Updated: 4/12/2011 
Buffalo County Historical Society/Trails & Rails Museum
Kearney, Nebraska
Description

The Trails & Rails Museum has six historic buildings to tour through, as well as livery barn and an authentic Union Pacific steam engine and caboose. The archive building is used by researchers all over the world. We have acquired the land to the west of us and can almost double in size. Join us for several special events through-out the year! We are located on the original Mormon Trail Route (current 11th St.)

Mission

The Buffalo County Historical Society is the primary institution with responsibility to collect, preserve, research, and interpret artifacts, documents, and published materials relating to the history of Buffalo County.

Artifact Collections

Artifacts that have a Buffalo County, Nebraska connection are preserved at the Museum. The Buildings and Train are also artifacts.

Research Collections

ResearchCollections=All Buffalo County, Nebraska documents are stored and preserved here to share through research.

Programs

We provide a wide variety of educational options:

Trunk Tales: A traveling trunk system with three themed trunks that can be borrowed for free (s/h has to be paid for by the borrower). The three themes are: 1. A life with a Pioneer Family 2. Life in a One room School 3. Life on a Railroad. The trunks have outfits for adults and kids; artifacts; hands-on activities; and plans based on Nebraska 4th grade curriculum. This was paid for by the Kearney Area Community Foundation.
Wild Science Thursdays: Edgerton Explorit Center of Aurora comes to Kearney on Thursday mornings in the summer to have kids experience hands-on learning of science and BCHS ties it in with history.
Ghost Hunting with the Midwest Paranormal Investigators (MPI): Classes are usually held the last Friday of the month during the non-winter months. Classes are approximately two hours long, followed by investigating all six historic buildings on property. This reaches new markets of guests and people are eager to learn the history of the buildings to know what questions to ask during the investigations.
Wagons West Celebration honors the pioneers that came across the trails in this area. The fiddle contest has really blossomed with this event! BCHS is also blessed to have many cultural entities partner for Wagons West and provide hands-on family activities through out the day in all of the buildings.
Trails & Rails Museum offers FREE school group tours. Call ahead, as the dates fill up fast for these! The first two weeks in May are always reserved for the Kearney Public Schools and the Trails & Rails Museum shuts down those two weeks for the KPS.
The 1/2 Marathon is another educational event that gets people out in the community. The route takes people by many historic points in town and is a great fundraiser for the Society!
Facilities
Performance Areas
Governance

The Buffalo County Historical Society has a Board of Directors with twelve members that each serve three year terms.

Library

Access: General Public, Students, Scholars, Staff Only, Members

Appointment required: True

Services
Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

Check our website for more details in early 2025

The OMA newsletter is emailed every month with updates on OMA events, museum news, other events, trainings, jobs, grants and more for the museum community in Oregon.

For more information, please email connect@oregonmuseums.org.

October 1 - October 4, 2025

Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2025 Annual Meeting

TBA

Reno, Nevada

Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles, California

AAM 2025 will focus on the theme, Museums & Trust.

Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

Participate in dedicated networking events and create connections that will inspire new ideas

Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

Network with AAM attendees and exhibitor

September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

RECENT UPDATES

Museums

04/09 Museum of Man in the Sea

Panama City Beach, Florida

04/09 The Mariners' Museum and Park

Newport News, Virginia

04/08 Roundhouse Museum

Egg Harbor City, New Jersey

04/08 Lake Wales History Museum

Lake Wales, Florida

04/04 Taylor Museum of Waco and McLennan County History

Waco, Texas

Museum Associations

04/03 Florida Association of Museums

Tallahassee, Florida