Durham Museum

Omaha's dining, arts and music scene

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Coyote
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Durham Museum

Post by Coyote »

Omaha's Durham Museum puts old space to use as lecture hall
Omaha World Herald wrote:The Durham Western Heritage Museum unveiled an early holiday gift for the city of Omaha today: a new lecture hall with theater-style seating and a stage. The hall will be used for distance-learning, lectures and films.

The museum turned a boiler room built in 1899 into the Stanley & Dorothy Truhlsen Lecture Hall, with seating for 256 people. The boiler served the railway stations predating the 1931 building that houses the museum. The area had been sealed for decades and was deemed unusable. After a $2.4 renovation that began in February, the 3,500-square foot area looks like it had been a theater all along. The only hints of its history are the masonry and limestone on the walls. Original archways are still there, and two are used as entrances.
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Zephyr
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Post by Zephyr »

That sounds pretty cool.  But it only cost $2.40 to renovate?  I could have funded that and had it named after me...
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Post by Big E »

Zephyr wrote:That sounds pretty cool.  But it only cost $2.40 to renovate?  I could have funded that and had it named after me...
No kidding.  The Save Rosenblatt folks should be talking to that contractor.

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Brad
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Post by Brad »

I wondered what the Kewit trailers were doing over there on the east end.  Sounds like a cool addition.
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Post by Coyote »

New movie hall, old Christmas favorites
Omaha World Herald wrote:As part of the Christmas at Union Station festivities, the museum will show "A Christmas Story" this weekend in the museum's newly constructed Stanley & Dorothy Truhlsen Lecture Hall. "It's a Wonderful Life" will be shown next weekend. The hall was created in an area that was a boiler room in the 1800s. The area was closed off for decades. Now it has been cleaned and remodeled. It has seating and facilities to rival a local movie house and a college lecture hall. It also has electronic technology for distance learning and two-way communication.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

I was told by a source deep within the Durham Museum that the Museum will be dropping the "Western Heritage" part of the name because it has so much more than the "western Heritage"  The new logo will just have a Big Durham and a little Museum coming off the big M in Durham  Something like this:

DURHAMuseum
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

I think that's a FANTASTIC change.  I've always wondered why anyone ever saw the need to throw "western heritage" in there.

And I love the idea of the "useum" coming right off the "M" in Durham.  It's a bit of a modern twist, and makes an interesting juxtoposition with the nature of the museum, the physical structure, and its exhibits.
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Post by nativeomahan »

Brad wrote:I was told by a source deep within the Durham Museum that the Museum will be dropping the "Western Heritage" part of the name because it has so much more than the "western Heritage"  The new logo will just have a Big Durham and a little Museum coming off the big M in Durham  Something like this:

DURHAMuseum
Thumbs up from me on the change!
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

The old sign has already been taken off the door above the 10th street bridge.
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Post by ricko »

Great move........classy.
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Post by thenewguy »

in the world herald today, there was a nice insert for the Durham Museum.  It outlined its history, what they have done to improve it, talked about the name change, what is coming, etc.  I hope they (someday) add onto it and expand some exhibits.  I haven't been there for quite some time, and though it was good back then, i think it is missing a little something that would bump it up to the next level.  It's pretty exciting though, I'm thinking of making a trip back there soon.  I'm glad to see they are progressing forward.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Here is the new sinage:

Image

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Post by DonutStopLover »

looks great!!!!

thanks for posting those.
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Post by thenewguy »

Jeez, i didn't think i'd have to go that far back to find Durham in the thread!  Anyway, my wife and i went there today (she had never been there, which i found shocking).  The scale of the building when you first walk in is highly understated, because the tree comes close to the ceiling.  It's when you get right up by the tree that you appreciate it all.  I love all the old exhibits that talk about Omaha from the 1800's through now, from how they powered their homes, news papers (Omaha had a lot more than i thought they would---too bad we only have 1 now), how they did laundry (only 2x a year, might i add), and so on.  There must have been a lot of buffalo (more than i thought) because there was a sign for the original police dept. and it had a buffalo on their badges.  The railroad stuff is still cool---it's awesome to think of how important Omaha has been in the shaping of the country.  From here, to Chicago, to San Fran.  SAC and world war II.  It's nice to see how important our local history is to the country.  If you haven't been there in a while, or just haven't been there, you need to spend the $7 and go.
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Post by annad »

I've been to the Durham several times in the past year, and I agree - the old Omaha history stuff is great.  What gets me every time is that crazy world's fair exposition thing that was here in 1898.  
Pretty good description and pictures here:  http://unotv.unomaha.edu/wte/wteov.html
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Post by Coyote »

CHOCOLATE: THE EXHIBITION
A unique tree in a lush tropical environment. A seed so precious it was used as money. A spicy drink and a sweet snack.  Chocolate is all this….and much more.  Explore the relationship between human culture and this rainforest treasure in Chocolate: The Exhibition created by Chicago’s Field Museum.

