Visit Omaha’s Children’s Museum: Your Go-To Family Guide
Whether you are a first time visitor at the Omaha Children’s Museum or returning after some time away, this ultimate guide will provide you with a clear picture of what to expect when you visit.
From must-see exhibits to helpful tips for navigating the museum, you will find out everything you need to know to make your visit to the Omaha Children’s Museum memorable and stress-free!
Omaha Children’s Museum Location and Parking
The museum is located downtown Omaha, Nebraska at 500 S 20th Street.
It is less than a mile from the Embassy Suites Old Market, which is our family’s favorite spot to stay in Omaha.
If you are coming from the Interstate, it is about .7 miles from the exit.
The children’s museum has a fairly large free parking lot on the south side of the building.
Omaha Children’s Museum Parking
The museum does get very busy during weekends, summer, and holidays when school is out so the parking lot gets full. If you cannot find a spot in the parking lot, there is metered parking on the streets around the museum. Additionally, in the summer you can park at Liberty Elementary School on St. Mary’s Avenue for free.
Expert Tip
If you have kids that don’t nap, you may consider waiting to visit the museum until 1pm or after. This is usually when the morning crowd with younger kids leave for naps.
Omaha Children’s Museum Hours
The museum is open Tuesdays-Fridays from 9am-4pm as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 9am-5pm.
It is closed on Mondays and most all of the major holidays.
The Children’s Museum is occasionally open on a Monday if there is a school holiday.
I always suggest going to the museum’s website ahead of time to verify its hours.
Best Ages for Visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum
In general, I would suggest ages 10 and under as being the optimal age for visiting the museum.
It also depends on your kids.
My oldest son is so playful and imaginative so he is a child that will enjoy children’s museums at a much older age than many kids.
I would confidently say the prime age range for visiting is between 3 and 6 years old.
My four year old was completely in his element at this museum!
How Much Time is Needed to Spend at the Museum?
The amount of time needed to spend at the Omaha Children’s Museum varies based on your children’s ages, interests, and how much they are engaged in playing and exploring.
Most families should be able to go through the museum in a half of a day or 2-3 hours.
On our visit with our four boys ages 2, 4, 7, and 10, we spent 2 hours at the museum.
Omaha Children’s Museum Prices
If you do not have an Omaha Children’s Museum membership, admission costs are $16 for anyone between 2 and 59 years old.
Visitors 60 and older are $15 while anyone under 24 months is free.
If you visit during the last hour of the day admission is $7 plus tax.
Expert Tip
If you just want to check out the museum for a short time and desire to visit during a time when it is usually not busy, dropping by during the last hour for $7 is an excellent option for a budget-friendly and less-crowded experience.
Dining Options at the Omaha Children’s Museum
The Rainbow Cafe is located on the second floor of the museum next to the train and carousel.
Its menu includes pizza, dino nuggets, mac and cheese, hot dogs, corn dogs, chips, candy, and a variety of drinks.
The Rainbow Cafe is quite affordable compared to many other museums. Its entree only items range between $3-$6 while combos with a side and drink are between $5 and $8.
The souvenir shop on the first floor near the entrance also has popcorn, candy, and other snacks for purchase.
You may bring your own food into the museum as long as you eat it in a designated dining spot.
After our visit to the museum, we had lunch at Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe on Farnam Street. It was about a 4 minute drive from the museum.
Omaha Children’s Museum Best Exhibits
The following exhibits are ones that our family enjoyed the most during our visit to the Omaha Children’s Museum.
Imagination Playground
The Imagination Playground is the largest and most popular exhibit at the Omaha Children’s Museum.
This exhibit is perfect for children between the ages of 3 and 6 years old.
I do have to say though that my 7 and 10 year old had some fun here too!
Imagination Playground is an interactive play area with a Hy-vee grocery store, doctor’s office, fire truck and house, hospital, barn, bank, and the Platte River water table.
It’s a fantastic space for kids to immerse themselves in pretend play, mimicking the roles and activities they often observe adults engaging in.
Charlie Campbell’s Science and Technology Center
The highlight of this exhibit is the Super Gravitron which is a ball machine that is not only entertaining for all but also integrates various science concepts that provides a dynamic learning experience.
My 2-year LOVED putting the plastic colored balls into the ball shooter. He did this again and again for about 15 minutes!
Art Smart Center
The Art Smart Center is an unique exhibit that encourages creation and imagination.
One of the standout features here is the face painting mirror. Yes, you can do your own face painting.
The Moving with Light space here is also a crowd favorite.
Tinker Factory
The Tinker Factory exhibit is perfect for kids that are a little bit older.
This spot offers a hands-on-experience with kid-sized tools and often has guided museum staff assistance to help bring their imaginative creations to life.
The Tinker Factory is a great exhibit for kids like my four year old who always wants to help his dad with the hammer and other tools.
Zooland
Zooland is a cute little exhibit with colorful slides and play structures shaped like various zoo animals including a yellow kangaroo, blue elephant, green hippo, and orange camel.
This exhibit has a super interesting story to go along with it, check it out here.
Additional exhibits
Some other exhibits at the Omaha Children’s Museum include Fantastic Future Me, Walk Tire and Auto Service Center, S.T.E.A.M Cave, and Sandy’s Splish-Splash Garden.
Omaha Children’s Museum Amenities
- The Omaha Children’s Museum is fully accessible. There is an elevator that connects its two floors for wheelchairs and strollers.
- A family restroom is located on the first floor.
- The museum has a special space called the Wiggle room for visitors ages 3 and under.
- Drinking fountains are located near the restrooms on each floor.
- You can also find hand sanitizer available throughout the museum.
- The museum has a carousel on the second floor that costs $3 to ride. You can purchase tickets at the front desk, the Rainbow Cafe, and at the kiosk upstairs.
- Additionally, the museum has a super cute train to ride that costs $3 as well! You can purchase tickets at the same spots as the carousel.
- The museum also has a souvenir shop for guests to enjoy!
Tips for Visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum
- If you are visiting in the summertime, you may want to bring a towel, swimsuit, and change of clothes as there is an outdoor water play area.
- The best time to visit is weekday late afternoons which is usually when the crowds dwindle.
- To save money, plan on visiting the last hour of the day for a lower admission fee and bring your own snacks and water.
- Always verify the children’s museum hours before your visit.
So how do I rate the Omaha Children’s Museum?
I have been to A LOT of children’s museums. Comparing this to all of the children’s museums I have visited, I would give it a 7 out of 10.
Advantages to this children’s museum is that it has a couple of rides for the kids, an affordable cafe, everything seemed to be working, and it has really unique temporary exhibits.
We when were there, the museum had an entertaining dinosaur exhibit that was so awesome!
Compared to some of the larger children’s museums in the country, this museum is a bit small and does not have a huge outdoor exhibit.
Overall, if you have the time, I would recommend visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum.
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May you love your adventure! KW