Learning at the Kiewit Luminarium
Ready for some indoor fun (and learning)? Then I’d encourage you to explore the new Kiewit Luminarium Museum on the Omaha riverfront! It’s a hands-on kind of place. You and your companions won’t really even recognize the amount of learning you are doing, as you will just think you are having fun. 😉
The Kiewit Luminarium is a new Omaha science and technology museum that opened in April of 2023. With over 100 interactive activities, there’s something for everyone! I’ve been there twice and have noticed the exhibits have expanded in the past few months. While there’s plenty of things for the kids to do, I have to admit I had a blast trying things out too. I saw many adults of all ages doing the same. My husband and I visited last Friday at opening and it was busy, but not so busy you had to wait long at any exhibit/activity. There are two floors chock full of activities, a fun play area upstairs for younger kids, a makerspace classroom with a daily activity to do, and timed demonstrations. When I was there, the demonstration was dissecting a cow eyeball. I have vivid memories of dissecting things from my high school and college biology classes so I decided to keep moving. There was a full house of two rows of people of all ages viewing and asking lots of questions though. They were clearly engaged and didn’t have to smell the formaldehyde. Bonus! 😉
The museum has a cafe to grab lunch and snacks, plenty of accessible and family restrooms, and an inviting gift shop that would make shopping for science enthusiasts a breeze. I found several items I would like, but I refrained.
Outside the museum is a fabulous new riverfront playground with the most fun play structures I have seen outside of Disney World. Oh, to be a kid again! 🥰
While tickets are around $20 for kids and $25 for adults, there are discounts for teachers, military families, and those with a tribal ID. My husband and I went with a free digital pass from our (Council Bluffs) public library which you can reserve on the library webpage. While you need to plan ahead to reserve them, it certainly is a wonderful benefit. You might check if your library has something similar or request that they do.
Love science museums but don’t live near Omaha? Check out the links below for the best science museums in the U.S. and the world! While I’ve been to some of them, I’m adding the rest to my bucket list - that’s for sure!
24 Best Science Museums in the United States
10 Best Science Museums in the U.S. for 2023
9 Science Museums Around the World You Want to See
15 of the Best Science Museums in the World
A few photos and videos are below. Check them out!
