Hastings Museum - Hastings, Nebraska - Natural and Cultural History Museum

Hastings Museum is a natural and cultural history museum located on the southeast corner of 14th and Burlington in Hastings, Nebraska. The museum is open throughout the year Tuesday through Sunday, but remains closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and hours vary throughout the year so it advisable to check before traveling. The main parking lot is located south of the museum with additional parking located east of the museum including bus and RV spaces, whilst spaces for those with disabilities are available close to the museum entrance.

It focuses on the natural and cultural history of Hastings, Adams County and the Great Plains of Nebraska with educational programs, exhibits and films. The original museum site in Highland Park was provided by Hastings City Council in 1926 to essentially house many artifacts and specimens collected by Albert Brooking including over 2,000 mounted birds. The museum was re-housed in its current building in 1939 where visitors could see exhibits such as animal dioramas, historic artifacts, transportation, general store and sod house.

The museum has been growing and developing ever since and includes a planetarium, which opened in 1958. Show times are scheduled throughout the week except Mondays, with additional shows given at weekends and during the summer. Shows and events vary throughout the year but include regular chances to observe the sun through specially equipped telescopes, or the season of light which runs from the end of November to the beginning of January.

There are many exhibits here including the Wildlife Diorama located on the main level next to the planetarium with life size examples of nearly 40 North American mammals. The Groundwater Discovery Adventure gives visitors an insight into the importance of groundwater to the development of the central plains, and encourages them to dig around and find fossils or view the Native American tipi. The are more fossils, rocks and minerals to be found on the upper floor including a quartz crystal measuring 16 inches high.

Also on the upper level are examples of insects, seashells, coral as well as reptiles such as snakes, lizards, salamanders, frogs, toads and turtles native to Nebraska. Brooking's collection of birds are still to be found here in the Bird Habitat Dioramas on the upper floor, featuring nine settings with geese, wetlands, cranes, eagles, woodpeckers, California condor, prairie, autumn and spring as well as a collection of over 200 birds seen in Nebraska. The diversity of the museum is highlighted by its collection of antique vehicles on the lower level, which include a 1914 fire engine, a wooden bicycle and horse drawn buggies.

There is also a movie theater situated here capable of showing large format educational films as well as new movies on the 35mm format. The museum runs various special events throughout the year and has school curriculum related programs with guided tours. Visitors can also purchase souvenirs such as books, posters, puzzles, pencils, shells and rocks from the Museum Store on the main level.