Make Your Date with History!
Holds ceremonies and receptions
AWARD WINNER (2X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Omaha's former Union Station offers a magnificent atmosphere featuring 65-foot ceilings and the beautiful restoration of the original Art Deco architecture. Everything is as it was when the station originally opened in the 1930s. Art Deco architecture, historic grandeur and decades of memories are just a few aspects that set The Durham Museum apart from other Omaha venues. From an intimate ceremony to a large reception, The Durham has all the “wow” you need to create a memorable event for your guests. This National Historic Landmark is truly one-of-a-kind!
Located at the south end of the historic Old Market, The Durham is within walking distance from downtown hotels and restaurants. In addition, you may choose from a wide variety of preferred caterers and vendors which provides flexibility for you in selection and pricing.
The Durham Museum is a unique wedding venue in Omaha, NE.
What You'll Love About The Durham Museum
Couples praise the wedding planning team at The Durham Museum for its thoughtful, helpful and accommodating services that made their celebration truly special. Guests are endlessly impressed by the beauty of the space. Browse the photo gallery to view the breathtaking rooms available in the venue.
51+ years in business
Speaks English
1 team members
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Settings
Ballroom
Historic Venue
Museum
Venue Service Offerings
Rentals & Equipment
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.056 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 7
Evann M
5.0
9/27/2025
I cannot imagine getting married anywhere else! It is truly the most beautiful place! We rented the entire building which allowed our guests to walk through the trains and exhibits...
during cocktail hour. The staff were all very helpful in helping to prepare for the day, answer questions, and ensure things ran smoothly. 100% recommend!
Laura H
5.0
9/10/2024
We had the absolute pleasure of working with Mary Celer at the Durham Museum to help coordinate our wedding, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her incredible support. From the m...
oment we started planning, Mary was thoughtful, helpful, and always accommodating to our needs. Whenever we had a question, she was quick to assist and always made sure we had the answers we needed. The Durham is a gorgeous venue that’s incredibly affordable. Mary explained it best when we went on our first tour: ‘Think of the Durham as the house.’ The museum is equipped with a list of trusted vendors, and Mary offered recommendations to vendors outside of that list, so we truly felt good about our decisions.
What truly set our experience apart was how Mary went above and beyond. At one point, we were searching for a niche vendor that seemed nearly impossible to find, but Mary took the time to research and find options for us, which meant the world.
If you’re considering the Durham Museum as your venue, you can rest assured that you’ll be in the best hands. Highly recommend!
Any questions?
Brian V
5.0
4/18/2023
We just got married April 15th. The price was extremely reasonable for the venue. Mary was super helpful and accommodating. A very positive experience for us. This was a beautiful ...
and prestigious venue. Would recommend to everyone
Emily D
5.0
12/14/2021
We had a fantastic experience hosting our wedding reception at the Durham Museum! The staff was so friendly and helpful, from the very first time I reached out about wanting to to...
ur the space. The space is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, and the different spaces were perfect for all the different portions of the evening. We started with cocktail hour on the Track Level, and guests were able to explore the museum exhibits, which is very cool and unique. We had dinner in the Grand Hall, which was very comfortable for our 300 guests. I was originally worried about the acoustics in this room, but we rented a speaker system that worked extremely well for prayers and toasts. Guests moved to the Swanson Gallery for dancing and desserts. We also set up some cocktail tables so guests could enjoy the band without having to be on the dance floor. Guests that wanted a more quite area for conversation were able to stay in the Grand Hall and chat. I cannot say enough about the accommodating staff and unique charm of the Durham. We would highly recommend this space to any couple planning their big day!
Carmen O
5.0
12/07/2021
I got married at The Durham a few weeks ago, and it was an absolute dream. The space is so gorgeous on its own, there really isn't much need for decorating, especially when the Chr...
istmas tree is up!
Mary was very helpful and attentive to all of my questions. She was easy to reach over email and phone, which definitely helped relieve any stress I felt. In my humble opinion, there truly is no place more beautiful to get married at than The Durham!
