Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, Maryland

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Chesapeake Beach, Maryland · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Depot museumFreeOpen daily 1 to 4 pm, April through October

The Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum fills the railway's original 1898 depot with the story of a grand bayside resort, the rail line that carried visitors to it from 1900 to 1935, and the town that grew up around them.

  • Original 1898 railway depot
  • Admission always free
  • Open daily April to October
  • Museum opened in 1979
  • On the National Register since 1980
  • Historic Dolores railcar

Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum at a glance

Hours
Daily 1 to 4 pm, April through October; special visits as staffing allows
Admission
Free
Seasonal events
Railway Museum Sweet Treat Express, Railway Museum Polar Express Reading
Plan for
About 45 minutes to 1 hour
Best for
History lovers, families and trail riders
Best ages
Ages 5 and up; family events suit younger kids
Parking
Parking garage on the Rod 'N' Reel Resort property
Accessibility
The museum says it is accessible to visitors with disabilities.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Chesapeake Beach Railway 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 Chesapeake Beach.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Colorado railroad men and a resort on the Bay

In the late 1800s a group of Colorado railroad men, among them Otto Mears and David Halliday Moffat, set out to build a seaside destination on the shore of the Chesapeake and a railroad to carry Washington, D.C. crowds to it. They put up hotels, beaches, casinos and a boardwalk. The Chesapeake Beach Railway held its official opening on June 9, 1900, and in its heyday the resort drew tens of thousands of people. Changing tastes, wars, damaging storms and the Great Depression, along with the rise of the car, wore the business down, and the last train left on April 15, 1935. The amusements carried on in changing forms until the 1970s.

The station built for the line in 1898 survived because of the Donovan family. Gerald and Fred Donovan dedicated it to the Calvert County Board of Commissioners as a museum, and it opened in 1979 with the help of local volunteers and the Calvert County Historical Society. The depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and it is the only surviving depot from the railway.

Today Calvert County Government operates the museum, with support from the Friends of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum. A new exhibit was completed recently with a grant from the Maryland Heritage Area Authority and Maryland Historical Trust, plus help from the county commissioners, the Friends, the Town of Chesapeake Beach and private donors. Curator Jeffrey Murray describes the museum's story as one of great dreams and large ambitions, huge risks and spectacular failures.

Inside the depot where it all began

The museum sits on the Rod 'N' Reel Resort property, in the original depot: two one-story, hip-roofed sections, one of them a passenger boarding area that was later enclosed. Inside, the exhibits use artifacts, photographs, archive anecdotes and oral histories to tell the story in three main parts. Founders and Vision introduces the men who built and financed the railway and resort. The Destination follows the resort from its 1900 opening through its many changes, with early postcards and brochures. The Journey covers how railroads were built in the United States and is candid that Chesapeake Beach was a segregated park until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, highlighting nearby responses to segregation.

A space for rotating exhibits explores related topics in more depth, and an educational mini-theater adds film to the visit. Recorded voices of Chesapeake Beach residents let you hear the town's history from people who lived it. Outside, the museum's historic railcar Dolores hosts special programs such as the holiday Polar Express reading.

Don’t miss

  1. The 1898 depot itselfThe building is the only surviving depot from the Chesapeake Beach Railway and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.
  2. The Journey exhibitThis section tells the often-forgotten story of how American railroads were built and how the community responded to segregation at the resort.
  3. Voices of Chesapeake BeachOral history recordings bring the resort's crowded summers and the town's later years to life in residents' own words.
  4. The Dolores railcarThe museum's historic railcar becomes a reading room for its December Polar Express program.
  5. Founders and VisionMeet Otto Mears and David Halliday Moffat and judge for yourself whether their grand plans lived up to expectations.

Candy trains and a story in a railcar

The museum itself is small and quiet, a good fit for school-age kids who like old photographs, postcards and stories, and the mini-theater gives younger visitors a sit-down break. Admission is always free, so a short visit costs nothing, and the museum is accessible for visitors with disabilities.

Family programs are where little ones shine. The Sweet Treat Express invites kids to build train engines out of candy and treats, and the December Polar Express reading takes place inside the historic Dolores railcar. Both are free, though the reading requires a reservation.

Plan your visit: tips for Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum

  • Plan for an afternoon: the museum opens at 1 pm and closes at 4 pm.
  • Outside the April to October season, call ahead to ask about a special visit.
  • Reserve early for the free Polar Express reading in December.
  • Use the physical address on Mears Avenue, near the Rod 'N' Reel Restaurant, for GPS.

In December the museum hosts a free dramatic reading of The Polar Express inside the historic Dolores railcar, with reservations required, and in November its Sweet Treat Express lets families build candy train engines at the Northeast Community Center. For more holiday trains around the state, see our list of Maryland Christmas train rides.

The county, the Friends and the volunteers

Calvert County Government runs the museum, and the Friends of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum support it through volunteering, advocacy and fundraising. Local volunteers helped open it in 1979, and that tradition continues. You can join the Friends, volunteer, or give a private donation, and following the museum's Facebook and Instagram is the best way to hear about programs.

More rail history near Chesapeake Beach

The Bowie Railroad Museum is about 25 miles north and pairs well with this visit. The National Capital Trolley Museum is about 38 miles away, and the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore is about 41 miles. Find more on our page of train museums in Maryland.

