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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to see another new exhibit in Omaha? I’m giving away four passes to The Durham Museum, which just opened “Zoom Into Nano.” Enter the giveaway here (it ends Oct. 22, 2017, so don’t wait).

Don’t Miss Another Giveaway

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I love visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum in the winter for many reasons, a big one being that it’s a big space indoors with plenty of room to play.

Another one is that around the holidays, the museum is magical.

Starting this Friday and running through Dec. 23, the exhibit and interactive show Santa’s Magic opens.

To set the scene, the show takes place in a fireside room. Magical moments include the Snow Queen making it snow indoors and Santa calling each child by name.

Think your kid would dig that?

Santa’s Magic takes place multiple times daily during regular museum hours.

If you go

Santa’s Magic

Where: Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St.

When: Nov. 28 through Dec. 23, Tuesdays through Fridays at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.; Sundays are at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. FREE tickets are included with admission or membership and are available at the museum’s front desk; seating is limited for each show.

Giveaway

Omaha Children’s Museum has teamed up with Oh My! Omaha to give one lucky reader a family four-pack that will admit up to four people to the museum! It’s easy to enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadline to enter is Sunday, Dec. 7, at 11:59 p.m. One name will be randomly drawn within 48 hours; I will contact the winner via email. The winner has 48 hours to respond before another name is randomly drawn. Good luck!

Disclaimer: Omaha Children’s Museum provided the passes for this giveaway. All opinions are mine.

Be sure to check out the post “50 Holiday Activities in Omaha” – it’s full of great family-friendly events and ideas to make this year’s holiday season memorable!

Find out more about the following awesome events and giveaways:

 Nov. 14 – BLUEBARN Theatre presents “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)”  – Giveaway ends Nov. 23

Nov. 15 – The Rose presents “A Christmas Story” – Giveaway ends Nov. 30

Nov. 19 – Amazing Pizza Machine – Giveaway ends Dec. 7

Nov. 21 – Omaha Symphony’s Christmas Spectacular – Giveaway ends Dec. 7

Nov 22 – Ugly Sweater Run – Giveaway ends Dec. 7

Nov. 26 – Omaha Children’s Museum presents Santa’s Magic – Giveaway ends Dec. 7

Nov. 28 – Sky Zone Omaha – Giveaway ends Dec. 14

More from Oh My! Omaha:

Today’s Giveaways

50 Holiday Activities To Do In Omaha

Where To Go In Omaha With Your Baby

Being Omaha Family Dining Week, it’s timely to tell you all about the special exhibit that just opened at Omaha Children’s Museum: “Once Upon a Farm.”

Guess who grows all that good food?

This interactive exhibit tells kids how the food on the table got there, and the important role agriculture plays in their everyday lives.

Some of the cool features:

Slide behind the seat of a combine to harvest your crops

Wheel around a pedal track maze and fill up at the ethanol station

Plant and irrigate your crops in the miniature planting station

Learn about water and irrigation while playing under the kid-sized center pivot

Create your own beef dishes in the Cow Cafe

Separate and sort grain into large grain bins

Crawl through a two-story worm wall

Care for livestock

Hop aboard the Ag Express Train (must purchase tickets)

Broadcast your own forecast at the weather station

My friends and their adorable kids checked out the exhibit on preview night last Friday. All smiles.

If you go

Omaha Children’s Museum’s “Once Upon a Farm”

Where: 500 S. 20th St.

When: Through April 12, 2015; winter hours are Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (9 to 10 a.m. member-only hour); Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (open late until 8 p.m. on the first Friday of each month); Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Mondays, CLOSED.

Admission: 2 to 59, $9; 60+, $8; FREE children 2 and younger and museum members. “Once Upon a Farm” exhibit admission  is FREE for members and children 24 months and under; $2 in addition to regular museum admission for non-members.

I’m looking forward to bringing my kids to the new exhibit, how about you? Want some FREE passes to get into the museum? Omaha Children’s Museum has provided TWO (2)  family four-pack of passes (value up to $36 four each four-pack)! There are two ways to enter.

First chance to win

Update: Congrats to Kayla M. for winning the four passes!

One e-newsletter subscriber will win simply for being a subscriber! If you aren’t a subscriber, it’s FREE and easy to subscribe and you stay up to date on all the new openings, giveaways and inside scoop on good stuff to do in Omaha. Click to subscribe now and be entered to win. A random winner will be drawn via random.org Nov. 2, 2014.

Second chance to win

Update: Congrats to Katie H. for winning the four passes!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. A random winner will be drawn via Rafflecopter on Nov. 2, 2014, 11:59 p.m.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Omaha Children’s Museum provided museum admission passes for this giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

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