Avery Depot and Avery Museum, Idaho
Depot museumHours not posted online; confirm before driving out
Built by the Milwaukee Road in 1909, the Avery Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still holds the memorabilia of the years when this St. Joe River town was a railroad hub.
- Milwaukee Road depot built 1909
- National Register of Historic Places
- Museum of Avery's railroad boom
- Depot restoration underway
Avery Depot and Avery Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Not posted online; check locally before you go
- Admission
- Not posted online
- Plan for
- Under an hour
- Best for
- Road-trippers and Milwaukee Road history fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Avery Depot and Avery Museum? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Avery.
Rally Takes the Train
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See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
A Milwaukee Road town keeps its depot
Avery grew up as a hub on the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific, better known as the Milwaukee Road, and the railroad built its depot here in 1909. The building still wears its thin, two-tone horizontal and vertical siding, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside, the depot preserves memorabilia from the years when Avery was a busy railroad town, and it has long done double duty for the community as a museum and a post office.
Keeping a wooden depot standing in the mountains is hard work. Local supporters have been raising money because the building needs a new roof, foundation repairs, plumbing, and extensive work on its floors and walls, and the Idaho Heritage Trust has recognized it as a preservation project. Visitors who want to see the museum should confirm hours locally, since opening times are not posted online.
Inside a working small-town depot
Expect a modest, local museum: historical exhibits, photographs and artifacts from Avery's boom as a Milwaukee Road hub, displayed inside the depot itself. The building is the main attraction, a 1909 railroad structure that has stayed in community use for more than a century.
Don’t miss
- The 1909 depot buildingIts two-tone siding and original form are part of why it earned a National Register listing.
- Milwaukee Road memorabiliaThe museum's collection recalls Avery's years as a railroad hub on the line.
A short stop for curious kids
This is a small depot museum, best as a short stop on a drive along the St. Joe River rather than a full day out. Kids who like trains will enjoy seeing a real railroad station and old photos of the town's train days. The museum does not post details on hands-on exhibits or accessibility, so call or ask locally if those matter for your family.
Plan your visit: tips for Avery Depot and Avery Museum
- Confirm opening times before making the mountain drive to Avery.
- Directory listings place the museum at 10 Depot Rd in Avery.
- Donations help pay for the depot's roof and foundation repairs.
Community supporters and the depot's repairs
The depot is cared for by its community, and supporters are raising money for urgent repairs: a new roof, foundation work, plumbing, and floors and walls. Visitors who want to help can look into the depot restoration fundraising effort, and a visit to the museum is a good way to show the building still matters.
Rail history around the Silver Valley and beyond
The closest neighbor is the Northern Pacific Depot Museum in Wallace, about 16 miles away in a straight line. The Silverwood steam engine train in Athol is about 64 miles off. For a full list, see train museums across Idaho.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Avery is a long, winding drive into the mountains, the kind of trip where the packing matters. In our book, Rally packs his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball before he and Mom and Dad head for the train. I think every little traveler deserves that ritual. My mom dreamed up Rally's story before she died in 2021, and you can read about her on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Idaho: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Idaho
- Halloween train rides in Idaho
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Avery Depot and Avery Museum?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Avery Depot and Museum: 20 common questions
What is the Avery Depot in Avery, Idaho?
The Avery Depot is a Milwaukee Road railroad depot built in 1909 in the small town of Avery, Idaho. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, houses a museum of memorabilia from Avery's years as a Milwaukee Road hub, and has also served the community as a post office.
Where is the Avery Museum located?
The Avery Museum is inside the old Milwaukee Road depot in Avery, Idaho 83802. Directory listings give the address as 10 Depot Rd, and the town sits along the St. Joe River Road. Avery is remote, so check your route and fuel before heading out.
What are the Avery Depot museum hours?
The museum does not post its hours online. Small community museums in remote towns often keep limited or seasonal hours, so check locally, through the depot restoration website, or with the Wallace area visitor offices before you plan a trip around it.
