The 5 Best Natural History Museums in Nebraska, United States

November 7, 2021 Major Galusha

Nebraska has something for everyone. From cowboys to wine industry, you’ll find many attractions when you visit this Great Plains state. If you are planning a family vacation to Nebraska, you won’t want to miss the Lincoln Children's Zoo in the state capital. Featuring more than 400 animals, you and the kids can see Amur leopards, Bactrian camels, river otters, eagles, crocodiles, reindeer, and more. At the zoo’s Butterfly Pavilion you can watch as butterflies emerge from their cocoon. The Aquacourt Family Water Park in Hastings features a wave pool, climbing wall and waterslides. In Omaha, Nebraska’s largest city, you won’t want to miss the Omaha Children's Museum. For history buffs, Lincoln is your place. This city is home to the Nebraska History Museum, with permanent exhibits that interpret more than 12,000 years of human experience on the Plains. You can make history personal in Lincoln with a visit to the Nebraska State Historical Society Headquarters, where you can research your family history. Omaha is also home to The Durham Museum, featuring restored train cars, 1940's storefronts and other historical artifacts. For a bit of Nebraska heritage, make sure you visit Front Street and Cowboy Museum in Ogallala and the Tri-State Old Time Cowboys Memorial Museum in Gordon. Learn about the area’s wine industry and history on a Nebraska Cork & Bottle Tour through Raymond, Pawnee City, Lexington and St. Paul, sampling fine wines and taking in the scenic views.
Restaurants in Nebraska

1. Hastings Museum

1330 N. Burlington Ave, Hastings, NE, Hastings, NE 68901-3099 +1 402-461-2399 [email protected] http://www.hastingsmuseum.org/
Excellent
65%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 112 reviews

Hastings Museum

Founded in 1927, Hastings Museum is the largest municipal museum between Chicago and Denver. Featuring a Theatre with a 65-foot wide screen and large domed Planetarium, we house dozens of animal species set in their natural habitats, allowing you to get an up close look at many amazing creatures! We also chronicle the history of the early inhabitants of the Nebraska plains, from paleo-Indians to euro-Americans, while providing a look back at the creatures that used to roam this area and swim in Cretaceous Sea. Of course you'll also discover how Kool-Aid, the famous soft drink invented in Hastings, came to be such a success.

Reviewed By maddiedean17588 - Nebraska, United States

This is one that I visited when I was in grade school. They keep it changing so you experience new items along with the old ones as well.

2. Trailside Museum of Natural History

U.s 20, Crawford, NE 69339 +1 308-665-2929 http://trailside.unl.edu/
Excellent
56%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 18 reviews

Trailside Museum of Natural History

Reviewed By alphawolfie - Guthrie, United States

This museum is not part of Fort Robinson and you will have to pay an entrance fee. The big draw of this museum is the two dueling mammoths. The ground level has nearly all of the exhibits while the upper level has the video that tells about the fossils along with the tale of prisoners trying to escape.

3. University of Nebraska State Museum

645 N 14th St University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-4807 +1 402-472-2637 [email protected] http://www.museum.unl.edu
Excellent
62%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 181 reviews

University of Nebraska State Museum

One of the Midwest's premier natural history museums, we are home to the world's largest complete mounted mammoth skeleton. Archie, our mascot in bronze out front, is based on this mammoth fossil. Touch his foot for good luck! Our newest exhibit, Cherish Nebraska opened in February 2019. It examines Nebraska past and present with digital interactives, collections displays, hands-on activities and a visible lab to watch our scientists at work. Other exhibits include Bizarre Beasts, Weapons Throughout Time, First People of the Plains, Paleontology, Geology, and the Hall of Nebraska wildlife. Our Marx Discovery Center (currently closed due to covid precautions) has tons of activities for kids, including a fossil dig pit, reading nook, discovery tables, dinosaurs, coloring sheets and more. Advance tickets available online.

Reviewed By nebraskasteve87 - Lemont, United States

I imagine some may not find this to be the flashiest museum in the USA, but it contains a wealth of unique exhibits, as well as some unique research focuses. As might be expected, it contains the best Nebraska geography and wildlife dioramas in the world. It contains a world-class woolly mammoth exhibit - possibly the world’s best (including the world’s largest mounted mammoth - “Archie”). And they just spent over $10m redoing just the 4th floor to focus on Great Plains ecology, climate change, geography, biology, zoology, archeology, etc. It’s very impressive.

4. The Pawnee Arts Center

106 Mill St S, Dannebrog, NE 68831-3182 +1 308-226-8286 http://www.thepawneeartscenter.org/
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1 reviews

5. Fort Kearney Museum

131 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847-7908 +1 308-234-5200
Excellent
50%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
25%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 4 reviews

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