OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — From the region's largest indoor Christmas tree to family nights with Santa, the Durham Museum is gearing up for another season of festive fun.
This year's official Christmas tree will be harvested next Monday. The blue spruce tree stands at over 40 feet tall and was donated by Janice Teegarden and Wayne Ogle of Omaha. Teegarden purchased the tree for $5 at Shopko in 1987 and planted it in her front yard.
See a list of events happening at the museum this holiday season below.
General Information
Holiday Hours (November 25-January 8) Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM Sunday, 12-4PM Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Special Hours! Open Late 5-8PM for Family Nights with Santa on Tuesday, November 29 and December 6, 13 & 20. Open 10AM-2PM on Christmas Eve.
Visitor Information
This year our Noon Year’s Eve event will be the only event during Christmas at Union Station to have limited capacity and required advanced registration. Advanced admission is highly recommended throughout the popular Christmas at Union Station season. Reserve your admission ticket online or by phone.
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 Janice Teegarden and Wayne Ogle of Omaha.
Here Comes Santa Claus
Children can sit on Santa’s lap or give the big guy a call on our old-fashioned telephones…you choose! Santa will be at the museum six days a week, November 25-December 23! Tuesday-Saturday: 10AM-12PM and 1-3PM and Sunday: 12-3PM. Santa also visits Tuesday evenings during Family Night with Santa: 5-7PM and during the Holiday Cultural Festival.
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!
Virtual Events
Tree Lighting Ceremony – Virtual Event
Thanksgiving Night – 7PM
Tune into our website, Facebook page or YouTube channel Thanksgiving night to watch our 40-foot-tall Christmas Tree come aglow for the holiday season. This 30-minute program features musical performances by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Concert Choir, Enjoli & Timeless, a greeting from Santa and the countdown to the lighting of the region’s largest indoor Christmas Tree. Gather the family on the couch and kick-off the holiday season with us!
On Site Events
Scouts-Only Family Night at The Durham Museum
Monday, November 28, 4-7PM S
Scout families, enjoy the best of Christmas at Union Station complete with cookies, crafts and a scavenger hunt (while supplies last). Family-friendly, holiday-themed activities will make this a night to remember. Cost is $6/person (Scout, sibling or adult). To register, visit our website or call 402-444-5027. Payment is required upon registration and advanced registration is required for this event.
Family Nights with Santa:
Tuesdays, November 29, December 6, 13 & 20, 5-8PM
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. Plus, be on the lookout for a snowfall in the Suzanne and Walter Scott Great Hall each Family Night at 7:50PM! Families can also take part in creating holiday crafts and enjoy live performances by local choirs and ensembles. The museum will close at 4PM for general admissions and reopen at 5PM for these events.
Holiday Cultural Festival:
Friday, December 2, 4-9PM
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we are thrilled to be bringing this fan-favorite event back for our 2022 season! Learn how the world celebrates this joyful time of year during the Holiday Cultural Festival. More than 30 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, Noon-1PM and Tuesday evenings, November 26 – December 20
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. Visit DurhamMuseum.org for performance listings.
Noon Year’s Eve:
Saturday, December 31, 10AM-2PM
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. The Noon Year’s Eve event will have limited capacity and require advanced registration. Tickets go on sale at 8AM December 1st.
*ADDITIONAL 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 Exhibits on Display Through January 8, 2023
Holiday Memories at Brandeis Department Store: It’s the most wonderful time of the year…if you like shopping, that is! For many years, downtown Omaha was bustling with shoppers looking for the perfect gift. Step back in time with this photograph display showcasing holiday shopping scenes at Brandeis Department Store. Also on display are ornate chairs used by Santa and Mrs. Claus at the department store and toys of yesteryear from the museum’s permanent collection.
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.
Download our apps today for all of our latest coverage.
Get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.