Every train museum in Maryland

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The old postcards in this museum show families heading to the Bay for a summer day, and I can just picture what they packed. Rally has his own ideas about packing in our book: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, the essentials for a train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. If your little packer likes that page, it is 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
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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

Work or volunteer at Chesapeake Beach Railway 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.

Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

What are the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open daily from 1 pm to 4 pm, April through October. Outside that season, it offers special visits as staffing allows, so call (410) 257-3892 or email cbrailway@calvertcountymd.gov to ask. Watch the museum's website and Facebook page for any changes to the schedule.

How much does the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum cost?

Admission to the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum is always free. The museum's family programs, such as the Sweet Treat Express and the Polar Express reading, are also free, though the reading needs a reservation. Donations and membership in the Friends of the museum help keep it that way.

Where is the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

The museum is at 4155 Mears Avenue, Chesapeake Beach, Maryland 20732, on the Rod 'N' Reel Resort property near the Rod 'N Reel Restaurant. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 1227, Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732. Some events are held off site at the Northeast Community Center on Gordon Stinnett Avenue.

Where do you park for the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

Parking is available in the parking garage on the Rod 'N' Reel Resort property, where the museum is located. Use 4155 Mears Avenue in your GPS. If you have questions about parking on a busy summer day, call the museum at (410) 257-3892 before you go.

What is the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

It is a free local history museum in the original 1898 depot of the Chesapeake Beach Railway. It tells the story of the railway, the bayside resort it served from 1900 to 1935, and the town that grew from both. Calvert County Government operates it with support from the Friends of the museum.

When did the Chesapeake Beach Railway run?

The railway's official opening ceremony took place on June 9, 1900, and the last train left Chesapeake Beach on April 15, 1935. The resort's amusements outlasted the trains and continued in changing forms until the 1970s. The museum explains why the business declined, from storms and wars to the Great Depression.

Who built the Chesapeake Beach Railway?

A group of Colorado railroad men built it in the late 1890s, including Otto Mears, who served as the railway's president, and David Halliday Moffat. They planned a seaside resort on the Chesapeake and a railroad to bring visitors from Washington, D.C. The Founders and Vision exhibit introduces them and their plans.

When did the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum open?

The museum opened in 1979 with the help of local volunteers and the Calvert County Historical Society, after Gerald and Fred Donovan dedicated the old station to the Calvert County Board of Commissioners. The depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places the following year, in 1980.

What exhibits are at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

The core exhibit has three themes: Founders and Vision, The Destination and The Journey. Together they use artifacts, photographs, archive anecdotes and oral histories to tell the story of the railway, the resort and the town. There is also a rotating exhibit space and an educational mini-theater, and a new exhibit was recently completed.

Is the depot at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum original?

Yes. The museum is housed in the original station built in 1898 for the Chesapeake Beach Railway, and it is the only surviving depot from the railway. The building has two one-story, hip-roofed sections, and one was an open boarding area that was later enclosed for storage.

Where can I see Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum photos?

The museum shares photos on its Instagram account and the Friends of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum Facebook page, and its website shows historic images such as souvenir postcards from about 1915 and artwork from the Rod 'N' Reel. Inside, the exhibits are built around photographs and postcards from the collection.

What do Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum reviews say?

Visitors often describe it as small but full of local history they had never heard of, especially how big the resort once was. Some stop in after biking a nearby rail trail. Others note that even off season there is material posted outside the depot to read while strolling around the building.

Is the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum good for kids?

It works best for school-age kids who enjoy photographs, postcards and stories, and a visit can be short since the museum is compact and free. Younger kids enjoy the family events, especially the Sweet Treat Express, where they build train engines out of candy, and the Polar Express reading in a historic railcar.

Does the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum have a Christmas event?

Yes. As of October 2026, the museum lists a Railway Museum Polar Express Reading on December 18 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm, a dramatic reading inside the historic Dolores railcar. It is free, but reservations are required, and the museum posts the registration link closer to the date on its events calendar.

What is the Sweet Treat Express at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

The Sweet Treat Express is a free family program where kids build train engines out of candy and treats. As of October 2026, it is scheduled for November 21 from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Northeast Community Center, 4075 Gordon Stinnett Avenue. No reservations are needed and drop-ins are welcome.

Is the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum says it is accessible to visitors with disabilities. It occupies a single-story historic depot. If you need specific arrangements, call (410) 257-3892 or email cbrailway@calvertcountymd.gov before your visit so staff can help.

Is Chesapeake Beach dog friendly?

The Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum does not post a pet policy online. If you plan to bring a dog to town, call the museum at (410) 257-3892 before your visit to ask whether pets can come inside, and check with the Rod 'N' Reel Resort, where the museum is located, about dogs on the property.

Can you ride a train at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

No. The railway stopped running in 1935, and the museum does not offer train rides. It is an indoor history museum in the original depot, with a historic railcar used for special programs such as the December Polar Express reading. For a ride, look to heritage railroads elsewhere in Maryland.

How can I support the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

Join the Friends of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, a group that supports it through volunteering, advocacy and fundraising. Private donations also helped complete the museum's new exhibit. To ask about volunteering, call (410) 257-3892 or email cbrailway@calvertcountymd.gov.

What train museums are near the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum?

The Bowie Railroad Museum is about 25 miles away, and Union Station in Washington, D.C. is about 29 miles. The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville is about 38 miles, and the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore is about 41 miles, so a rail-themed weekend from Chesapeake Beach is easy to plan.

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