crafts. It’s a drop-in event. The next one is Oct. 30 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
• – History Mystery – This ticketed event is on Oct. 24 and for those 21 and older. This event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and involves ghost stories, basement tours and a haunted train. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members (ticket includes one drink ticket). There is a cash bar, as well.
• – Hallo-weekend – On Oct. 26 and 27, kids (12 and younger) can come in costume and receive FREE admission. Look for the Haunted Train, Platform activities, trick-or-treating and dancing zombies throughout the day.
• – Durham After Dark – Enjoy a little creepier night experience for all ages at The Durham Museum on Oct. 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy spooky stories with Nebraska Story Arts, the Haunted Train, a dance party complete with glow sticks, a zombie flash mob and a scavenger hunt. Halloween costumes are optional.

Christmas at Union Station

Christmas at Union Station kicks off with the area’s largest indoor tree lighting celebration the day after Thanksgiving, and continues through the holiday season with family-friendly events like visits from Santa, concerts, the Ethnic Holiday Festival, the popular Noon Year’s Eve and many more.

When: Nov. 23 through early January 2020

Daily exhibits and things to see: You don’t have to visit on a special event date. If you go on an “off day,” you’ll enjoy fewer people while seeing the 40-foot tall decorated tree as well last the Holiday Cultural Trees Display.

There’s something planned weekly during the run of Christmas at Union Station! Here are the ones to see:

• – Tree lighting ceremony – Held the Friday after Thanksgiving, this annual event is spectacular (and extremely popular). In 2019, the event is Nov. 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. The tree lighting ceremony involves caroling, a countdown and, usually, a surprise when the tree lights up.
• – A Log Cabin Christmas – Learn about Christmas from long ago and tour the log cabin in the museum.
• – Meet Santa and Holiday Concert Series – What’s better than meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus? Having live music! Meet Santa and the Holiday Concert Series are held at the same time each week. These run Nov. 30 through Dec. 22 and are held Tuesdays, 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sundays, 1:30 to 4 p.m.
• – Holiday Lights Festival Family Festival – During this festival, various venues are FREE to the public, including The Durham Museum. It can get very crowded. In 2019, the family festival is Dec. 1 from noon to 5 p.m.
• – Family Night With Santa – Have a late night and meet Santa at the museum on Tuesdays, Dec. 3, 10 and 17 from 5 to 8 p.m.
• – Holiday Culture Festival – See how other cultures celebrate Christmas and holidays around the world. This year, the event is Dec. 6 from 4 to 9 p.m.
• – Noon Year’s Eve – Celebrate the New Year early with an afternoon party. Noon Year’s Eve is Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes a huge balloon drop.

Summer special events at The Durham Museum

We love going to The Durham Museum in the summer, especially when you can combine a visit to a special exhibit (like dinosaurs!) and a special event. There’s even one event in the summer that involves a free sweet treat!

Here are the notable summer events you should attend:

• – Railroad Days – The Durham Museum is one of five participating venues during the fun weekend in July. The museum usually has kid-friendly activities as well as music and, of course, trains.
• – Wild Wild West Days – This is another July event, this time celebrating all things Wild West. There are a variety of kids’ activities like learning to lasso, as well as costumed actors who will act out an exciting shootout.
• – Root Beer Float Day – This one’s fun just because you get a FREE root beer floats at the soda fountain! Root Beer Float Day is in August each year.

Related post: Guide To Visiting The Durham Museum With Kids

Adult-only annual events at The Durham Museum

For most of the year, you’ll find great events for all ages, but there are some events that are great for the 21+ crowd. These adults-only events at The Durham Museum tend to occur in the first half of the year.

This year, I went with friends to a 1920s-themed event called Flappers & Fizz, where we had to solve a mystery and locate the hidden speakeasy inside the museum. It was a ton of fun and we loved being able to dress up!

That sort of event is ticketed and if you’re a member, you receive a discount on tickets. Since it’s a museum, I feel pretty good about spending extra on tickets knowing that it helps support the museum’s mission.

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Every year, I wait with anticipation to hear what’s the summer exhibit at The Durham Museum. Without fail, they’ve opened a fun temporary exhibit that my kids (and I) enjoy. This year, the summer exhibit is called “Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family.” The exhibit runs through Sept. 1, 2019.

Disclosure: I have a partnership with The Durham Museum. I was not paid to write this post, but I do receive a complimentary membership in order to visit and write about the exhibits. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.