Brooke S
5.0
10/13/2021
Large venue that is a beautiful natural setting, requiring little decoration. We had our ceremony in the Great Hall, reception in the Swanson Gallery, and Cocktail hour Trackside. ...
It was great to allow the kids to play around the trains and guests were able to look through the permanent exhibits.
The staff was great to work with and day of they helped make sure things went smoothly.
Robbi B
5.0
7/02/2021
The Durham Museum was the perfect place for our wedding! Our guests could not stop raving about how beautiful the Durham is. On top of the beautiful back drop for our wedding, Hann...
ah is an absolute angel on Earth. She was so helpful and made sure everything went smoothly and even offered suggestions that were perfect. We could not have asked for a better night!!
Bailey P
5.0
5/07/2021
My husband and I were looking for a new space for our vow renewal since we couldn't have our real wedding the year before due to the pandemic. We wanted a space that was more us ...
as a couple (classy, elegant, met in a history class).
After doing some research on the internet and speaking to the event coordinator, Hannah Decker, she recommended the Swanson Gallery which was absolutely perfect!!! We only needed the space for our ceremony so it was everything we needed to privacy, a back room to get ready in, an aisle perfect for any bride. Not to mention she was very accommodating about letting us do personal touches. We didn't do anything big but we got to bring in our own arch, flowers, decorations, etc.
The day of our wedding though, Hannah was the ultimate rock star!! She was very good about keeping things flowing and checking in on our flowers (we got them from another place and they didn't show up until 10 minutes beforehand, yikes!). But she always reassured me that everything was going to be okay and we got this. Hannah was also just an amazing person to work with in general! Very personable, funny, gave great suggestions, even let my bridal party take photos through the museum. My husband and I really enjoyed our time at the Durham museum. We are so happy that we got to start off our 1 year anniversary at the beautiful building. Worth every single penny!!!
Caroline T
5.0
4/29/2021
Completely stunning venue. It's practically impossible for a wedding or other party to not look totally elegant and beautiful when held in this building. The staff was friendly and...
very accommodating. The rental rates are very reasonable, but you'll need to hire separate vendors for equipment, etc. So the only suggestion I'd make is to be sure to test out the sound system with your vendor beforehand. Due to covid we held the ceremony in the large main hall, to provide more space. So our sound vendor had some issues with managing the echo during the ceremony, and in retrospect it would have been good to experiment with this beforehand to get it right. But at the end of the day, no one seemed to mind that much since the building was so gorgeous and impressive!
Ashley C
5.0
11/16/2020
We had our reception here after our ceremony at the church. All the guests raved about how beautiful and nice the venue was.
Pros:
- Is absolutely beautiful and requires very l...
ittle decoration
- Wonderful for holding large amounts of people
- Multiple spaces allows for people to get away, but it's still centralized enough to where it's never too spread out
- Multiple options for food/drink vendors who are all reliable and have worked with the venue before
- Very organized, reliable, and easy to depend on (no fear of "going under")
- Staff/coordinators were very organized, helpful, and accommodating (even gave us lower part of musem for free to encourage guests to spread out for Covid precautions)
- Safe and well guarded
- Very centralized location/proximity to hotels
- Lots of parking
Cons:
- Acoustics in Main Hall made speeches a little hard to understand at times, but side big hall was PERFECT for the band/music
- Rentals are not included, but (2) reliable vendors are available to choose from
- Setup for a Saturday event cannot start until 2pm for the side hall and 3pm for the main hall
Kayla H
5.0
11/05/2020
Just walk in and you'll be amazed! The space is stunning. We had a small wedding (due to COVID) and used The Durham for both the wedding ceremony and reception. Hannah was so helpf...
ul in working with us to find the best options of how to use the space. She was by far the most attentive vendor I worked with, and was extremely fast with replying to my emailed questions. That was so reassuring for this stressed out bride.
Grace B
5.0
11/03/2020
Hannah is great to work with, very reassuring and knowledgeable throughout the entire process. Fast replies, extremely accommodating, very helpful. Even with all the COVID crazines...
s Hannah and the staff were all extremely helpful and flexible. I highly recommend!
