Nebraska’s Cambridge Museum

Nebraska’s Cambridge Museum is the type of space that kind of sucks you in, in the best way.

Nebraska’s Cambridge Museum  

We went there with my cousin, artist Sondra Jonson, who we were visiting in Cambridge. Since Cambridge is such a small town, Sondra was welcomed by name. It made us feel like we were with a celebrity.

The building that houses Nebraska’s Cambridge Museum is quite unassuming in its appearance. Just a white exterior and a huge, 8,000-square-foot, open interior. But it was jam packed with artifacts and memorabilia from the Cornhusker State and surrounding plains.

Learn local history

We were quite pleasantly surprised by just how much local history we gleaned as we wandered through each and every display.

There were some really fun oddities on exhibit. Who wouldn’t tilt their head as they caught site of a two-headed calf? And there’s a whole zoo’s worth of taxidermy animals in a large, spectacular exhibit.

Interesting artifacts on display

Nebraska’s Cambridge Museum may be small, but it is mighty crammed with Native American artifacts, unusual farm tools, geological collections of rocks and minerals, prehistoric fossils of animals and plants.

You will also find displays of pioneer home settings and businesses that give you insight into early life in Cambridge.

Stuffed animals galore

Fun fact

Fun fact: Cambridge NE was originally named Pickletown! It was named for J.W. Pickle who laid out the plan for the town in 1870s. Then, in 1880 when the railroad was built going through the settlement, it was decided by the railroad officials to rename the town Cambridge.

The three of us continued to meander through the museum until we had covered every inch of the space. At each turn there was something new to delve into. I highly recommend that if life ever takes you to tiny Cambridge NE that you shouldn’t leave without visiting Nebraska’s Cambridge Museum!