Chocolate will immerse you in a sweet experience, engage all your senses, and reveal facets of chocolate you have never thought about before.  You will explore the plant, the products, the history, and the culture of chocolate through the lenses of botany and ecology, anthropology and economics, conservation and popular culture.

The story makes its way all around the world, from Mexico to Africa, where more than 90 percent of the globe’s cacao beans are grown and, eventually, to the United States where, as recently as 1991, 96.7 percent of the world’s chocolate was produced. Today chocolate is a grand passion in much of the world.

And if all of that sets your mouth to watering, you can indulge yourself in a delectable delight at our Chocolate Shop, created exclusively for this one-of-a-kind exhibition.

Don’t miss the history of scrumptiousness! On exhibit at The Durham Museum January 31 – April 26, 2009.  
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Post by Brad »

Durham member email wrote:Friday, July 24th  5-11 p.m.

Thanks to the generousity of Mutual of Omaha, Omaha's favorite arts and entertainment organizations will open their doors free of charge to the public on Friday, July 24. Special programs, entertainment, refreshments, and trolley transportation between venues will be provided.

During this celebration, The Durham Museum will host an old-fashioned ice cream social on the parking deck with free root beer floats, music and dancing to music from Lennie's Dixie 5, a Dixieland Band courtesy of The Omaha Symphony and the Roundhouse Band. There will also be pastimes from the turn of the century including hoop and stick, hopscotch, egg carrying, checkers and jacks. Come inside and visit the old-fashioned soda fountain, candy counter and the special exhibit Moneyville.

For more information about Wild About Omaha Weekend click the image above or follow this link http://www.wildaboutomaha.com
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Post by Brad »

I just walked in to the lecture hall for the first time.  Nice place! I will snap a picture after the lecture of "Omaha and Council Bluffs - yesterday and today" .
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Post by Brad »

First off... The Durham has an exhibit right now of old Omaha Aerials.  Worth going to see.  It shares the exhibit space with "Are We There Yet" and the "100 Anniversary of the Boy scouts exhibit" Everything from before 480 to the construction of the civic auditorium.

Here are a few photos of the lecture hall.

1.  The entrance in to the hall.
Image

2.  From the top corner.
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3.  The Stage (My lens hood was on crooked... OOPS :oops: )
Image
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Post by Stargazer »

Very nice!  What part of the building is this in?
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Stargazer wrote:Very nice!  What part of the building is this in?
Its the very east end of the lower level.  Go down the stairs and follow the trains all the way to the east past the model railroad layout.
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Post by Brad »

Nature Unleashed
Inside Natural Disasters


http://durhammuseum.org/experience/exhi ... spx?ID=177
The Durham Museum wrote:The Earth sustains us, protects us, and makes life possible; but it also humbles us with its dramatic power. This summer, The Durham Museum is pleased to host Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters from Chicago’s Field Museum.  This dynamic exhibition, explores natural disasters through stunning displays, state-of-the-art animations, poignant, large-scale images, and cultural artifacts that reveal the dynamic relationship we have with the Earth.

Nature Unleashed focuses on four types of disasters – earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and tornados.  These phenomena are the spectacular results of the forces that drive our ever-changing planet. Nature Unleashed examines the science behind the history and headlines and illustrates how much we know and how much we are still learning about nature’s terrifying power.

Visitors are in for a memorable and powerful experience! Witness what it’s like to stand inside a roaring tornado; trigger an underwater earthquake and simulate a tsunami; create a virtual volcano; touch and examine rock and lava specimens that tell of past geologic events; discover how people adapt to living at risk; and be inspired by the resiliency of disaster survivors. Nature Unleashed will be on display May 22 – September 12, 2010 at The Durham Museum.
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Post by Brad »

If you have ever wondered about the history of the UP 1243, the Union Pacific Steam Locomotive in the basement of the Durham Museum.

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Post by Brad »

I caught the tree arrival today for the first time!

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Post by Coyote »

Nice :thumb:
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Post by jessep28 »

They should put a retractable roof on that building and drop the tree in from a crane.
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Post by Collin »

Awesome pictures! I'm excited!
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Post by Brad »

Here is a shot from Sunday.  It was super busy (and free)

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Post by Collin »

Great shot! Ive never been here before and all I really want is a picture of this main area and the tree, do I have to pay to get to this area?
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Post by Brad »

Collin wrote:Great shot! Ive never been here before and all I really want is a picture of this main area and the tree, do I have to pay to get to this area?
Thanks!  It was free last Sunday, but normally yes, the whole place costs monty.  I would have posted about the free day if I would have known about it before we got there.