How much does it cost to visit the Avery Museum?
The museum does not list an admission price online. Many small depot museums are free or ask for a donation, but confirm before you go. Donations are especially welcome here because the building needs costly repairs.
When was the Avery Depot built?
The Avery Depot was built in 1909 by the Milwaukee Road, formally the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. It still has its distinctive thin, two-tone horizontal and vertical siding, one of the features noted in its historic preservation record.
Is the Avery Depot on the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes. The Avery Milwaukee Railroad Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Idaho Heritage Trust describes the building as preserving memorabilia from Avery's boom as a Milwaukee Railroad hub and retaining its original two-tone siding.
What can you see at the Avery Museum?
Visitors see historical exhibits, photographs and artifacts about Avery and its time as a Milwaukee Road railroad town, all displayed inside the 1909 depot. It is a small local museum, so the building itself is a big part of the experience.
Why was Avery, Idaho important to the Milwaukee Road?
Avery served as a hub on the Milwaukee Road, and the town grew around the railroad. The museum in the depot keeps memorabilia from that boom period, which is the reason the station was preserved and listed on the National Register.
Is the Avery Depot being restored?
Yes. Supporters say the 1909 depot urgently needs a new roof, foundation repairs, plumbing, and extensive work on floors and walls to stop further deterioration. Fundraising is underway to keep the building serving as a museum and community space.
How can I donate to the Avery Depot restoration?
The depot restoration effort has its own website at averydepot.weebly.com, which explains the repairs needed and how to give. The Idaho Heritage Trust has also listed the Avery Milwaukee Railroad Station among its preservation projects.
Is the Avery Museum good for kids?
It works best as a short stop for kids who already love trains, since it is a small museum of photos and artifacts in a real depot. There is no posted information on hands-on exhibits, so plan to pair it with time outdoors along the river.
Can you ride a train in Avery, Idaho?
No train rides are listed at the Avery Depot. The museum focuses on the town's Milwaukee Road history through exhibits inside the station. Families wanting a ride can head to the Silverwood Theme Park steam engine train in Athol, about 64 miles away.
How long should I spend at the Avery Depot museum?
Plan on less than an hour for the museum itself. Most of your time in Avery will be the drive in and out along the St. Joe River, so build the depot into a longer day trip in the area.
Is the Avery Museum wheelchair accessible?
The museum does not post accessibility details online. Because the depot is a 1909 wooden building awaiting floor and foundation repairs, ask ahead about steps and entrances if anyone in your group uses a wheelchair or stroller.
Is there a post office in the Avery Depot?
The depot has served as home to a museum and a post office for the Avery community, which is part of why supporters want it repaired. Check locally for current post office hours, since they may differ from museum hours.
Is the Avery Museum in Idaho the same as averymuseum.org?
No. The website averymuseum.org belongs to an unrelated contemporary art museum in Rockville, Maryland. The Avery Museum in Idaho is the railroad history museum inside the Milwaukee Road depot, and its restoration site is averydepot.weebly.com.
Does the Avery Depot host events?
The museum does not list a regular events calendar online. Small community depots sometimes hold open days or fundraisers, so check the depot restoration website or ask locally if you want to time your visit with an event.
What is the best time of year to visit Avery, Idaho?
The museum does not post a season, but Avery is a remote mountain town and roads can be challenging in winter. Most visitors make the trip in the warmer months; confirm the museum is open before making the drive.
Is there parking at the Avery Depot?
The museum does not list parking details online. Avery is a very small town, and the depot sits on Depot Rd near the St. Joe River Road, so ask locally where to park when you arrive and leave room for other visitors.
What train museums are near the Avery Depot?
The Northern Pacific Depot Museum in Wallace is about 16 miles away in a straight line, though the mountain drive is longer. The Silverwood steam engine train in Athol is about 64 miles off, and the Historic Sandpoint Train Depot is about 79 miles away.
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