Omaha Children's Museum
4.7(4.0K)google
4.2(95)yelp
Family
Overview
The Omaha Children's Museum is a nonprofit children's museum located at 500 South 20th Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The museum has ten permanent exhibits and also includes many temporary exhibits called, "special exhibits." The museum was founded in 1977, originally located inside the Omaha/Douglas Civic Center. The museum later moved to many different locations until it moved to its current location in 1989.
Practical Info
MonClosed
Tue9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wed9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thu9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Fri9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sat9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-4 hours
Best TimeAn award-winning indoor museum for kids. To secure the best hands-on experience, plan your visit for Tuesday through Friday afternoons between 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM, avoiding the large morning elementary school tour groups and securing open access to the science labs.
Getting ThereSituated downtown at 500 S 20th St. Drivers can take I-480 into downtown and access the museum's dedicated gated parking lot on St. Mary's Ave. For public transit, ride Metro Bus Routes 2, 15, or 18 to the 20th & Douglas stop and walk two blocks south.
Travel Tips
- Geared towards ages 1-10, the museum is strictly closed on Mondays, with a flat $15 entry fee; presenting a valid Association of Children's Museums (ACM) reciprocal card unlocks a 50% ticketing discount at the counter.
- The front open lot offers high-capacity free parking; however, weekday preschool field trips heavily congest the staging lanes from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, making an afternoon arrival after 1:30 PM optimal.
- The interactive indoor Splish Splash water science exhibit frequently drenches clothes; despite complimentary plastic smocks on-site, parents are strongly advised to carry a complete change of clothes and non-slip socks.
Reviews
Positive
- A highly functional mega children's play temple! It houses a massive 'Science & Invention' interactive workshop and a creative auto-repair zone for high fun.
- The indoor multi-level layout is highly practical, featuring safe separate zones tailored for different ages, making it an excellent family kid-hub.
- Staff at the reception and interactive tables are exceedingly warm and friendly, and restrooms feature clean, well-maintained kid-sized sinks and tables.
- Admission offers great value with budget-friendly family bundles; well-ordered spaces keep high-energy children focused and entertained for hours.
Heads up
- Since the venue was built decades ago, some architectural fixtures and carpets look dated, showing age compared to newer digital science centers.
- During peak Saturday and Sunday mornings, the enclosed space gets overly loud and chaotic with heavy crowds, causing headaches for some parents.
- The dedicated on-site surface parking lot is relatively tight and narrow; during popular weekend birthday parties, late families must find street parking.
- The inside snack bar offers limited food choices heavily dominated by greasy fast food like fries, severely lacking healthy, nutritious green dining options.