I was also surprised to fined one of my photos in a display!
Image
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Post by Brad »

Durham Museum photo archivist finds history in small places

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130221/LIVING/702219932
Michael O'Connor WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:He knows that history overflows with wars, presidents and politics. But he also understands that history brims with people and places, like neighborhoods, old movie theaters or someone's grandmother. Bill Gonzalez tracks down those smaller pieces of the past, those local threads, in the vast photo archives of the Durham Museum. Among Durham staff members, he's the go-to guy if you want to find photos and negatives in the museum's collection of more than 700,000 images of Omaha history. He loves it when a hunt pays off. “It's a rush,'' he said. “It's a little bit like being a detective.”
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Re: The Durham Museum

Post by Coyote »

10 must-see museum exhibits this summer

Leif Pettersen: USA Today wrote: Baltimore: "For Whom It Stands: The Flag and the American People"

Dallas: The Perot Museum of Nature & Science presents The World's Largest Dinosaurs

Milwaukee: The Harley-Davidson Museum, the only Harley-Davidson Museum in the world, presents The American Road

Omaha: Design Zone at the Durham Museum, running May 24 through September 14, 2014, will showcase the behind-the-scenes work of how video game developers, music producers, roller coaster designers and others use math and science to do their jobs. Displays include a DJ recording studio, where one can learn how many beats per second it takes to get bodies moving on the dance floor, and a video game design studio where one can learn the formulas needed to create the on-screen action.

Phoenix: Build! Toy Brick Art at the Heard Museum

Pittsburgh: The Andy Warhol Museum hosts the exhibition "Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede"

Raleigh: "Rainforest Adventure" at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Richmond: Two summer exhibits in Richmond merit mentioning. Butterflies LIVE!, at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
How to Make a Monster: The Art and Technology of Animatronics at the Science Museum of Virginia,

San Diego: The San Diego Natural History Museum presents "Real Pirates" an exhibition from National Geographic running through Sept. 1, 2014.

St Paul: Ultimate Dinosaurs, running through Labor Day at the Science Museum of Minnesota
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by iamjacobm »

I am sure we could find some room for this at the Durham.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/31/news/ec ... ?hpt=hp_t2
Howard Buffett, the youngest son of the billionaire investor, said he was thinking of his mother when he paid $4.5 million for a trove of historic belongings left by civil rights activist Rosa Parks.
He said the Parks material would be turned over to an institution that would ensure its availability to historians and others.

"It has to be somewhere the public has access to it," Buffett said.
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by Coyote »

I saw that Rosa Park's belongins were on sale, I had no idea he would bid for them...
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by NovakOmaha »

Coyote wrote:I saw that Rosa Park's belongins were on sale, I had no idea he would bid for them...
Not so much on sale as a feud between her family and her friends. The items had been in boxes and storage. At a museum, an amazing museum, in Detroit they have the bus she was riding when she refused to move.

Anyway, good of Howie to make the move. It could have been ugly.
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by Brad »

5 Great Museums to Visit During the Holidays

http://www.midwestliving.com/blog/trave ... -holidays/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Midwest Living wrote:Durham Museum, Omaha The restored Art Deco lobby inside Omaha’s 1931 Union Station provides a dazzling backdrop to the region’s largest Christmas tree. Seasonal festivities at the Smithsonian-affiliated museum include a display of ethnic holiday trees, each crafted to reflect the traditions of Christmas around the world. On select days, the sounds of local musical groups resonate through the airy space.
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by Brad »

Over 120,000 photos of Omaha history now on Durham Museum's website

http://www.omaha.com/living/over-photos ... 7752f.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
By Michael O'Connor / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Finding photos online that chart Omaha’s history is getting easier.

The Durham Museum is continuing its push to convert its entire photo archive to digital images.

The public can now find more than 120,000 photos on the Durham website from Omaha’s earliest days to recent decades, said Carrie Meyer, curator at the museum.
http://durhammuseum.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by skinzfan23 »

Thought this was a really cool picture the Durham posted on their Facebook page looking down at the terrazzo floor.

Image
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by Coyote »

Speaking of Durham, I hear they have a great Egyptian exhibit going on right now...
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Re: Durham Museum

Post by skinzfan23 »

Looks like the Durham is following the zoo's lead:

Durham Museum admission prices hiked to pay for popular traveling exhibits
You’ll pay more this year to see the 19th-century steam locomotive and other attractions at Omaha’s Durham Museum.
The Durham’s admission rates will rise starting Jan. 30. Adult admission will increase from $9 to $11. The rates for children will rise from $6 to $7 and for seniors from $7 to $8.

The change is the first increase for the museum since 2013. Membership prices will remain the same.

The building itself is an important artifact, Brummer said, and this year the terra cotta exterior will undergo extensive restoration.

Attendance for 2015 reached 195,100, according to preliminary figures. That is the highest count since 2004, other than 2013, the year the Durham brought in an extremely popular exhibit featuring a life-size replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.
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