Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Duluth, Minnesota · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Railroad museumOpen daily, 10 am to 5 pm, except major holidays

The Lake Superior Railroad Museum fills the track level of Duluth's 1892 Union Depot with the locomotives, cars and snowplows that built railroading around Lake Superior, most of it under a roof so families can visit in any season.

  • Started as a local project in 1973
  • Inside the 1892 Union Depot
  • Minnesota's first locomotive
  • Oldest surviving rotary snowplow
  • Open daily, 10 am to 5 pm
  • Mostly indoor, all-weather galleries

Lake Superior Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Daily, 10 am to 5 pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
Admission
Adults 14+ $14, ages 3 to 13 $7, 2 and under free; Museums for All $5
Train rides
North Shore Scenic Railroad excursions leave from the Depot, Memorial Day to mid-October; museum passes are 50% off with a train ticket
Seasonal events
The Christmas City Express
Plan for
About 2 hours
Best for
All ages, especially steam fans and winter visitors
Best ages
All ages
Parking
Two city-operated pay ramps on both sides of the Depot, plus metered street parking in front
Accessibility
The museum is fully accessible, though the historic railroad equipment is viewed from floor level only.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Lake Superior Railroad 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 Duluth.

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.

A Duluth project that grew into a national collection

The Lake Superior Railroad Museum started in 1973 as a local effort to save the railroad history of the Duluth area, and it has grown into one of the largest and most respected railway museums in the country. Explore Minnesota notes that USA Today readers once voted it the best transportation museum in America. Its mission is simple: recognize what railroading gave this region, and preserve, interpret and teach that history.

The museum's home is the former Duluth Union Depot, built in 1892 and now known as the St. Louis County Depot. The museum occupies the old platforms and yard, which were enclosed so most of the major exhibit space can be seen in any weather, a real gift in a city that knows winter. It shares the building with three other exhibiting organizations, including the Duluth Children's Museum, the Duluth Art Institute and the St. Louis County Historical Society.

Because the collection focuses on railroading around Lake Superior, its locomotives and cars tell the story of iron ore, timber, grain and passengers moving through the Twin Ports. The museum also owns the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which uses equipment from the collection to run excursions from Memorial Day through mid-October. Restoration never really stops: in June 2026 the museum unveiled locomotive LSRX 245 in red, white and blue to mark the nation's 250th anniversary, and staff and volunteers keep sharing projects like Missabe caboose C-205 on the museum blog.

Track-level galleries under the depot roof

You enter at track level, through the North Shore Scenic Railroad station lobby, and step straight into rows of restored steam, diesel and electric locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses and service equipment. Many exhibits are hands-on, and the galleries also cover Duluth area history. Explore Minnesota points to one of the country's largest displays of dining car china as another highlight.

Signature pieces include the William Crooks, the first locomotive to run in Minnesota in 1861, and Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range No. 227, a 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone that ranks among the largest steam engines ever operated. Service equipment gets its due too, from steam and motor-powered wreckers to wedge and rotary snowplows. The gift shop and the excursion ticket windows sit at the east end of the museum, and an 84-page color guidebook covers every piece in the collection if you want to go deeper.

Don’t miss

  1. The William CrooksIn 1861 it became the first locomotive to operate in Minnesota, which makes it the starting point for the state's whole railroad story.
  2. DM&IR No. 227 YellowstoneA 2-8-8-4 built for the iron ore trade and one of the largest steam locomotives ever to run. Standing next to it is the best way to understand its size.
  3. Northern Pacific Rotary Snow Plow No. 2Built in 1887 by Cooke Locomotive and Machine Works, it is the world's oldest surviving rotary snowplow and a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark since 2015.
  4. LSRX 245 in red, white and blueRepainted in 2026 to honor the nation's semiquincentennial, it debuted in June and has been traveling to commemorative locomotive gatherings.
  5. Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range caboose C-205A Missabe caboose the museum has been featuring on its blog, one of several DM&IR cabooses in the collection.
  6. Dining car china displayOne of the nation's largest collections of railroad dining china, a quieter exhibit that shows how passengers ate on the rails.

