The Durham Museum in Omaha's historic Union Station is a Midwest treasure trove, with a spectacular permanent collection but also home to can't-miss temporary exhibitions, and the summer 2026 visiting exhibits are SO good! I went with my family in summer 2026 and amongst other things, got to check out the Disney Archives: Heroes & Villains costume exhibit and the Nebraskaland 100 exhibit exploring the iconic local magazine. Both were well worth the visit, and big hits with my family. Here are some things families should know about the summer 2026 fun at the Durham:
The Walt Disney Archives is sharing some of its most iconic costumes in this amazing exhibit! In Heroes & Villains: the Art of the Disney Costume, visitors can see the intricate detail in costumes from favorite live-action Disney movies from many decades, like the oldest one I saw was from Return from Witch Mountain (1978), a few from the 90s, and lots from the 2000s and 2010s, plus more recent features like Aladdin (2019), Cruella (2021), and Peter Pan and Wendy (2023.)
The Durham Museum permanent collection shares a broad look at Nebraska history from prehistory to modernity, with an especially nice train collection (including full size trains you can climb on and walk through!) and a cute, old-fashioned soda fountain where you can grab a snack or a meal. It's open year-round except for a few holidays, and its inside location makes it perfect in any weather! Check out my guide to visiting the Durham with kids, or head to the Durham website
In 1926, the first issues of Outdoor Nebraska magazine were published, kicking off a century of stunning photography and inspiring writing about the natural beauty of Nebraska. The magazine was renamed Nebraskaland in 1964 and continues its mission of encouraging conservation and appreciation of Nebraskan nature into the 2020s.
The Durham's exhibit primarily features the breathtaking photos shared in so many issues of Outdoor Nebraska and Nebraskaland over the past century, with landscapes and wildlife to delight any of Nebraska's skeptics.
On display at Omaha's Durham Museum through October 18th, 2026
Heroes & Villains: the Art of the Disney Costume
But our favorite part was definitely the Cinderella costumes. There were a variety of Cinderella dresses, plus some from the Fairy Godmother and stepsisters, and my daughters (a preschooler and a 3rd grader) and I were all squealing with delight. There were glass slippers, tiaras, and gowns from the Rodgers and Hammerstein version starring Brandy, Into the Woods with Anna Kendrick, the Once Upon a Time TV show, and the Lily James version.
You can get more info on this exhibit specifically from the Disney Archives
On display at Omaha's Durham Museum through October 25th, 2026
More Summer 2026 events and exhibits at the Durham
In conjunction with these cool exhibits, the Durham has several special events planned throughout the summer including Disney Trivia, Fairytale Storytimes, and a special presentation on the evening of October 8th about Nebraskaland Magazine.
There's also a new exhibit called In Search of the Signers which opened late summer 2026 (after my visit, but I hope to see it this fall or winter before it closes.) That exhibit includes signatures from 49 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence along with other founding-father-related documents and artifacts from the collection of Omaha's Byron Reed. That exhibit will be open through January 10th, 2027.
More info on the Durham
The Durham Museum permanent collection shares a broad look at Nebraska history from prehistory to modernity, with an especially nice train collection (including full size trains you can climb on and walk through!) and a cute, old-fashioned soda fountain where you can grab a snack or a meal. It's open year-round except for a few holidays, and its inside location makes it perfect in any weather! Check out my guide to visiting the Durham with kids, or head to the Durham website
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for joining in the conversation! We can't wait to hear what you have to say. Some comments are moderated, so it may take some time for your comment to appear on the site. We encourage lively discussion, but will delete comments that are hostile, hateful, spammy, or rude.