Last updated: 4/12/2011
Kearney, Nebraska
Street Address
710 W. 11th St.
Kearney, NE 68845
Mailing Address
PO Box 523
Kearney, NE 68848
phone: 308-234-3041
e-mail: bchs.us@hotmail.com
web: www.bchs.us

Hours

Summer Museum hours
Monday - Saturday
10 AM - 6 PM
Sunday
1 PM - 5 PM
Sept.-May Museum hours
Monday - Friday
1 PM - 5 PM
Archive Dept
Monday
1:30 PM - 4 PM
or by appointment

Admissions

BCHS members have FREE admission.
$5 adult admission
$2 child admission

Staff

Jennifer Murrish
phone: 308-234-3041
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.

Educational 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
Lecture Halls
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: Yes
Publications

Buffalo Tales is the newsletter that is sent to the BCHS members six times a year.

Services
Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Group Tours
Exhibitions
Museum Events
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

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2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

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