Allison M
5.0
10/14/2020
The Durham Museum was so accommodating during the final weeks leading up to our wedding! They helped us plan how to socially distance our guests while still maintaining our origina...
l ideas. They were very professional and so so so helpful! Our wedding day couldn’t have happened without the help of the Durham staff. They are so lovely to work with and we are so thankful for their help and patience during this uncertain time of the pandemic!
Jaylee L
5.0
8/22/2020
We had our wedding there on August 1st, 2020. We were the first wedding since things shut down. Hannah did a great job; even with COVID restrictions are wedding was perfect. Ever...
ything went smoothly, and guests were respectful of COVID restrictions. We loved that guests were able to go through the exhibits all night long if they wanted. I loved having my wedding here at the Durham. We used Elegant Edge Events for catering, and they also did a great job.
Rachel M
5.0
8/19/2020
We had a great experience planning our wedding with museum staff & the day itself was amazing. The museum staff was excellent & was willing to help with whatever we needed. We ut...
ilized Abraham Catering & also had a great experience (great food & exceptional staff).
Madeline G
5.0
1/29/2020
The Durham Museum speaks for itself. It is definitely one of the prettiest, and most stunning venues in Omaha. We hosted our reception back in the Swanson Gallery, which was perfec...
t for our Winter/Christmas wedding of around 200 people. The room fit us perfectly, and would have had plenty room for more if needed. Both Annabelle and Hannah, the Rental/Event Managers, were extremely responsive and helpful. Throughout our planning process Annabelle changed roles, and our reception was handed off to Hannah. They did not skip a beat. You have to provide all your own equipment, chairs, tables, etc. but I really found that as a way to further customize everything and cost savings with being able to use any caterer of your choice. I would definitely choose the Durham again if I were to go back in time!
Sarah P
5.0
1/20/2020
My husband and I got married at the Durham in December 2019 and it was wonderful! Hannah and her team were really helpful through the entire process. We booked our date 18 months i...
n advance so if you plan on having a holiday wedding (or any wedding) I would book it as far in advance as possible because it books quickly. Tables, chairs, catering, etc. are all separate which can be quite the task but it's also nice being able to bring in whatever caterer you want which was important to us. It's decorated beautifully for the holidays and we barely had to decorate the venue at all, partially due to the massive beautiful tree hanging from the ceiling :)
If you're willing to put in a little extra effort with the additional vendors this venue is a classic, must-have for the perfect wedding!
Mallory T
5.0
12/10/2019
The best word I can use to describe my wedding and reception at The Durham Museum is...PERFECT!!
I highly recommend checking out the museum to see if it is for you too!!
Eliezer V
5.0
11/15/2019
My wife and I fell in love with the Durham museum! We got married at this wonderful location on 10/11/19 and it was an experience unlike any other. Hannah and her team were amazing...
, communicative and easy to work with. Our guests were so impressed with the Durham as well. If you happen to be looking for somewhere you can hold a wedding and reception - look no further as the Durham truly is a memorable location.
Thank you!!
Claire C
5.0
10/30/2019
We knew the Durham was the perfect location for our ceremony and reception when we walked in for our first visit. The staff we worked with was knowledgeable and friendly, which mad...
e the planning a breeze. Our guests loved being able to walk through the museum during the cocktail hour, and getting treats from the Soda Shoppe for dessert. Because the building itself is so beautiful, we didn't need to have any additional decorations and still achieved the art deco/vintage look we were going for. I would absolutely recommend this location, it is gorgeous, has phenomenal staff, and something for all of your guests to enjoy.
Erin B
5.0
7/09/2019
Had an excellent experience at the Durham. There are some logistical issues with it being a historical site, however overall it was a wonderful experience and everyone had a fantas...
tic time.
