The National Railroad Museum is a great place for a wedding or a birthday party! Contact our events department to learn more!
Are you looking for a unique place to take senior photos? We offer 2-hour sessions for just $50, which includes admission for a photographer plus two others. Get in touch with our Events department to schedule your photoshoot today!
The Fox River Expansion
Donate today and your donation will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, until December 31, 2024!
The Museum has now reached a critical point in our history, where the size of the facility is no longer large enough to accommodate our current activities, educational programming, or support growth in any area.
Although the Museum’s collection grows at an average of 18% per year and the number of children who attend educational programs increases by an average of 500 per year, the Museum’s facilities have remained unchanged since 2001. In addition, after the Museum’s attendance grew by 65% between 2010 and 2016, we have consistently hosted an average of 100,000 visitors annually. Our facility was designed to serve fewer visitors and our current resources also do not allow us to continue to meet the needs of our diverse and changing community.
Preserve
Today our Congressionally-designated museum is home to 70+ one-of-a-kind train cars, known as rolling stock; a dynamic host of rotating exhibits; and a growing collection of priceless railroad artifacts, images, and manuscripts that now tops 150,000 pieces.
Less than half of the Museum’s exhibit space (36,500 square feet out of a total of 78,000) is climate-controlled. This puts the integrity of our valuable rolling stock and museum collections at risk.
Your donation means preserving more of our rolling stock and collection in perpetuity. These items are part of interactive educational programs for children and adults of all ages that help us live out our mission.
Inspire
Your donation will also help us inspire future generations! Railroad History is a vital piece of America’s history. Through preservation and education efforts, future generations will be inspired by our country’s rich railroad history.
Educate
We lack the space to add the immersive, technology-rich exhibits that would help us meet our educational mission. Your donation means new exhibit spaces allowing us to integrate technology and hands-on activities to create three-dimensional learning experiences.
When you contribute to Full Steam Ahead!, you will be part of a campaign that supports a vital educational resource for our community, and also makes a substantial contribution to the economic health of our area.
View the progress that has been made on the Fox River Expansion!
April – December Business Hours!
We are excited to welcome all of our guests to the National Railroad Museum! You can check out our complete April – December business hours, and plan your visit, here!
Tickets for Railroading Merit Badge are now on sale! We also offer lectures and behind the scenes tours as part of our History After Dark programming! Check out all the fun happening on Tuesday nights here!
Train rides are available on the weekends in October. Daily train rides return in May 2025! Learn more
Make sure you never miss an update about restoration, events, and more by following us on Facebook and Instagram!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Visit Us
With roots dating back to 1956, the National Railroad Museum has grown to become one of the largest, oldest, and most well-respected rail museums in the United States. We have over 70 pieces of rolling stock, 100,000+ artifacts, seasonal train rides, indoor and outdoor exhibits, operating/display tracks, special events, rental opportunities, and more.
The Museum’s knowledgeable, dedicated staff and volunteers warmly welcome more than 100,000 visitors annually across the country and worldwide!
Testimonials
‘What An Awesome Museum!’
The National Railroad Museum follows TSA / CDC guidelines regarding face masks. Although masks are not currently required, visitors are invited to wear them at their discretion. The Museum may update its mask policy as it deems necessary.