Boca Express Train Museum in Boca Raton, Florida
Depot museumPublic hours are not posted; contact the Boca Raton Historical Society before visiting
The Boca Express Train Museum preserves Boca Raton's 1930 Florida East Coast Railway station, a Mediterranean Revival depot on the National Register, along with a pair of rare 1947 Seaboard Air Line streamlined cars.
- 1930 FEC station
- On the National Register since 1980
- Two 1947 Budd streamlined cars
- 1930 Baldwin steam switch engine
- Run by the Boca Raton Historical Society
Boca Express Train Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Not posted online; call the Boca Raton Historical Society at (561) 395-6766
- Admission
- Not posted online for the train museum; call ahead
- Best for
- Rail fans and architecture lovers
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- Address747 S. Dixie Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33432(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(561) 395-6766
- Emailoffice@bocahistory.org
- Alsoeducation@bocahistory.org
- Websitebocahistory.org(opens in a new tab)
Follow Boca Express Train Museum
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Boca Express Train 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 Boca Raton.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
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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Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
A countess, a depot and the streamliner era
The Florida East Coast Railway opened this station in 1930. Designed by Chester G. Henninger and built for Clarence H. Geist in the Mediterranean Revival style, it saw named trains such as the City of Miami, the South Wind and the East Coast Champion pass through on their way to Chicago and New York, until FEC local passenger service ended in July 1968.
Once trains stopped calling, the building sat abandoned. Philanthropist Countess de Hoernle bought it as a gift for her husband, and her generosity made its rescue possible. The depot joined the National Register of Historic Places on October 24, 1980, and the Boca Raton Historical Society restored it in 1989 and opened the train museum. In 2017 the society put the property up for sale, saying that caring for two historic buildings was straining its resources, so check with the society about current access before you plan a visit.
Two streamliners beside the platform
The museum's centerpiece is a pair of 1947 Seaboard Air Line streamlined cars built by the Budd Company, a dining car and a lounge car, both restored and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Outside, a 1946 Atlantic Coast Line caboose and a 1930 Baldwin steam switch engine round out the collection. The station itself, with its Mediterranean Revival lines, is worth the trip for architecture fans.
Don’t miss
- 1947 Seaboard Air Line dining carA Budd-built stainless steel diner from the streamliner era, restored and listed on the National Register.
- 1947 Seaboard Air Line lounge carIts companion lounge car shows how passengers relaxed on long trips down the East Coast.
- 1930 Baldwin steam switch engineA small steam engine of the kind that shuffled cars around rail yards.
- The 1930 FEC stationDesigned by Chester G. Henninger, the depot is a Mediterranean Revival landmark on U.S. 1.
Big cars and a little steam engine
Kids who love trains will likely head for the caboose and the steam switch engine. The museum does not post details about going inside the cars, ages or family activities for this site, so call the historical society at (561) 395-6766 to ask what is open. The society does run family programs and Free Fun Saturdays at its main museum in Historic Town Hall, which can round out a Boca Raton day.
Plan your visit: tips for Boca Express Train Museum
- Call (561) 395-6766 or email office@bocahistory.org before you go to confirm the train museum is open.
- The train museum is at 747 S. Dixie Highway, not at the society's Town Hall museum on Federal Highway.
- Brightline's Boca Raton station is about three quarters of a mile north of the museum.
The Boca Raton Historical Society
The Boca Raton Historical Society, founded in 1972, operates the train museum and has championed preservation across the city, including restoring the FEC Railway Station. It also runs The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum in Historic Town Hall. You can support its work through membership, donations or volunteering, all listed on bocahistory.org.
Where to go next on the rail trail
The Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, about 25 miles north, tells the story of the man behind the Florida East Coast Railway. The Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami is about 54 miles south and offers train rides, and the Sugar Express in Clewiston is about 59 miles inland. Browse every Florida train museum for more.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
This old station once sent trains north to New York and Chicago, and I like to think of the conductors who stood on that platform helping travelers aboard. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform reaches out a hand to Rally, and that small kindness is the moment my mom loved most. Kids can color that scene, along with the rest of Rally's trip, on our coloring pages.
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
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- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Florida
- Halloween train rides in Florida
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Boca Express Train 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
- Boca Express Train Museum official website(opens in a new tab)
- Boca Express Train Museum on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
- Boca Express Train Museum on Instagram(opens in a new tab)
- Boca Express Train Museum on YouTube(opens in a new tab)
- Boca Express Train Museum on Wikipedia(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Boca Express Train Museum: 20 questions answered
What is the Boca Express Train Museum?
The Boca Express Train Museum is a railroad museum in Boca Raton's restored 1930 Florida East Coast Railway station, operated by the Boca Raton Historical Society. It displays two 1947 Seaboard Air Line streamlined cars, a 1946 Atlantic Coast Line caboose and a 1930 Baldwin steam switch engine.
Where is the Boca Express Train Museum?
