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UNWRAP THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!

NOVEMBER 29, 2024 – JANUARY 12, 2025

Time to dust off those ornaments, bake some holiday cookies and deck the halls! Christmas at Union Station presented by FNBO is back, and we can’t wait to see you at the museum! From the 40-foot-tall twinkling tree to memorable events and Santa himself, you won’t want to miss all that we have planned.

Christmas at Union Station

OMAHA’S OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE!

See the region’s largest indoor Christmas tree, standing at 40 feet tall! This year’s tree is graciously donated by Mark and Joanie Maszk of Omaha.

Watch the lighting of Omaha’s official Christmas tree from our 2024 Tree Lighting Ceremony


Holiday Cultural Festival

HOLIDAY CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Friday, December 6, 4-9PM
Holiday greetings from around the world! Learn how the world celebrates this joyful time of year during the Holiday Cultural Festival. More than 40 local cultural organizations proudly display their crafts and traditional dress, while musicians and dancers perform throughout the evening. Hard-to-find ethnic foods and gifts will be available for purchase.

ADDITIONAL PARKING: Shuttle drop-off at the museum, is available at the Conagra Brands parking lot, 7th & Leavenworth Streets.

FULL DETAILS »

Participating organizations: Alliance Francaise, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Belgian American Society, Boys Town Hall of History, Chaima’s African Cuisine, Chrysalis Studio of Belly Dance, Columbians en Nebraska (COLNEB), Craoi na Tire, Croatian Cultural Club, Czech and Slovak Educational Center and Cultural Museum, Czech and Slovak Cultural Group, Daughters of Norway Gudrid Lodge #56, Dowds Irish Dance Academy, Filipino-American Organization of Metro Omaha, Flamenco Omaha, German American Society, Grand Patisserie, Hispanic Art Center of Omaha, Independent Order of Vikings Orvar Lodge #24, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Museum of Danish America, Nebraska Chinese Association, Nebraska Danzas Venezuela, Omaha Lithuanian Organization, Omaha Polish Home, Santa Lucia Festival, Scandinavian Folk Dancers of Omaha, Scottish Society of Nebraska, Sons of Norway, St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska, St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church Choir, St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church, Ukrainian American Association, UNO Friends of Japan with Omaha Sister Cities, VASA.


Santa at Durham

FAMILY NIGHTS WITH SANTA

Tuesdays, 5-8PM • December 3, 10 & 17
During the busy holiday season, The Durham Museum makes it easy for families to create special memories. Santa visits the museum on Tuesday evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Share your wish list with the big guy, listen to live performances by local musicians, create crafts and take part in the FNBO Elfie Scavenger Hunt. We’ll close out the night with indoor snowfall under the glow of our magnificent tree! Please note, the museum closes at 4PM for general admissions and reopens at 5PM for Family Nights.


Holiday Concerts

HOLIDAY CONCERT SERIES

Star 104.5November 30 – December 21: Saturdays (10AM-3PM) and Tuesday evenings (5-8PM)
Enjoy some of the area’s most beautiful holiday music under the glow of The Durham’s Christmas tree. Talented local entertainers perform as part of The Durham Museum’s holiday concert series. Special support for the concert series provided by Star 104.5 the Christmas Station.

VIEW CONCERT SCHEDULE

Noon Year's Eve

NOON YEAR’S EVE

Tuesday, December 31, 10AM-2PM
TICKETS NOW ON SALE!
** Advance registration is encouraged **

Children of all ages will enjoy this fun-packed bash with live music from Dino O’Dell and the T-Rex All-Stars, special crafts and activities. Ring in the noon year in your handmade party hat while enjoying the celebratory bubble wrap stomp and a spectacular balloon drop at noon in the Suzanne and Walter Scott Great Hall.

Due to limited capacity, advanced registration is highly encouraged. Register anytime online beginning December 2 or call 402-444-5071 by December 30. If space allows, walk-up tickets will be available at the door.

PURCHASE TICKETS

ADDITIONAL PARKING: Shuttle drop-off at the museum, is available at the Conagra Brands parking lot, 7th & Leavenworth Streets.

FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS »

 

VISIT SANTA’S CABIN

November 29-December 22
Friday & Saturday: 10AM-Noon & 1-3PM
Sunday: Noon-3PM

Bonus weekday dates before Christmas!
10AM-Noon & 1-3PM
Tuesday, December 17
Wednesday, December 18
Thursday, December 19
Monday, December 23

“Dear Santa, I wish you could bring me…”

Are your kids ready to share their carefully curated list with Santa? During Christmas at Union Station presented by FNBO, they’ll be able to have a magical visit with our jolly pal from the North Pole in his cozy cabin retreat. Plan a visit and see the big guy before it’s too late to get on the nice list! Children can choose to sit with Santa or give him a call on our old-fashioned telephone (apt for a history museum, don’t you think?😂). If using the phone, Santa’s elves will be at the switchboard to make sure you get connected to the big guy himself.

Kids can drop off their letters to Santa, too.