Erin R
5.0
1/15/2019
Growing up, the Durham Museum has always been one of my family's favorite attractions in Omaha. As soon as I got engaged, I knew the Durham was my ideal wedding venue- downtown, h...
istoric and a unique setting; this venue couldn't be more perfect for our wedding. This art deco architectural wonder is a breathtaking space that already has so much detail and beauty; there really isn't much decorating needed. The staff were helpful and easy to communicate with from day one. We had our ceremony in the West End and our reception in the Great Hall. The space is so large and versatile, there are various layout options. We, as well as our guests, were completely mesmerized by how beautiful our wedding looked against such a stunning backdrop. The Durham Museum perfectly made our Winter Wonderland- Holiday Sparkle wedding dream a reality! Thank you!
Response from The Durham Museum on 01/15/2019
Love this! Thank you for the kind review and for letting us be part of your special day!
Amanda J
5.0
1/05/2019
The Durham is truly the most beautiful place to get married! My husband and I wanted to get married somewhere that had character and that would WOW people and the Durham hit the na...
il on the head. I love winter so we got married in December which is also when they have their beautiful Christmas tree up. We rented the entire great hall plus the soda shop which was a HUGE hit to all of our guests! We had a nice flow and plenty of space to have the ceremony and reception there, and with a December wedding it was nice for our guests to not have to drive anywhere after the ceremony to get to a separate reception hall. Annabelle, the event coordinator, was awesome throughout the entire process. Anytime we had questions she was quick to respond and also gave a lot of great recommendations for food/drink vendors. We live in Kansas City and when we were wanting to schedule a last minute walk through at the Durham she made sure to make time for us. Honestly, any interaction we had with anyone there was great and they were all helpful. Another great thing about getting married there is that you don’t need to decorate because the beauty of the building speaks for itself. If I had to do it all over again, without a doubt I would still pick the Durham.
Kelsey M
5.0
12/05/2018
The Durham was definitely one of our best decisions!! It is definitely a little more work than renting a golf course/ballroom/etc, because you have to bring everything in (tables, ...
chairs, linens, catering, bar, everything) but it is SO WORTH IT. I can’t tell you how many compliments I got on the venue, it’s truly just so beautiful!! Annabelle was lovely to work with, as was everyone else we encountered. I can’t recommend the Durham enough!!
Response from The Durham Museum on 12/05/2018
Thank you so much Kelsey! We loved working with you as well and we are honored that we go...
t to be part of your special day!
Trudy W
5.0
11/24/2018
Easy to work with, was able to get in on time. loved this unique reception site!
Katie S
5.0
11/12/2018
The Durham is an amazing venue! So many of our guests kept mentioning how beautiful the building is and how cool it was that they did weddings/receptions. Annabelle, and the rest o...
f The Durham staff were super helpful throughout the process, even when I had a million questions 🙂. I will definitely be recommending The Durham to any future engaged couples that I know!
Lacy B
5.0
10/30/2018
I was definitely happy with choosing the Durham museum for my wedding and reception. It was the perfect venue and exactly what we were looking for. It was the perfect venue because...
it’s so beautiful and historic itself. We had SO many flowers in the Swanson gallery it smelled like a florist shop. We were able to choose our own vendors with no extra fee; it’s exactly what we wanted with a venue and the Durham went above and beyond to make everything smooth.
Elizabeth A
5.0
10/11/2018
We can not say enough great things about the Durham Museum as a wedding venue. My husband and I had a pretty large wedding (370 people) and we were definitely nervous about the log...
istics of such a large group in the space :) Everything worked out wonderfully! We had cocktail hour and dancing in the Swanson, with dinner in the main area. The space itself is so amazing that bringing in outside decor only enhances everything. The natural light, high ceilings, marble floors...all of it creates such a unique, beautiful, and romantic event. We are from out of town but worked with Ashley initially and then Annabelle; they both made the process as seamless as possible including meeting with us whenever we were in town to do walk-throughs and answer questions. As others have mentioned, if you have an event here you are only renting the space and have to bring in all vendors (bar, caterer, related rentals, etc) however most groups in the area are experienced with this and it was not a problem. We have gotten SO much excellent feedback from our guests and have been told by many that our wedding venue was the most beautiful they have ever seen. We loved our experience with the Durham and highly recommend to anyone looking!