Big engines, hands-on exhibits and a train to ride

Kids get to stand beside locomotives far taller than their parents, and many exhibits are hands-on. Because the galleries are indoors, the museum works on rainy or snowy days, and the other attractions in the Depot, including the Duluth Children's Museum, make it easy to fill a full day under one roof. Children 2 and under get in free.

In summer and fall, pair the museum with a narrated ride on the North Shore Scenic Railroad along Lake Superior; a train ticket cuts museum passes in half. Keep snacks for later, since food, drinks and gum are not allowed in the exhibit area.

Plan your visit: tips for Lake Superior Railroad Museum

  • Buy a North Shore Scenic Railroad ticket first: museum passes are then half price.
  • Active duty military and veterans get $1 off per ticket with ID; there are no AAA or senior discounts.
  • Enter through the North Shore Scenic Railroad station lobby to go straight to track level.
  • No food, drinks or gum in the exhibit area.
  • On Christmas City Express weekends the museum closes early, so check the visitor page.

During the holidays the museum hosts performances of The Christmas City Express, which start at 4 pm on Fridays and Sundays and 3 pm on Saturdays, so regular museum hours end early on those days. For more seasonal ideas around the state, see our guide to Christmas train rides in Minnesota.

Members, donors and the people behind the restorations

The museum leans on memberships to restore, preserve and interpret its collection, and it accepts donations toward specific projects through the North Shore Scenic Railroad's website, its wholly owned subsidiary. You can also volunteer, rent the museum as an event space, or buy its color guidebook and a Twin Ports railfan guide. For membership questions, call the ticket office at (218) 722-1273.

Keep the rail day going in the Twin Ports

The North Shore Scenic Railroad boards right in the same Depot, and the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway historic collection is part of the same Duluth story. For a longer drive, the Historic Soo Line Depot in Ashland, Wisconsin is about 59 miles away. Browse every train museum in Minnesota to plan more stops.

Every train museum in Minnesota

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Duluth's trains roll along Lake Superior, and that makes me think of Rally pressed against the arched window in our book, watching the water slide by and saying hello to a white bird. My mom pictured that view long before I painted it. Lake or ocean, I think every little rider has that same nose-on-the-glass moment. If your kids want to color Rally at his window, our coloring pages are free.

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 Lake Superior Railroad 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.

Lake Superior Railroad Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, MN?

The museum is inside the St. Louis County Depot at 506 W. Michigan St in downtown Duluth, Minnesota. It fills the track level of the old 1892 Union Depot. The easiest way in is through the North Shore Scenic Railroad station lobby, which opens directly onto the museum's rail yard.

What are the Lake Superior Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open every day from 10 am to 5 pm. It closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but is open Easter. On Christmas City Express performance days it closes early, so check lsrm.org in December.

How much are Lake Superior Railroad Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, admission is $14 for adults 14 and over, $7 for children 3 to 13, and free for children 2 and under. Museums for All visitors with an EBT or Medical Assistance card pay $5 each. You can buy passes online ahead of time for faster entry or at the ticket office.

Are there discounts at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

Yes, a few. With a North Shore Scenic Railroad train ticket, museum passes are 50 percent off. Active duty military and veterans get $1 off per ticket with ID. Groups of 10 or more save $2 per ticket, and groups of 20 or more save $3. There are no AAA, senior or AARP discounts, and offers cannot be combined.

Where do you park for the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

The Depot has two city-operated parking ramps, one on each side of the building, each with its own pay station. Metered street parking is also available in front of the Depot. The ramps are run by the City of Duluth, so read the posted signs and pay at the station.

What is on the Lake Superior Railroad Museum roster?

The collection includes the William Crooks, Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Yellowstone No. 227, steam, diesel and electric locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses such as DM&IR C-205 and Soo Line No. 1. Service equipment includes Northern Pacific Rotary Snow Plow No. 2 from 1887 and steam and motor wreckers. An 84-page color guidebook details every piece.

