List of museums in Nebraska facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This list helps you discover awesome museums in Nebraska! Museums are places that collect and take care of interesting objects. These objects can be about history, art, science, or culture. They then show these collections to the public so everyone can learn and enjoy them.

Discover Nebraska's Cool Museums!
Defunct museums
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Discover Nebraska's Cool Museums!

Nebraska has many different kinds of museums. You can find everything from ancient fossils to cool cars and even places dedicated to famous people. Let's explore some of the most exciting ones!

Explore History and Pioneers

Many museums in Nebraska tell the story of the past. You can learn about the brave pioneers who settled the land and the important events that shaped the state.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Harrison is a fantastic place to see real fossils and learn about ancient animals. It also has artifacts from Native American history.
The American Historical Society of Germans From Russia Cultural Heritage Research Center in Lincoln is an open-air museum. It shows what life was like for German immigrants from Russia, with buildings like a chapel, summer kitchen, and general store.
The Anna Bemis Palmer Museum in York covers local history. It features rooms set up like old businesses, geology exhibits, and stories about pioneers and military history.
The Antelope County Museum in Neligh has a main museum, a log cabin, and a pioneer church. It's a great spot to see how people lived long ago.
The Bank of Florence Museum in Omaha is a restored pioneer bank. You can see the old vault and the manager's living area.
Boys Town in Omaha tells the story of this famous organization that helps children and families. You can visit Father Flanagan's restored home and a stamp museum.
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park in North Platte was the home of the famous showman Buffalo Bill Cody. It's a museum about his life and times.
The Cass County Historical Society Museum in Plattsmouth has exhibits on steamboats, pioneer life, trains, and old-time businesses.
Chimney Rock National Historic Site near Bayard teaches about the pioneers and their journeys west. It's a famous landmark on the Oregon Trail.
The Civil War Veterans Museum at the G.A.R. Memorial Hall in Nebraska City focuses on the American Civil War.
The Cody Park Railroad Museum in North Platte is perfect for train lovers! It has huge steam and diesel locomotives, a restored railroad depot, and old rail cars.
The Corps of Discovery Welcome Center in Crofton offers views of the Gavins Point Dam. It teaches about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, geology, and the history of the Missouri River.
The Custer County Historical Society Museum in Broken Bow features displays of a 19th-century general store and an early 20th-century drug store.
The Dawes County Historical Museum in Chadron is an open-air museum. It includes a general store, hospital room, blacksmith tools, and an 1890s schoolhouse.
The Durham Museum in Omaha explores the history of the western United States. It's housed in a beautiful old train station.
Fort Atkinson State Historical Park in Fort Calhoun is a restored fort. You can sometimes see people dressed up, showing what life was like there.
Fort Cody Trading Post in North Platte has a miniature Wild West Show and a Museum of the Old West with weapons and artifacts.
Fort Kearny State Historical Park near Kearney has a recreated stockade and exhibits about the Oregon Trail.
Fort Robinson Museum in Crawford is located at a historic fort. It tells the story of military life in the West.
Freedom Park in Omaha is an outdoor park with military museum ships and aircraft. You can see a submarine, a minesweeper, and jet fighters!
The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney explains Nebraska's role in the westward expansion of the United States.
Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice shows the impact of the Homestead Act and the lives of pioneers.
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters and Visitor Center in Omaha has exhibits about the famous explorers.
The Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte is an open-air museum. It has a World War II canteen display, a Pony Express log building, and an 1899 furnished house.
The Mayhew Cabin & Historic Village in Nebraska City is an 1855 cabin. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad, also known as John Brown's Cave.
The Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trail & Visitors Center in Nebraska City features a keelboat replica and information about the expedition's discoveries.
The Mormon Trail Center in Omaha tells the story of Mormon pioneers.
The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron explains the history of the fur trade industry.
The Museum of Nebraska History in Lincoln covers the entire history of the state.
The Neligh Mill State Historic Site in Neligh is a restored 1880s water-powered grist mill. You can see how grain was turned into flour.
The Old Freighters Museum in Nebraska City is a mid-19th-century house. It shows the importance of transportation in the community's development.
Pioneer Village in Minden is a huge open-air museum with 28 buildings. It has frontier buildings, early cars, airplanes, and farm equipment.
Rock Creek Station State Historical Park in Endicott has reconstructed buildings from a Pony Express Station and Stagecoach stop on the Oregon Trail.
Scotts Bluff National Monument in Gering features the Oregon Trail Museum and Visitor Center. It includes art by William Henry Jackson.
The Sod House Museum in Gothenburg is a real sod house. You can also see the world's largest plow and a bison made of barbed wire!
The Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island offers immersive historical experiences. Its Railroad Town is open from May to mid-September.

