National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation in Baltimore, Maryland

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Baltimore, Maryland · Updated October 19, 2026 · 14 min read

Railroad museumTrain ridesOpen daily 10 am to 4 pm; formerly the B&O Railroad Museum

On the grounds of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's Mount Clare Shops, where American railroading began in 1829, the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation (long known as the B&O Railroad Museum) keeps the oldest and most comprehensive American railroad collection in the world.

  • Birthplace of American railroading
  • 1884 Mount Clare roundhouse
  • Museum opened July 4, 1953
  • National Historic Landmark since 1961
  • Train rides on the first mile
  • Free on-site parking

National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation at a glance

Hours
Daily 10 am to 4 pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day
Admission
Adults $20, seniors (60+) $17, children $12, members free; train rides extra
Train rides
Mile One Express train rides on the historic first mile, plus Choo Choo Blueville and Happy Train kiddie rides; tickets sold online or on site
Seasonal events
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride, Toddler Time, Sensory Sundays, Ice Cream Sundays, $10 Admission Day (second Wednesdays), Civil War Tour, Holiday model train layouts
Plan for
Half a day, longer with a train ride
Best for
Families with young kids and serious rail history fans
Best ages
Toddlers to teens
Parking
Free off-street parking on site, including reserved space for motorcoaches
Accessibility
The museum posts an accessibility page on its website; check it or call 410-752-2490 with specific needs.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation? 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 Baltimore.

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.

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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.

Where the B&O laid its first stone, and the museum that grew there

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad began building America's first railroad at Mount Clare in 1829. On May 22, 1830, a horse-drawn B&O train ran 13 miles from Mount Clare to Ellicott Mills, the first regular railroad passenger service in the country. In 1833 Andrew Jackson rode the B&O and became the first sitting president to ride a train, and on May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse's first telegraph message, "What hath God wrought?", arrived at this site from Washington. The brick Mount Clare Station went up in 1851, and in 1884 the railroad added the roundhouse designed by Ephraim Francis Baldwin to service its passenger cars.

For decades the B&O saved old locomotives and artifacts for public relations, storing them wherever it could. It finally gathered them in the Mount Clare car shop and opened the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum on July 4, 1953. The museum outlived the railroad itself, kept intact by the Chessie System and CSX, and in 1990 CSX deeded the property and collection to a new nonprofit with its own board and a $5 million endowment. The station and museum were named a National Historic Landmark in 1961, and the museum became a Smithsonian affiliate in 1999.

The hardest day came on February 17, 2003, when snow from the Presidents' Day Storm collapsed half the roundhouse roof onto locomotives and cars, some dating to the 1830s. Staff and supporters rebuilt. The roundhouse reopened on November 13, 2004, a new restoration facility opened west of it in 2005, and by September 2015 every damaged exhibit had been restored. In 2026 the museum took its new name, the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, as part of a $38 million campus transformation leading up to the 2027 bicentennial of American railroading.

Inside the roundhouse and out on the 40-acre campus

Most visits start under the soaring roof of the 1884 roundhouse, where early locomotives stand around the central turntable floor. The museum keeps about 40 acres of the old Mount Clare Shops, including four significant 19th-century buildings, around 250 pieces of rolling stock, and a mile of track that is often called the most historic mile of railroad in the United States. Recent restorations now on display include B&O No. 3316, the "Washington" observation tavern car in the roundhouse, and the American Freedom Train car AFT-1 on Platform 2.

Beyond the big engines there are more than 6,000 small railroading objects, the Hays T. Watkins Research Library, an outdoor G-scale layout, two indoor HO layouts, and an Underground Railroad exhibition. Mount Clare Station was named a National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site in 2021 after the museum documented 24 Freedom Seekers who used the B&O, eight of whom passed through Mount Clare. Train rides on the Mile One Express, guided tours and behind-the-scenes experiences in the restoration shop round out the day.

Don’t miss

  1. The GrasshopperBuilt in 1832 by Phineas Davis and Israel Gartner, it is one of the oldest surviving American locomotives.
  2. Tom Thumb replicaA 1927 replica of the famous early engine, built for the B&O's centennial Fair of the Iron Horse and now displayed in the roundhouse.
  3. B&O No. 25, the William MasonAn 1856 4-4-0 that appeared in the films The Great Locomotive Chase and Wild Wild West.
  4. B&O No. 600, the J. C. DavisBuilt at Mt. Clare in 1875, this 2-6-0 won first prize at the 1876 Centennial Exposition.
  5. B&O No. 4500A 1918 Light Mikado and the world's first USRA locomotive, a key piece of World War I era railroad history.
  6. B&O No. 5300, President WashingtonA 1927 Pacific type passenger engine from the B&O's centennial year.
  7. The Mile One trackThe first mile of the B&O, where the Mile One Express train rides run today.