What is LSRX 250 at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

LSRX 250 refers to the museum's celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary. Locomotive LSRX 245 was painted red, white and blue for the semiquincentennial and made its debut in June 2026. It was later shown with other commemorative locomotives at a gathering in late summer, and the museum posts updates on its news page.

Is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum worth visiting?

For train fans it is one of the strongest collections in the region. It started in 1973 and has grown into one of the largest railway museums in the country, and Explore Minnesota notes it was once voted the best transportation museum in America by USA Today readers. The indoor galleries make it a good choice in any season.

Is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum indoors?

Mostly, yes. The museum sits in the former platforms and yard of the Union Depot, and most of the major exhibit space was enclosed for all-weather viewing. That makes it a reliable winter outing. The museum closes for snow only if the Duluth Transit Authority cancels bus service.

Can you ride a train at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

Yes, through the museum's own North Shore Scenic Railroad. From Memorial Day through mid-October, narrated excursions leave the St. Louis County Depot and run through downtown Duluth, Canal Park and along Lake Superior. Train tickets are sold at windows at the east end of the museum and at 218-722-1273.

Does the Lake Superior Railroad Museum have a gift shop?

Yes. The gift shop is at the east end of the museum, near the North Shore Scenic Railroad ticket windows. The museum also sells its 84-page color collection guidebook and a 32-page guide to railfan hot spots in the Twin Ports, both of which can be mailed to you.

Who is the executive director of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

The museum lists Ken Buehler for its executive offices, reachable at 218-733-7502 or ken@lsrm.org. The museum does not post a board of directors list on its main visitor pages, so questions about leadership or governance are best directed to the executive offices.

Where can I find the Lake Superior Railroad Museum 990 or financial information?

The museum does not post its tax filings on its website. It is supported by memberships, donations and its wholly owned subsidiary, the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which handles online contributions. For financial or governance questions, contact the executive offices at 218-733-7502.

Is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum hiring?

The museum keeps a Jobs page on lsrm.org, so check there for current openings. It also takes volunteers, and the North Shore Scenic Railroad, its subsidiary, runs its own operations. For questions about work or volunteering, call the main line at (218) 727-8025 during business hours.

Is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum says it is completely accessible. The historic railroad equipment on display was not built for wheelchairs, so those pieces are viewed from floor level only. Trains sit at track level, and you can enter straight into the museum through the North Shore Scenic Railroad station lobby.

How long does it take to see the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

Plan on about two hours to walk the galleries, read the exhibits and visit the gift shop. Add time if you are riding the North Shore Scenic Railroad or exploring the other three exhibiting organizations in the Depot, including the Duluth Children's Museum.

Does the Lake Superior Railroad Museum offer group rates?

Yes. Groups of 10 or more get $2 off per ticket and groups of 20 or more get $3 off, as of October 2026. Reservations must be made with a ticket agent. To schedule a group of 20 or more, call (218) 733-7594 or email josh@duluthtrains.com.

Can you take photos at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

Yes, cameras are welcome. The museum asks that your photos be for private use only. Food, drinks and gum are not allowed in the exhibit area, so leave snacks for the lobby or for after your visit.

Does the Lake Superior Railroad Museum do anything for Christmas?

Yes. The museum hosts performances of The Christmas City Express during the holiday season, starting at 4 pm on Fridays and Sundays and at 3 pm on Saturdays. The museum closes early on those days. It is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Check lsrm.org for dates and tickets.

What train attractions are near the Lake Superior Railroad Museum?

The North Shore Scenic Railroad departs from the same Depot. The Historic Soo Line Depot in Ashland, Wisconsin is about 59 miles away, the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad in Trego about 64 miles, and the Northern Pacific Center in Brainerd about 103 miles.

Keep exploring

More family train guides from Rally

Kelsey Cecil
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