Step Back in Time: Historic Homes

Many museums are preserved homes of important people or examples of how people lived in the past.

Adams House and Cook Blacksmith Shop in Ponca shows an early 20th-century home and a restored blacksmith shop.
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum in Nebraska City features a historic mansion, a carriage house with old vehicles, and a log cabin.
Bess Streeter Aldrich Home and Museum in Elmwood is the 1922-1946 home of author Bess Streeter Aldrich.
Bowring Ranch State Historical Park in Merriman is a historic working ranch. It has a period home, a sod house, and a visitor center about Eva Bowring, Nebraska's first woman Senator.
Captain Bailey House and Carson House in Brownville are 19th-century period houses.
Cornelius O'Connor House in Homer is another historic home.
Didier Log Cabin in Brownville is an 1854 log cabin.
Dowse Sod House in Comstock is an early 20th-century sod house.
Dr. Spurgin's Dental Office in Brownville features antique dental tools and equipment.
General Crook House Museum in Omaha is an 1880s Victorian period home.
George W. Frank House in Kearney is an 1880s mansion. It also has artifacts about Nebraska history.
Hansen Memorial Museum in Curtis is an early 20th-century farmhouse. It's filled with china, glassware, antique furniture, and items from an old general store.
Joslyn Castle in Omaha is a beautiful historic house.
Mansion on the Hill in Ogallala is an 1887 Victorian mansion.
Nebraska Governor's Mansion in Lincoln is the historic home of Nebraska's governors.
Nelson House in Nebraska City is a Victorian-period house with local history displays.
Senator George Norris State Historic Site in McCook was the home of important politician George W. Norris.
Thomas P. Kennard House in Lincoln is an 1870s Victorian period house.
Wildwood Historic Center in Nebraska City is an 1869 Victorian house with an art gallery.
Willa Cather State Historic Site in Red Cloud includes the home of author Willa Cather and other important sites from her life.
William Jennings Bryan House in Lincoln, also known as Fairview, was the home of the famous orator William Jennings Bryan.

Amazing Art and Culture

Nebraska's art museums showcase beautiful creations, from paintings to sculptures and even quilts!

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha has three main galleries. They feature over 20 exhibitions each year, including video and performance art.
Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in David City is unique. It focuses on art about agriculture and farm life.
Carnegie Arts Center in Alliance is a community arts center.
Eisentrager Howard Gallery in Lincoln is part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. It shows work by university faculty and students.
El Museo Latino in Omaha celebrates Latino and Hispanic art and history.
Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln is dedicated to the arts of the Great Plains region.
International Quilt Study Center & Museum in Lincoln is part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. It has a huge collection of American, European, and international quilts.
Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha has amazing American and European art from the 19th and 20th centuries. It also features Western and Native American art.
Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City has changing art exhibits.
Kruger Collection in Lincoln, located at the College of Architecture, displays miniature furniture and decorative arts.
Love’s Jazz and Art Center in Omaha celebrates African American art, culture, jazz, and history.
Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln includes the Lux Museum, which shows contemporary art, craft, and design.
Marxhausen Gallery of Art in Seward is part of Concordia University.
Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney is the official state art museum. It's part of the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Robert Henri Museum in Cozad is the childhood home of artist Robert Henri. It has a large collection of his original works.
Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery in Lincoln, part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, focuses on textiles.
Rotunda Gallery in Lincoln is another art gallery at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln, also part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, features American art in all kinds of media.

Science, Nature, and Animals

Discover the natural world, from fossils to wildlife, at these exciting museums.

Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City has a family nature discovery center. It focuses on trees and the environment.
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in Royal is operated by the University of Nebraska State Museum. It's a visitor center for ongoing fossil excavations where you can see ancient animals.
Bartels Museum in Seward, located at Concordia University, has minerals, agates, fossils, and rocks.
Edgerton Explorit Center in Aurora is a hands-on science museum. You can explore many interactive exhibits.
Eleanor Barbour Cook Museum of Geology in Chadron, part of Chadron State College, has fossils, rocks, and minerals.
Hudson-Meng Bison Kill in Crawford is a site with ongoing excavations of a bison kill. You can learn about ancient hunting practices.
Petrified Wood Gallery in Ogallala displays ancient woods and fossils from around the world. It also has Native American arrowheads.
Pierson Wildlife Museum Learning Center in Neligh features mounted big game trophy dioramas.
River Country Nature Center in Nebraska City has nature dioramas, animal mounts, and Native American artifacts.
Riverside Discovery Center in Scottsbluff is a park and zoo that will include natural history displays.
Schramm Park State Recreation Area in Gretna has a fish hatchery museum and an aquarium with fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
Trailside Museum of Natural History in Crawford, located inside Fort Robinson State Park, has fossils from Ashfall Fossil Beds and the local area.
University of Nebraska State Museum in Lincoln, part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has fossils, dinosaurs, wildlife dioramas, gems, minerals, and American Indian exhibits.
Willow Point Gallery in Ashland is a commercial art gallery that also features natural history dioramas of big game animals.

Fun for Kids: Children's Museums

These museums are specially designed for younger visitors, offering interactive and playful learning experiences.

Children's Museum of Central Nebraska in Hastings is a great place for kids to play and learn.
Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk includes a children's discovery center.
Kearney Area Children’s Museum in Kearney offers fun, hands-on activities for kids.
Lincoln Children's Museum in Lincoln is full of interactive exhibits for children.
North Platte Area Children's Museum in North Platte provides engaging experiences for young learners.
Omaha Children's Museum in Omaha is a popular spot with many interactive exhibits for kids of all ages.
York Area Children's Museum in York is another wonderful place for children to explore and learn through play.

Unique Collections and More

Some museums have very specific or unusual collections that are fascinating to explore.

Boneyard Creation Museum in Broken Bow is a Creationist museum.
Classic Car Collection in Kearney is a must-see for car enthusiasts.
International Quilt Study Center & Museum in Lincoln, part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has a huge collection of quilts from around the world.
John Deere Museum in Tecumseh is a private collection of John Deere memorabilia, including toy vehicles and old farm equipment.
Klown Doll Museum in Plainview has a collection of clown dolls and figurines.
Kregel Windmill Museum in Nebraska City shows a factory and a collection of water-pumping windmills.
Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum in Lincoln, part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, displays historic tractor testing equipment and tractors.
Museum of American Speed in Lincoln is all about racing and hot rodding cars, engines, and parts.
Museum of Nebraska Major League Baseball in Saint Paul celebrates baseball history in Nebraska.
National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln has the world's largest collection of roller skating artifacts, including inline and quad skates.
Nebraska City Museum Of Firefighting in Nebraska City has historic firefighting vehicles, equipment, and uniforms.
Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center in Kearney also showcases firefighting history.
Pedal Clinic in Pawnee City has restored antique pedal cars and tractors.
Sandhills Museum in Valentine has a diverse collection, including pre-1928 cars, firearms, farm machinery, and even a calf with two heads!
Sallows Military Museum in Alliance has flags, helmets, gas masks, medals, and uniforms.
Tri-State Old Time Cowboys Memorial Museum in Gordon focuses on ranching and cowboy life.
Wheel Museum in Brownville displays horse-drawn vehicles and farming equipment.
Wessels Living History Farm in York features a 1925 period farmhouse, barn, tractor museum, and windmill on a working farm.

Defunct museums

Some museums have closed over time. For example, the Frank H. Woods Telephone Museum in Lincoln closed in 2018. Wildlife World in Gering also closed, with its collections moving to the Riverside Discovery Center in Scottsbluff.