About the Durham Museum summer exhibit

As the name implies, “Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family” is about the Tyrannosaurs and the various prehistoric creatures that are classified under that name. It’s not just T.rex, it turns out.

The most fun my whole family had at the exhibit was learning about the family tree by playing the interactive game table. After about three or four rounds, we declared ourselves experts of in the entire Tyrannosaur family tree.

I can see us returning a few times this summer so my kids can try to beat their previous top time on the game.

The exhibit uses both technology and dinosaur specimens. My kids were drawn more to the tech than the casts and models of dinosaurs.

One of the more amusing pieces in the exhibit was the interactive augmented reality screen. We watched as life-sized dinosaurs roamed nearby.

My kids may or may not have tried to kick the dinosaurs. Sorry about that!

Other multimedia experiences and touch screen interactive were interspersed by exhibit pieces, and their were large-scale projections at the exhibit entrance. The projections feature Omaha streetscapes and dinosaurs roaming them.

My son was particularly interested in the interactive piece comparing his strength to that of a T.rex.

The life-sized dinosaur specimens included five complete tyrannosaurs cast skeletons.

The ‘Big’ draw of the exhibit

“Scotty,” the largest and oldest T.rex ever discovered, is a part of this exhibit. Well, the exhibit doesn’t have THE “Scotty.” One of only four casts of the T.rex skeleton is included in this exhibit.

It’s an impressive sight, putting the scale of what T.rex was like millions of years ago into perspective.

Another interesting thing to check out in the exhibit is the feathery Guanlong wucaii. This newly-discovered dinosaur is a relative of the T.rex.

It’s easy to walk right past the bird-like dinosaur, though. There’s a big screen nearby that will easily distract you and the kids.

Things to know about visiting the Durham in the summer

The Durham Museum experiences an uptick in visitors in the summer, but you don’t have to be too strategic about when to visit. Why? It’s a huge museum. You won’t feel the crowd.

You may feel the crowd, however, in the special exhibit space. Consider going first thing in the morning or at the last hour or two of the day.

We visited about an hour after the museum opened on a Saturday and didn’t have to jockey for position at any interactive exhibit piece. However, once a tour group walked into the exhibit, it did start to feel a little more packed.

If you want more tips for visiting The Durham Museum, especially if you’re bringing children with you, visit this guide to exploring the museum with kids!

Summer exhibit special events

The good thing to know about summers at the museum is that there are usually extra events planned in coordination with the summer exhibit. “Tyrannosaurs: Meet The Family” has a few great ones including some for kids and adults.

For kids: Storytime with Scotty is held every Wednesday through July 31 at 10:30 a.m. Each week features a different dinosaur-themed book and craft led by one of the museum’s engaging education facilitators. Registration is not required and regular museum admission applies. All ages are welcome.

For adults: Dinos and Daiquiris is June 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. Search for hidden “fossils” around the museum to win a prize, and sip on a daiquiri, enjoy the cash bar or visit the Soda Fountain for some snacks and sweet treats. Tickets are $10 for members, $20 for nonmembers, and with the ticket you get admission to the museum after hours and one drink ticket.

For everyone: There are daily tours at 2 p.m. until the close of the exhibit. Each day of the week will have a different topic, complete with trivia and prizes.

Fossil Fridays include crafts, games, guided tours, giveaways from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Aug. 9. The crafts and giveaways are from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and there’s a dino-themed game at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Back-to-School Bash is Aug. 9 from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be a dino movie on the big screen, a bounce house, and kids can get their faces painted like a dinosaur. There will also be a food truck. This event is included with museum admission and free for members, but reservations are required.

If you go

The Durham Museum

Where: 801 S. 10th St., Omaha

When: Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (during the summer, the museum is open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Cost: Adults, $11; Seniors (62+), $8; Children (ages 3 – 12), $7; children 2 years and under, FREE; Members, FREE.

A note on memberships: If you’re going to visit the Durham Museum more than once a year, it pays to get a family membership. It’s $60 for 12 months, and includes admission to the special events like the Great Halloween Haunt and all the Christmas festivities. It also gets you discounts to the gift shop, soda fountain and summer camps.

Stay In The Know!

Subscribe to the FREE twice a month(ish) e-newsletter sharing what’s new in Omaha, giveaways, family travel ideas, and more! Subscribe here.