Toddler Time, train rides and an engine to climb

Little ones get their own corner of the campus: a wooden model train made for climbing, the B&O Junior Junction play area, and kid-sized rides on the Choo Choo Blueville and the Happy Train alongside the full-size Mile One Express. Toddler Time pairs a train picture book with activities (one fall session featured Trains Run! by George Ella Lyon and Benn Lyon), and Sensory Sundays offer a calmer visit for kids who do better with less noise and crowd.

Older kids tend to love the scale of the roundhouse and the model layouts, and school-age history fans can follow the Underground Railroad exhibition and the Civil War tour. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, local model railroad clubs set up large layouts on the roundhouse floor, which is a good reason to come back in winter.

Plan your visit: tips for National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation

  • Second Wednesdays are $10 Admission Days.
  • General admission does not include the train ride, so budget for both.
  • Discounts (teachers, active military, Museums for All with EBT or SNAP) are applied only at the on-site admissions desk with ID.
  • Members get free admission and free train rides, which pays off fast for local families.
  • Groups of 20 or more get reduced rates with an advance reservation.

The holiday season brings THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride to the historic Mile One track on select late November and December dates, and model railroad clubs fill the roundhouse floor with large layouts from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Summer brings Ice Cream Sundays on the Mile One Express. For more holiday ideas around the state, see our guide to Christmas train rides in Maryland.

A nonprofit carrying the B&O's story forward

Since 1990 the museum has been run by an independent nonprofit board, with restoration staff in its own shop bringing equipment like the Washington tavern car and AFT-1 back to display condition. Families can support it with a membership (free admission and free train rides), a donation toward the campus transformation, a birthday party or event rental, or a stop at the museum store, which sells toys, books and railroad gifts.

More rail history around Baltimore

The Baltimore Streetcar Museum is only about 2 miles away, so a train morning and a streetcar afternoon fit in one day. The Ellicott City Station Museum, about 9 miles west, sits at the far end of that first 1830 passenger run, and the National Capital Trolley Museum is about 25 miles away. See all of Maryland's train museums for more.

Every train museum in Maryland

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The B&O kept a wooden model train here just for kids to climb on, and I love that someone thought about the smallest visitors. In our book, Rally's little corgi legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. My kids are learning to read now, and that boost page is the one they act out most. You can print a Rally coloring page for the car ride to Baltimore.

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 National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation?

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.

B&O Railroad Museum: 20 questions families ask

Is the B&O Railroad Museum the same as the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation?

Yes. The B&O Railroad Museum renamed itself the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation in 2026. It is the same museum on the same Mount Clare site at 901 W. Pratt Street in Baltimore, with the same collection. The new name ties into a $38 million campus transformation ahead of the 2027 bicentennial of American railroading.

What are the B&O Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm. It closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Weather closures and any hour changes are posted on the museum's home page and social media, and some days close for private events, so check the calendar before you drive in.

How much are tickets to the B&O Railroad Museum?

As of October 2026, general admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors 60 and up, and $12 for children, and members get in free. Train rides are not included in admission and are ticketed separately. You do not have to buy admission in advance; tickets are sold online and at the door.

Does the B&O Railroad Museum have discount days?

Yes. On the second Wednesday of each month the museum holds a $10 Admission Day. Museums for All visitors pay $1 per person with an EBT or SNAP card, and teachers, active duty military and several other groups get in free with ID. Discounts apply only at on-site admissions and not to train rides or special events.

Can you ride a train at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Yes. The Mile One Express runs on the historic first mile of B&O track, and younger kids can ride the Choo Choo Blueville and the Happy Train. Ride tickets are separate from admission and can be bought online or on site. Museum members ride free, so a membership can make sense for repeat visits.

Where is the B&O Railroad Museum and is there parking?

The museum is at 901 W. Pratt Street in Baltimore, Maryland 21223, on the old Mount Clare Shops site southwest of downtown. It offers free off-street parking on site for visitors, and reserved buses and motorcoaches can park there too. The museum's website has a directions and parking page with more detail.

