The Durham Museum Celebrates Christmas at Union Station
November 27, 2020 through January 10, 2021
Time to trim the tree, bake some cookies, wrap those presents and, of course, visit The Durham Museum! Christmas at Union Station, presented by FNBO, is back for another year of festive fun. This long-standing tradition features Omaha’s official Christmas tree, holiday concerts and Santa himself. Although this year may look a bit different, the magic of Christmas continues at The Durham Museum and we hope you will join us!
Christmas at Union Station presented by FNBO is sponsored by Conagra Brands Foundation, Union Pacific, Mangelsen’s and OPPD. Special thanks to Norm’s Door Service, Terry Hughes Tree Service, Omaha Police Department and Duke Aerial. Media support provided by KETV.
Holiday Hours (November 27-January 10)
Wednesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM
Sunday, 12-4PM
Tuesday, 10AM-8PM
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
Visitor Information
All visitors are required to wear a mask and asked to practice social distancing while inside the museum.
Visitors need to use our timed ticketing system for admissions. Timed ticketing offers reserved time slots to ensure paced guest arrivals and moderated attendance levels. Each person visiting must reserve or buy a ticket in advance online or over the phone, including children and museum members. We recommend planning your visit in advance as some time slots do sell-out. Visit DurhamMuseum.org/tickets or call 402-444-5071.
When you make your ticket purchase you are selecting your arrival time. There are currently no time limits to the length of a museum visit, but the average visit is around 90 minutes.
Omaha’s Official Christmas Tree
See the region’s largest indoor Christmas Tree! Standing at over 40-feet-tall, this year’s tree was donated by the Ross Family (Jason, Fallon, and Harlan) of Omaha and will be harvested on Monday, November 16.
Here Comes Santa Claus…And Rudolph, Too!
Our brand new, socially distanced Santa experience will allow guests to still see Santa in-person while keeping kids and the jolly old elf himself safe. Don’t forget! Santa’s reindeer join him Tuesday evenings and Sundays.
Santa will be at the museum six days a week, November 27-Dcember 23! Tuesday-Saturday: 10AM-12PM and 1-3PM, Tuesday evening: 5-7PM and Sunday: 12-3PM
Events
Tree Lighting Ceremony – Virtual Event
Thanksgiving Night – 7PM
Tune into our website and Facebook page Thanksgiving night to watch our 40-foot-tall Christmas Tree come aglow for the holiday season. This 20-minute program features musical performances, a greeting from Santa and the countdown to the lighting of the region’s largest indoor Christmas Tree. All from the comfort of your couch!
Scouts-Only Family Night at The Durham Museum – On Site Event
Monday, November 30, 4–7PM
Scout families, enjoy the best of Christmas at Union Station complete with cookies, crafts and a scavenger hunt. Family-friendly, holiday-themed activities will make this a night to remember. Cost is $5/person (Scout, sibling, or adult). Registration must be done in advance and payment is required upon registration.
Holiday Cultural Conversations – Virtual Event
Friday, December 4, 4-4:30PM
Love our annual Holiday Cultural Festival? Join us for a virtual spin on this popular event featuring an introduction to Christmas at Union Station traditions and the museum’s 40-foot, fully decorated tree. Then, we will take a tour of the Holiday Cultural Tree display with help from local cultural organizations who are able to join us to shine a light on their own holiday traditions. This event is free, but registration is required.
Strings of the Season Concert Series – On Site Event
Saturday and Sunday, Noon-1PM, November 27 – December 20
Enjoy some of the area’s most beautiful holiday string music under the glow of The Durham’s Christmas tree. Talented local entertainers perform as part of The Durham Museum’s “Strings of the Season” concert series. Visit DurhamMuseum.org for performance listings.
Say Goodbye to 2020! – On Site Event
December 31, 10AM-4PM
Guests to the museum will receive the ultimate party-in-a-bag to safely celebrate Noon Year’s at home. Party hats, balloons, noise makers, bubble wrap and more will get you ready to ring in 2021! Plan a visit to the museum on December 31 to see The Jim Henson Exhibition and participate in a scavenger hunt to find the Sesame Street characters hidden throughout the museum. Plus…get a free party sundae at our Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain (while supplies last)! Tag us in your photos celebrating at home with your party-in-a-bag for a chance to win great prizes.
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!
Exhibits on Display Through January 10, 2020
Holiday Cultural Trees Display
A holiday favorite returns to The Durham’s galleries during Christmas at Union Station. The display 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.
Season’s Greetings, Omaha!
The Durham has partnered with six local organizations this season to unwrap the joys their programs bring to the holidays. In festive displays, these institutions (El Museo Latino, Lauritzen Gardens, The Omaha Symphony, The Rose Theater, The Community Playhouse and the Omaha Children’s Museum) will present tableaus of their programming and decoration for guests to discover. We hope this inspires visits to their sites and more!
The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited
This exhibit explores Jim Henson’s groundbreaking work for film and television and his transformative impact on popular culture. This comprehensive exhibition reveals how Henson and his team of builders, performers and writers brought to life the enduringly popular worlds of The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and much more. The exhibition features a broad range of artifacts related to Henson’s unparalleled career, including more than 20 puppets, character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, film and television clips, behind-the-scenes footage, iconic costumes and interactive experiences that allow visitors to try their hand at puppeteering on camera and designing a puppet. The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited is a traveling exhibition from Museum of the Moving Image
