Visit – Hot Shops Art Center

Welcome to the Hot Shops Art Center – Omaha’s original art factory and home to the region’s largest artist collective.

What You’ll Experience

Step into a working creative ecosystem where more than 100 artists create, collaborate, and inspire. Spread across three floors, the Hot Shops is not a gallery in the traditional sense – it’s a vibrant hive of activity where you can:

Wander and Wonder: Stroll through open studios, peek into the creative process, and engage with artists at work.
Explore Fiery Arts: Witness the power of our four anchor studios – pottery, glassblowing, iron forging, and metal casting – where fire and imagination come together in visually stunning ways.
Discover Diverse Mediums: From painting and photography to jewelry, fiber, and sculpture, every studio holds something different.
View Rotating Exhibits: Visit our galleries and exhibition spaces to see the latest showcases of local and regional talent.

Take a virtual tour >

When to Visit

We are open to the public seven days a week. While not all artists keep regular hours, there’s always something to see.

Best Time to Visit

Weekday afternoons and weekends typically offer the most open studios.
For a more interactive experience, visit during one of our public events.

Admission

Free. Always.
Donations are welcome and support our programs and community outreach.

What to Know Before You Come

Time Needed: Plan to spend about one hour exploring all three floors.
Accessibility: The building is ADA accessible, the main entrance is on 13th Street, under the J. Doe and we have elevator access to all levels.
Parking: Free street parking is available around the building and at the lots to our north at Millwork Commons.
Group Tours: Available upon request for schools, businesses, or other organizations.

Location & Hours

1301 Nicholas Street. Omaha, NE 68102
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Weekends, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Whether you’re looking to be inspired, curious about the creative process, or just want to soak in something different – we invite you to come explore and ignite your own creativity.

Group Visits

To ensure that every visit remains safe, enjoyable, and enriching for everyone, we we kindly ask that:

All groups of 8 or more schedule their visits at least one week in advance.
Group sizes be limited to what is manageable within your staffing capacity.
Appropriate staff or caregiver ratios accompany groups to help support participant needs and manage behaviors.

Scheduling your group will help us coordinate visits, thoughtfully avoiding overlap with other groups or large events and ensuring each group has the best possible experience during their time at the Hot Shops.

To schedule a visit, email info@HotShopsArtCenter.org.

Visitor Etiquette

The Hot Shops is first and foremost a working art center. While we love sharing our space with visitors, we ask that you help us maintain a safe and respectful environment:

Please respect artists’ time and creative process by keeping a courteous distance from active work areas—especially in our fiery anchor studios like glassblowing, blacksmithing, and casting.
Always ask permission before photographing artists or their work.
Be mindful of noise and movement that could disrupt classes, demonstrations, or delicate projects in progress.

Your consideration helps us preserve the vibrant, hands-on atmosphere that makes the Hot Shops so unique.