Durham Museum

The Durham Museum (formerly known as the Durham Western Heritage Museum) is located at 801 South 10th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The museum is dedicated to preserving and displaying the history of the United States' western region. The museum is housed in Omaha's former Union Station.

History of the Museum

In 1971 after the establishment of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (now Amtrak), Union Pacific Railroad closed Union Station.The station was donated to the City of Omaha in 1973 and two years later the Western Heritage Museum opened. The museum closed from 1995 to 1996 for a $22 million renovation project largely funded by Charles and Margre Durham. For their contributions on the project, the Western Heritage Museum was renamed the Durham Western Heritage Museum the following year. On April 6, 2008 the Durham Western Heritage Museum became the Durham Museum. The change was driven by recent partnerships Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress and the National Archives which have provided the museum with a larger range of shows not limited to western heritage.^[1] The museum is an affiliate within the Smithsonian Affiliations program.^[2]

Byron Reed Collection

Main article: Byron Reed Collection

According to experts, "Byron Reed was one of the greatest collectors of the 19th century," with a reputation as a numismatist that is "largely unrecognized."^[3] According to Larry Wilson, a historian and numismatic researcher for the Independent Coin Grading Service, "The exhibit is an environmental museum where the visitors walk through a replication of the original Byron Reed Library. The coins are displayed in beautiful dark wooden cases that give the visitors the sense they are part of the exhibit. It gave me the feeling I was back in the 1880's sitting in Byron Reed's library examining his coins with him. The exhibit includes an abundance of historical information on Byron Reed and the times. I know visitors will be impressed with the quality of the exhibit and the magnificence of the coins displayed."^[4] Donated to the City of Omaha upon Reed's death, today the collection is housed at the Durham Museum.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• History of Omaha
• Union Station (Omaha)

References

1. ^ Palmer, Jane. "AT THE DURHAM Museum change reflects broader scope of exhibits Timeline". Omaha World Herald. 6 April 2008
2. ^ "2011 Pulitzer winning photographs on display at The Durham Museum". the Fence Post. 2011. http://www.thefencepost.com/article/20110617/NEWS/110619943. Retrieved 15 Jul 2011. 
3. ^ Gibbs, W.T. (2001) "Byron Reed Collection worth $7.9m - Patterns most valuable portion; 1804 dollar is top coin", Coin WORLD. July 15, 2001. Retrieved 2/1/08.
4. ^ "CG is chosen to grade Parmelee/Reed Specimen of the 1804 Silver Dollar - Original (Class I)", CoinResource.com. Retrieved 2/1/08.

External links

• Official website of the Durham Museum