Ben C
5.0
9/09/2018
Awesome service! They made our wedding reception smooth! We rented the Swanson Gallery, and when the time during the day didn't work and we had to move to the evening, they still...
gave us the daytime rate! Even when certain details wouldn't work out or weren't according to their policies, they still found a way to make almost everything work!
Response from The Durham Museum on 09/10/2018
Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day, Ben! Congratulations again!
Amanda C
5.0
9/04/2018
Perfect wedding reception location. I barely decorated and everyone said it was one of the most beautiful they'd ever seen. The staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful. I fel...
t very supported througout the whole process. Our photos there were superb as well. You couldn't ask for a more gorgeous back drop!
Response from The Durham Museum on 09/04/2018
Thank you for the kind review and for letting us be a part of your special day!
Tess B
5.0
9/01/2018
I got married at The Durham this summer! I have received so many compliments on how my wedding and reception were just so beautiful and stunning! The Durham just fit perfectly with...
my wedding vision! I could not have picked a better place to get married! Thank you so much!
Response from The Durham Museum on 09/04/2018
Thank you Tess and Congratulations!! Glad we got to be a part of it!
Lauren S
5.0
6/06/2018
I may be biased, but this is the most beautiful place to hold a reception in all of Omaha. My husband and I got married at our church (although you can have the ceremony here), and...
then had our reception in the great hall with dancing in the Swanson and our cocktail hour on the track level, where guests could enjoy food and beverages while walking through the exhibits. I had people come up to me after the wedding and tell me it was the best venue they've ever been to. You do need to find vendors to bring in everything - food, tables, chairs, etc. but most of them have been at the Durham and know what they're doing. One of the best parts about the Durham is that it's already naturally beautiful so you need very little decor. Do yourself and your guests a favor and get married here!
Response from The Durham Museum on 06/06/2018
What a wonderful review! Thank you for the kind words and for letting us be a part of you...
r big day! Congratulations again!!
Melissa S
5.0
5/11/2018
The one goal my husband and I had for our wedding venue was that it needed to be amazing on its own, because we didn’t want to pay to decorate a generic reception hall. You can’t ...
go wrong with the Durham! We rented the entire museum, holding our ceremony in the Great Hall upstairs, and our reception Trackside downstairs. Our guests were able to view the permanent exhibits throughout the night, and between the museum and the Soda Fountain, our guests were never bored. Everyone I talked to at the museum was very helpful, and worked seamlessly with our wedding planner (Jen Mrsny with Cherry On Top Events by Jen).
Response from The Durham Museum on 05/14/2018
Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!! We were honored to be a part of your special day!
Alexandra O
5.0
11/08/2017
The Durham Museum was the perfect location to have our wedding, and it provided us with a beautiful and unique backdrop, especially for our many out-of-town wedding guests who were...
experiencing Omaha for the first time. Ashley and the staff were great to work with and extremely detailed and responsive; they really made sure all of our needs were taken care of! Overall it was a wonderful experience and spectacular venue. Highly recommended!
Response from The Durham Museum on 11/09/2017
Thank you for this wonderful review and for letting us share in your special day!
Christine M
5.0
11/07/2017
It was much more simple than we thought the process was going to be. We were worried about getting everything done in time considering we had to rent all tables and chairs but the...
Durham and the workers made it very possible for us to get done what we needed to. I got so many compliments on how beautiful and classy my wedding was with it being at the Durham and highly recommend this to anyone!
Response from The Durham Museum on 11/07/2017
Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day! Congratulations again!
Emily H
5.0
6/11/2017
The Durham was wonderful! I've wanted to get married there for 20 years. My wedding was perfect!
Response from The Durham Museum on 11/07/2017
Yay! We love this. Thanks for letting us share in your special day!
Sara W
5.0
12/15/2016
The Durham is a beautiful and historical setting that is so original. We were so happy with our decision to do both our ceremony and reception here. We are still getting compliment...
s weeks later! I would highly recommend this venue.
