Hastings Museum

The Hastings Museum sparks curiosity, invites exploration, and tell the ongoing story of Central Nebraska. YOUR GENEROSITY HELPS fulfill our mission to serve this community and greater Nebraska. We enrich lives, educate minds, and stir the soul through exhibits and programs that cover a broad range of topics from prehistoric eras to current events. The Museum offers a variety of films on the Super Screen from educational to entertaining.

Founded in 1927, Hastings Museum is the largest municipal museum between Chicago and Denver. It features a theatre with a 65-foot-wide screen, full domed Planetarium, and dozens of animal species set in their natural habitats, allowing an up-close look at many amazing creatures!

We provide a look back at the fascinating sea creatures that once roamed this area and swam in the Cretaceous Sea. We chronicle the history of the early inhabitants of the Nebraska plains from Paleo-Indians to Euro-Americans. Discover how Kool-Aid, the famous soft drink invented in Hastings, came to be a global success.

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, Hastings Museum is visited by over 30,000 people each year from 582 US and 6 international postal codes. It connects people to the world and universe through educational programs, exhibits, and films. Each year the JM McDonald Planetarium holds over 550 planetarium shows attended by more than 10,600 people and nearly 6,000 students from Hastings, Greater Nebraska, and Kansas visit through school field trips. Truly, the Hastings Museum inspires greater public awareness and understanding of our past to positively affect our future.

Testimonials

"A wonderful museum. A lot of history explained here. So glad we stopped. Thank you for a wonderful time."  - Douglas Hank

"The mix of local, state and natural history throughout the museum is awesome. The planetarium is pretty cool and if the kids get bored, take them to the nature nook! They'll love it, mine do!" - Dennis Schneider

"I absolutely LOVE the Hastings Museum. It is the go to spot for me and my kids no matter how old they get. There is always something going on." - E. Cox