National Toy Train Museum in Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Strasburg, Pennsylvania · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Model railroad museumOpen every day through January 19, 2027 (except major holidays); 2027 season begins February 13

Home of the Train Collectors Association since 1977, the National Toy Train Museum in Strasburg displays one of the largest collections of toy trains in the world, from the 1800s to today, alongside seven operating layouts and a research library of more than 500,000 items.

  • Train Collectors Association home since 1977
  • Seven operating layouts
  • Toy trains back to the 1800s
  • Run some trains yourself
  • Library of 500,000+ items
  • Fully accessible, all one floor

National Toy Train Museum at a glance

Hours
Open every day through January 19, 2027, except Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas; typically 10 am to 5 pm. Reopens for 2027 on February 13
Admission
Adults (12 to 64) $8.50, seniors (65+) $8, ages 4 to 11 $5.50, under 4 free, military $7.50; family ticket $25
Seasonal events
TCA Eastern Division York Train Meet
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and toy train collectors
Best ages
Ages 2 to 10, plus collectors of every age
Accessibility
Fully accessible; exhibits and library are on one floor with no steps.

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 Toy 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 Strasburg.

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.

From 68 collectors in a barn to a national museum

The Train Collectors Association began in 1954 in Yardley, Pennsylvania, when collectors gathered for their first meeting in the barn of rail historian Ed Alexander. That same year, collectors on the West Coast met and formed what became the Western Division, and together the two groups became the TCA. In 1957 the association incorporated as a Pennsylvania nonprofit. From those 68 people in a barn, it has grown into a worldwide organization with thousands of members and dozens of local divisions and chapters.

In 1977 the association built its National Headquarters and Museum Building in Strasburg, in the heart of what visitors call Train City USA. The building has since been expanded twice and is debt-free, and it houses both the national business office and the National Toy Train Museum. The TCA's mission is to preserve the history of tinplate toy trains and to encourage people of all ages to collect and run toy, model and scale trains.

Members play a big role in what you see. They get in free, and they are encouraged to lend their special trains for display, so the cases change over time. Volunteers like Charlie Hirschmann lead guests around, and the association's oral history project has recorded more than 50 interviews with longtime collectors, which visitors can hear at the library.

Seven layouts and a century of toy trains

The museum's operating layouts are the main event: seven interactive displays in G, Standard, O, S and HO gauges, a replica Lionel D-265 O gauge layout, and a LEGO train layout. Some trains run at the push of a button, so visitors can operate them themselves. Around the layouts, display cases hold a huge collection of toy trains and accessories, with names like Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, Marklin and LGB, dating from the 1800s to current production.

Also in the building is the National Toy Train Library, a research library with more than 500,000 items: over 1,500 books, catalogs, instruction sheets, ads, photographs, Greenberg Guides and more than 200 children's books. It does not lend materials, but visitors can research on site, and part of the catalog is searchable online.

Don’t miss

  1. The interactive layoutsSeven operating layouts in five gauges, where visitors can start some of the trains themselves.
  2. Replica Lionel D-265 layoutAn O gauge layout built as a replica of a classic Lionel display, a favorite for anyone who grew up with Lionel trains.
  3. The LEGO layoutA train layout built from LEGO bricks, a fun bridge between the toy box at home and the classic trains in the cases.
  4. The National Toy Train LibraryMore than 500,000 catalogs, books, photos and papers on toy trains, plus oral history interviews with longtime collectors.
  5. Members' loaned trainsTCA members lend special pieces for display, so there is often something new in the cases.

Push the button and watch it go

This is a great stop for little ones, because many of the trains are theirs to run: buttons along the layouts start trains, so kids can make things happen instead of just looking. The LEGO layout gives builders something familiar, and older kids can hunt for details in the big scenes.

Exhibits and the library are on one floor with no steps, which makes strollers easy. Members of the TCA Kids Club and other TCA youth clubs get free admission every time they visit.

Plan your visit: tips for National Toy Train Museum

  • Kids under 4 are free, and the $25 family ticket covers two adults with three or more children, or one adult with four or more.
  • Show military ID for the $7.50 active or retired military rate.
  • TCA members and Kids Club members get in free.
  • Call the museum at (717) 687-8976 to confirm the day's hours, which change by season.
  • Combine with the Strasburg Rail Road and Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, each about a mile away.