Bri M
5.0
6/17/2016
We wanted a jaw-dropping reception venue and we got that with the Durham Museum. As transplants to Nebraska, we wanted to give our family and friends a true Omaha experience. They ...
absolutely loved the Durham and enjoyed staying downtown (we had room blocks at the Embassy Suites and DoubleTree). We had our dinner in the Great Hall and dance in the Swanson Gallery, it worked great!
Alicia C
4.0
12/03/2015
This is such a beautiful venue! I loved the historical and unique setting it provided as a venue.
We considered this location for a December 27th wedding. The size was ideal howe...
ver it was nerve-racking thinking of setting up the reception space with tables and chairs in the event of a ice storm. I preferred a place that already provided such amenities. If it were a different time of year, it may have worked better. This venue allows plenty of space for a creative mind to do their magic.
Cost-Day rate on a Saturday.
Jenna K
2.0
7/25/2015
When we booked the Durham for our wedding and reception venue we took a leap of faith. The site is beautiful. The downsides: the staff is very unhelpful and absent the night of the...
wedding. The turn over in staff did not go well and much of our information was lost. I would proceed with caution.
ashley g
5.0
8/02/2014
Such a beautiful venue for our reception! We had a vintage theme over Independence Day weekend and the Durham was the perfect choice!
Katie M
5.0
9/24/2013
We could not have chosen a more beautiful, timeless location for our wedding reception. Our guests enjoyed the spacious venue with room for sitting, dancing, the bar, catering, ple...
ntiful parking, large, clean bathrooms, etc. The tall ceilings, natural light, and amazing character of the building mean little to no decorations needed. We used simple green centerpieces and white linens - the Durham really speaks for itself. The staff was friendly and helpful when answering questions and doing walk-throughs before the big day. The Durham Museum's Downtown/Old Market location was perfect for all of our out-of-town guests - very close to hotels, restaurants, and the bar scene.
Kelsey S
5.0
5/27/2013
I have no bad things to say about the Durham. It is such a beautiful venue! All of our friends and family loved it! If you have ever walked in the Durham and absolutely fallen in l...
ove with it, just do it!
Agnes C
4.0
5/16/2013
The Durham Museum is the ideal location for any reception. The art-deco architecture is exactly what we were looking for. Because we had about 100 guests, we were able to use the s...
mall hall and separate the bar and photobooth at the baggage claim area. This was great since people could get away from the music.
Only downside is working with the person in charge or reservations. She is very nice but can be hard to reach at times.
Alana W
5.0
5/14/2013
It was a fantastic, beautiful setting for my classic wedding. We couldn't have asked for a better venue!
Amy M
5.0
12/26/2012
We visited a number of places in Omaha before we fell in love with this place. We used the Swanson Gallery, which was perfect for our umber of guests. We also took pictures downsta...
irs with the trains that turned out great. The staff was friendly, and Lori was really awesome to work with in setting up the place. On top of all that the location was perfect. Right downtown and within walking distance of Embassey Suites.
Chelsea K
5.0
11/29/2012
My husband and I got Married at the Durham Western Heritage Museum in November. We have had a lot of weddings in our family recently and we wanted something different. We also want...
ed a place that was beautiful on its own, so we could save money on decorations. We decided on the stunning Museum. We received so many compliments on the venue, it was beautiful, historical, and different! Our families have said it was one of the most unique and beautiful weddings they have ever been too. The team at the museum made the process painless and easy. We HIGHLY recommend the Museum to anyone looking for something a little different, great value and gorgeous.
Alana w
5.0
11/13/2012
The Durham was such a beautiful venue & at a reasonable price!
Sara C
4.0
9/10/2012
Great place. Beautiful and versatile space with plenty of room, very unique and doesn't need much decorating since it is already so beautiful!
Things to note: They don't have t...
heir own tables/chairs/etc. so you need to rent all that, an extra cost we didn't completely figure in originally. Also, there is a $500 fee to serve red wine here, which I found really annoying.
kim a
4.0
3/26/2012
Beautiful location for a wedding. It was however hard to get call-backs.
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