The museum is at 747 S. Dixie Highway in Boca Raton, Florida 33432, just off U.S. 1. It is a separate building from the historical society's main museum in Historic Town Hall at 71 N. Federal Highway, so make sure you head to the Dixie Highway address for the trains.
Is the Boca Express Train Museum open?
The Boca Raton Historical Society does not post public hours for the train museum online, and it put the property up for sale in 2017, citing the cost of maintaining two historic buildings. Before you visit, call the society at (561) 395-6766 or email office@bocahistory.org to ask whether and when the train museum is open.
What are the Boca Express Train Museum hours?
Hours for the train museum are not listed online. The society's office is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5 pm, and staff there can tell you about access to the depot and cars. Call (561) 395-6766 before you make the trip.
How much does the Boca Express Train Museum cost?
The historical society does not post an admission price for the train museum. Its main museum in Historic Town Hall charges $12 for adults and $8 for seniors and students, and members get in free, but ask the society directly about any fee or tour arrangements for the train museum.
What trains are at the Boca Express Train Museum?
The collection centers on two 1947 Seaboard Air Line streamlined cars built by the Budd Company: a dining car and a lounge car, both restored and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A 1946 Atlantic Coast Line caboose and a 1930 Baldwin steam switch engine complete the display.
Are there photos of the Boca Express Train Museum?
The Boca Raton Historical Society shares photos and history on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts, and its online collections include historic photographs of the city. The Mediterranean Revival station and the stainless steel Seaboard cars are the usual subjects for visitors' pictures.
What do reviews say about the Boca Express Train Museum?
Visitors who have toured it tend to praise the restored 1930 station and the gleaming 1947 Seaboard cars. Because public hours are not posted, the most practical advice is to call the historical society first so you are not disappointed by a locked gate.
When was the Boca Raton train station built?
The Florida East Coast Railway station was built in 1930, designed by Chester G. Henninger for Clarence H. Geist in the Mediterranean Revival style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 24, 1980, and the historical society restored it in 1989.
Which trains stopped at the old Boca Raton FEC station?
Into the early 1960s, passengers could board Chicago-bound trains such as the City of Miami and the South Wind, or New York trains such as the East Coast Champion, Havana Special and Miamian. The Dixie Flagler ran to Chicago into the late 1950s. FEC local passenger service ended on July 31, 1968.
Who saved the Boca Raton FEC station?
After trains stopped calling, the building sat abandoned until philanthropist Countess de Hoernle bought it as a present for her husband, making its restoration possible. The Boca Raton Historical Society then restored the depot and runs the train museum there.
Do passenger trains still stop near the Boca Express Train Museum?
Yes. Passenger service returned to the line with Brightline, whose Boca Raton station opened on December 21, 2022, about three quarters of a mile north of the museum. That makes it possible to arrive by train and walk over, if the museum is open the day you visit.
Is the Boca Express Train Museum good for kids?
Train-loving kids are usually happy just to see a real caboose, a steam engine and a pair of shiny streamlined cars up close. The society does not post family details for the train museum, so ask about what is open. Its main museum offers hands-on activities and Free Fun Saturdays for families.
Can you go inside the train cars at the Boca Express Train Museum?
The society does not say online whether visitors can walk through the Seaboard dining and lounge cars. If stepping aboard matters to your family, call (561) 395-6766 or email office@bocahistory.org and ask before you go.
Can groups or schools tour the Boca Express Train Museum?
The Boca Raton Historical Society runs field trips and group tours, which at its main museum cost $15 per person for parties of four or more. For a group visit that includes the train museum, email education@bocahistory.org or call (561) 395-6766, extension 107.
Is the Boca Express Train Museum the same as the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum?
No. Both are run by the Boca Raton Historical Society, but The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum is in Historic Town Hall at 71 N. Federal Highway, open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The train museum is in the old FEC station at 747 S. Dixie Highway.
Is the Boca Express Train Museum the same as Learning Express in Boca?
No. The Boca Express Train Museum is a railroad history site in the 1930 FEC station, run by the Boca Raton Historical Society. A store with a similar name is a separate business, so contact that store directly for its hours. For the train museum, call (561) 395-6766.
Who runs the Boca Express Train Museum?
The Boca Raton Historical Society, founded in 1972, operates the train museum. The society also restored Historic Town Hall, runs The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, and has worked to protect landmarks and historic homes across the city.
How can I support the Boca Express Train Museum?
Support goes through the Boca Raton Historical Society, which offers memberships, accepts donations and recruits volunteers. Its website, bocahistory.org, has pages for each. Members get free admission to the society's main museum and invitations to programs.
What train museums are near the Boca Express Train Museum?
The Flagler Museum in Palm Beach is about 25 miles north, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami about 54 miles south, and the Sugar Express in Clewiston about 59 miles inland. The Railroad Museum of South Florida in Fort Myers is about 111 miles away.
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