How long should you spend at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Plan on half a day. The roundhouse alone holds dozens of locomotives and cars, and the campus covers about 40 acres with outdoor equipment, model layouts and the Underground Railroad exhibition. Add time for the Mile One Express ride, a guided tour or the kiddie rides, and families with young children often stay until closing at 4 pm.

Is the B&O Railroad Museum good for toddlers?

Yes, it is one of the stronger train museums for little kids. There is a wooden model train built for climbing, the B&O Junior Junction play area, small rides like the Happy Train and Choo Choo Blueville, and a monthly Toddler Time with a train story. The museum once won Nickelodeon Parents' Picks awards for little kids.

Does the B&O Railroad Museum do the Polar Express?

Yes. THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride runs on select dates around Thanksgiving and through December; for 2026 the museum lists November 28 and 29 and December 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 through 22. It is ticketed separately from regular admission and dates tend to sell out, so book early through the museum's website.

Are there Christmas model train layouts at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Yes. From Thanksgiving through New Year's, local model railroad groups set up large layouts on the roundhouse floor and in other spots around the grounds. These add to the museum's year-round outdoor G-scale layout and two indoor HO layouts, so winter visits have extra to see for model train fans of every age.

Can you have a birthday party at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Yes. The museum hosts birthday parties in the B&O Junior Junction, the Buxton Rail Car (both available all year) or the Outdoor Pavilion in spring through fall. Add-ons include sand art, spin art, magnet trains and rides on the Choo Choo Blueville or Happy Train. Submit a rental inquiry through the events page on the museum's website.

Does the B&O Railroad Museum offer group rates?

Yes, for groups of 20 or more who reserve ahead. As of October 2026, group admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for children 2 to 12, with optional add-ons such as a 30-minute guided tour for $5 and the Mile One Express for $3 per person. Contact the Group Sales Manager at 443-627-2391.

What is the oldest locomotive at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Among the oldest is the Grasshopper, built in 1832 by Phineas Davis and Israel Gartner and one of the oldest surviving American locomotives. The collection also includes the 1836 John Hancock, the 1848 Memnon and the 1851 Pioneer, and the museum holds the largest collection of 19th-century locomotives in the United States.

Is the Tom Thumb at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Yes, a replica. The Tom Thumb on display was built in 1927 for the B&O's centennial Fair of the Iron Horse and was later restored to run for the 2004 event. Today it sits in the roundhouse in non-operating condition, near other early engines like the Lafayette replica and the original Grasshopper.

When did the B&O Railroad Museum open?

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad opened the museum on July 4, 1953, as the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum in its Mount Clare car shop. Its roots go back further, since the railroad had been saving locomotives and artifacts since at least the 1890s. CSX handed the museum to an independent nonprofit in 1990.

What happened to the B&O Railroad Museum roundhouse roof?

On February 17, 2003, heavy snow from the Presidents' Day Storm collapsed half of the roundhouse roof, damaging the building and equipment inside. The roundhouse reopened with a repaired roof on November 13, 2004. A new restoration facility followed in 2005, and by September 2015 all damaged exhibits had been restored.

What is the Underground Railroad exhibit at the B&O Railroad Museum?

The museum documented 24 Freedom Seekers who used the B&O Railroad on their journeys to freedom, eight of whom passed through Mount Clare. In 2021 Mount Clare Station became a National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site. Groups can book a visit focused on the exhibition through the Group Sales Manager.

Can you go behind the scenes at the B&O Railroad Museum?

Yes, on select dates. The museum offers behind-the-scenes experiences and Restoration Shop tours, and its America 250 Unlocked series opens specific pieces such as B&O No. 3528. Public tours like the Civil War Tour and Working Women on the Rails run on scheduled days. Check the events calendar for current dates and tickets.

How can I support or join the B&O Railroad Museum?

The simplest way is a membership, which includes free admission and free train rides. The museum also takes donations toward its campus transformation, rents the roundhouse and other spaces for private events, and runs a museum store with toys, books and railroad gifts. Students 18 and older can get a discounted $30 membership.

What other train museums are near the B&O Railroad Museum?

The Baltimore Streetcar Museum is only about 2 miles away and makes an easy second stop. The Ellicott City Station Museum is about 9 miles west, the Bowie Railroad Museum about 21 miles, and the National Capital Trolley Museum about 25 miles. The Northern Central Railway of York in Pennsylvania is about 32 miles north.

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