HOURS UPDATE: The Durham Museum will be closed Friday (11/15) for a private event.

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The Durham Museum Celebrates Christmas at Union Station

11/06/23
November 24, 2023 through January 7, 2024

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.

Christmas at Union Station presented by FNBO is sponsored by Conagra Brands Foundation, Union Pacific, OPPD, Mangelsen’s and Douglas County, Nebraska. Special thanks to DH Pace & Norm’s Door Service, Terry Hughes Tree Service, Omaha Police Department and Duke Aerial. Media support provided by KETV.

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 Croy family (Steve, Beverly, Dave, Cindy, Erin and Allison) of La Vista.

Visit Santa’s Cabin
Visit our jolly pal from the North Pole at his cozy cabin retreat! Children can choose to sit on Santa’s lap or give him a call on our old-fashioned telephone during the following hours:

  • November 24 – December 17:
    Fridays-Saturdays, 10AM-Noon & 1-3PM; and Sundays from Noon-3PM
  • December 19-23 (the week before Christmas):
    Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-Noon & 1-3PM

Santa also visits during the Tree Lighting Ceremony, the Holiday Cultural Festival and Tuesday evenings for Family Nights with Santa.

*Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday, November 24, 4-8PM

(Tree Lighting happens at about 7PM)
Christmas at Union Station presented by FNBO festivities begin with the much-anticipated return of our annual, in-person Tree Lighting Ceremony after going virtual for the past three years! Enjoy loads of entertainment including live music from Michael Walker, cookie decorating, a scavenger hunt and holiday crafts, plus Santa himself! All the good tidings lead up to the signature tradition of the night — the countdown to lighting the region’s largest indoor Christmas tree!

Due to limited capacity, advanced registration is encouraged. Register at DurhamMuseum.org anytime or call 402-444-5071 by November 22. If space allows, walk-up tickets will be available at the door.

Family Nights with Santa
Tuesdays, 5-8PM: November 28 and December 5, 12 & 19
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 Cultural Festival
Friday, December 1, 4-9PM
Holiday greetings from around the world! Learn how the world celebrates this joyful time of year during the Holiday Cultural Festival. 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.

Holiday Concert Series
Saturdays: 10:30AM-3PM; and Tuesday evenings: 5-8PM, November 25 – December 23
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 holiday concert series. Visit DurhamMuseum.org for performance listings.

*Noon Year’s Eve
Saturday, December 30, 10AM-2PM
Happy “Noon” Year! Get an early start on your New Year’s celebration at this family-friendly event. Children of all ages will enjoy a 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. Tickets go on sale at 8AM Thursday, November 30. Register at DurhamMuseum.org anytime or call 402-444-5071 by December 28. If space allows, walk-up tickets will be available at the door.

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!

General Information

Museum Hours

  • Open six days a week: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM, and Sunday, Noon-4PM
  • Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
  • Special Hours! Open Late 5-8PM for Family Nights with Santa: Tuesdays, November 28 and December 5, 12 & 19. Open 10AM-2PM on Christmas Eve.

*EVENT PARKING: During select events overflow parking, with shuttle drop-off at the museum, is available at the Conagra Brands parking lot, 7th & Leavenworth Streets.

Holiday Displays and Exhibits

Log Cabin Christmas
Saturdays, November 25 – December 23, 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.

Holiday Cultural Trees Display
November 24, 2023 – January 7, 2024
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.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Christmas at Union Station Display
November 4, 2023 – January 7, 2024
The Christmas at Union Station tradition was reborn in 1975 after the Western Heritage Museum opened and brought back the wintertime celebration of a Christmas tree in the Main Waiting Room. Today, The Durham Museum marks the beginning of the holiday season with the arrival and lighting of a massive Christmas tree. Seven photos from the museum’s archival and institutional collections feature the various steps that make this event possible. The display also features a LEGO® model of Union Station decorated for the holiday season.

White Christmas – The Exhibition
November 21, 2023 – January 28, 2024
The Durham Museum is partnering with the Rosemary Clooney House Museum and private collectors Stephen and Heather French Henry to host White Christmas – The Exhibition. Filled with a resonating patriotic theme supported by unforgettable song and dance routines, Michael Curtiz’s musical film White Christmas (1954) became an instant holiday classic.

See film costumes created by legendary designer Edith Head, props and reproductions, sheet music, behind-the-scenes photos, archival materials, and more! The exhibit features some of the most iconic costumes such as the blue “Sisters” dresses and Vera-Ellen’s sparkling “Mandy” dance outfit. Whether you are a fan of the music, the costumes, the pageantry or all of the above … this traveling exhibition will be the highlight of the holidays!