We bring you life up close!
Founded in 1927, Hastings Museum is the largest municipal museum between Chicago and Denver. We feature a Theatre with a 65-foot wide screen, full domed Planetarium, and dozens of animal species set in their natural habitats, allowing you to get an up close look at many amazing creatures!
We also chronicle the history of the early inhabitants of the Nebraska plains, from paleo-Indians to euro-Americans. We provide a look back at the creatures that used to roam this area and swim in Cretaceous Sea. Of course you’ll also discover how Kool-Aid, the famous soft drink invented in Hastings, came to be such a success.
We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive culture that welcomes and values all people. The Hastings Museum respectfully acknowledges that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Pawnee Nation. We remember their continued connection to this region and thank them for allowing us to live, learn, and work here. We are committed to decolonizing our work. We will learn by listening to different voices, and be accountable to the needs of American Indians and other Indigenous people. We strive to promote awareness, respect, and acceptance of all people. We offer our respect to the Pawnee Nation and their past, present, and emerging elders.
Hastings Museum, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, connects people to the world – and universe – through educational programs, exhibits, and films. It inspires greater public respect for and understanding of our past and future.
Please feel free to contact Museum staff, check out Museum hours and admission fees, and discover what’s showing in our digital Theatre. Of course, we’d love to have you as a member, too!