WHEN IS SANTA VISITING THE MUSEUM?

Santa Calendar

 

 

MUSEUM STORE SUNDAY

Sunday, December 1 • Noon-4PM
Get your holiday shopping started and support museums everywhere! As a thank you for shopping with us on Museum Store Sunday, we are extending our employee/volunteer discount of 25% off. But wait, there’s more! Take your museum shop receipt to our old-fashioned Soda Fountain and enjoy a “sweet” 25% off your order.

Museum Store Sunday discount is not valid with any other discounts or promotions.

Museum Store

give the gift of membership!

A Durham Museum membership is the gift that can truly be enjoyed all year long! From unlimited free admission to discounts on purchases in the Soda Fountain and Hitchcock Museum Shop, a membership is the best way to experience all that the museum has to offer.

LEARN MORE »

View Membership Options »


Shine the Light on Hunger

Throughout the holiday season, you can drop off non-perishable food items at The Durham to help support the Food Bank for the Heartland as part of Conagra Brands Foundation’s Shine the Light on Hunger campaign. Please help us fight hunger in our community and assist those in greatest need!

LEARN MORE »
Shine the Light on Hunger

 


SEASONAL DISPLAYS

Holiday Cultural Tree Display
This holiday favorite is one of the enduring fixtures of the season and showcases how cultures from around the world celebrate the holiday season. Each tree is decorated by a local Omaha cultural group and is accompanied by
interpretative text explaining the meaning behind the various decorations and unique traditions of each culture.

Log Cabin Christmas
Saturdays, November 29-December 28, 10AM-Noon
Visit our historic log cabin replica for a special look at how pioneers on the Great Plains celebrated the holidays. A docent will be present to show guests how the pioneers decorated, celebrated and gave gifts during their difficult winters on the prairie.

 

Omaha Union Station

Christmas at Union Station is Presented By

FNBO

Major Sponsor

Conagra Brands Foundation

Supporting Sponsors

Union Pacific OPPD Mangelsen's Douglas County Nebraska

Media Support Provided By

KETVSpecial thanks to DH Pace & Norm’s Door Service, Terry Hughes Tree Service, Omaha Police Department and Duke Aerial.


Admission

Adults: $15
Seniors (62+): $12
Children (ages 3 – 12): $8
Children 2 years and under FREE

Members: FREE!

BOOK YOUR TICKET »

Advanced tickets are encouraged but not required. Walk-ins welcome.


CHRISTMAS AT UNION STATION FAQS

HOLIDAY HOURS: November 29, 2024 – January 12, 2025
Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM • Sunday, Noon-4PM

Special hours
• Sunday, December 8:
11AM-4PM (Open one hour early for KETV Family Festival)
• Monday, December 23: 10AM-4PM
• Monday, December 30,
10AM-4PM
• Family Nights with Santa:
Museum reopens on Tuesdays from 5-8PM (December 3, 10 & 17)
• Christmas Eve: 10AM-2PM

Closed
Mondays (unless noted), Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day

Conagra Parking MapADDITIONAL EVENT PARKING: The Conagra Brands parking lot at 7th & Leavenworth, with shuttle drop-off at the museum, is available during the following events:

  • • Tree Lighting Ceremony, November 29
    • Holiday Cultural Festival, December 6
    • Noon Year’s Eve, December 31
  • GOOGLE MAPS

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Where can I enter the museum?
Entry will be available on both the main and lower levels for the Tree Lighting Ceremony, Holiday Cultural Festival
and Noon Year’s Eve. Entry for all other events will be available on the main level only.

How can children talk with Santa?
You can visit Santa’s cabin located inside the Truhlsen Lecture Hall. Guests can sit on Santa’s lap or talk with him from a distance on our “old-fashioned” telephone … you choose! If using the phone, Santa’s elves will be at the switchboard to make sure you get connected to the big guy himself. Then children have time to talk to Santa and tell him their wish list.

This activity is included with museum admission. During the popular Christmas season, we encourage guests to reserve or buy a ticket in advance online or over the phone, including museum members. You are welcome to see Santa during his scheduled hours at any time during your visit.

General FAQs may be found on the VISIT page of our website:

GENERAL FAQS

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS AT UNION STATION

Tree at Union StationBack in the 1930s, Union Pacific employees would select and cut a tree from along the railroad right-of-way in the Pacific Northwest, and then transport it to Omaha’s Union Station. In 1971, Union Station closed after Congress established the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, now Amtrak, to handle all railroad passenger travel. The building was donated to the City of Omaha. Union Station reopened as the Western Heritage Museum in 1975, and within the first two weeks the decision was made to re-install a giant tree in the main waiting room of the museum for Christmas. The Christmas at Union Station tradition was alive again!

While Union Pacific employees still harvest today’s tree, they haven’t had to travel nearly as far, as the museum’s tree is donated by a local family. Each summer we send out a call to Omaha area residents for tree nominations. Trees must meet a number of criteria to be considered. Durham staff then scout out each nomination, narrowing it down until the official tree is chosen!

Photo courtesy of Union Pacific Museum