Collectors who share their trains

The museum is run by the Train Collectors Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accepts tax-deductible contributions, with help from volunteers in both the museum and the library. You can support it by joining the TCA, which brings free admission, by signing a child up for the Kids Club, by volunteering, or by donating catalogs and other materials to the library through its donation form.

Train City USA, all within a mile

Strasburg packs a lot of trains into a small space. The Strasburg Rail Road, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and the Choo Choo Barn are each about a mile away, so you can fill a whole day. See our full guide to Pennsylvania train museums for more.

Every train museum in Pennsylvania

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Toy trains are where so many of us first played conductor, calling all aboard to stuffed animals on the living room floor. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to help Rally onto the real train. I love that kids here get to press the buttons and be the conductor for a minute. Our coloring pages let them keep playing at home.

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.

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More for train families

Work or volunteer at National Toy 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

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

National Toy Train Museum: 20 questions answered

Where is the National Toy Train Museum?

The museum is at 300 Paradise Lane, Ronks, PA 17572, just outside Strasburg in Lancaster County. That is why you will see it listed under Strasburg, Ronks and Lancaster. It is about a mile from the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Mail goes to PO Box 248, Strasburg, PA 17579.

What are the National Toy Train Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open every day through January 19, 2027, except Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and reopens for its 2027 season on February 13. The museum says it is typically open between 10 am and 5 pm, but the schedule varies by season, so check the Visit page or call (717) 687-8976.

How much are National Toy Train Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, admission is $8.50 for adults 12 to 64, $8 for seniors 65 and up, $5.50 for kids 4 to 11, and free for children under 4. Active or retired military pay $7.50 with ID. Group rates are lower, and a season pass is also offered.

Is there a family ticket at the National Toy Train Museum?

Yes. As of October 2026, a $25 family ticket covers either two adults with three or more children, or one adult with four or more children. For bigger families, that can cost less than buying individual tickets. Kids under 4 are free either way.

Can you run the trains at the National Toy Train Museum?

Yes, some of them. The museum says visitors can operate some trains themselves, and the layouts are designed to be interactive, with buttons that start trains and accessories. It is one of the main reasons the museum is so popular with young children.

How many layouts are at the National Toy Train Museum?

The museum lists seven operating, interactive layouts in G, Standard, O, S and HO gauges, along with a replica Lionel D-265 O gauge layout and a LEGO layout. Some older descriptions mention five exhibits, so the count has grown. Around the layouts, display cases hold the larger collection.

What toy trains are in the National Toy Train Museum collection?

The collection is one of the largest of its kind in the world, with toy trains and accessories from the 1800s through current production. Brands on display include Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, Marklin and LGB. Members also lend special trains, so some displays change over time.

Who runs the National Toy Train Museum?

The Train Collectors Association runs it. The TCA was founded in 1954 in Yardley, Pennsylvania, incorporated as a nonprofit in 1957, and built its national headquarters and museum in Strasburg in 1977. The same building holds its national business office and the National Toy Train Library.

Is the National Toy Train Museum good for toddlers?

Yes. Children under 4 get in free, the layouts are at a busy, colorful scale, and buttons let small hands start the trains. Everything is on one floor with no steps, so strollers are easy. Plan on a shorter visit with very young kids, then add a train ride nearby.

Is the National Toy Train Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum describes itself as fully accessible, and its exhibits and library are on one floor with no steps. Anyone who may need extra assistance is asked to contact the museum ahead of time at (717) 687-8976 so staff can help.

How long does a visit to the National Toy Train Museum take?

Most families spend about one to two hours watching and running the layouts and browsing the cases. Serious collectors, or anyone using the library, can easily stay longer. Since the Strasburg Rail Road and Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania are about a mile away, it fits well into a full train day.

Is there a gift shop at the National Toy Train Museum?

The museum's website does not describe a gift shop, so call (717) 687-8976 to ask what is for sale on site before you plan a souvenir stop. Strasburg has several other train attractions within about a mile, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Choo Choo Barn, if you are shopping for a young train fan.

What is the National Toy Train Library?

It is the TCA's research library inside the museum building, with more than 500,000 items, including over 1,500 books, catalogs, instruction sheets, ads, photographs and over 200 children's books. It does not lend materials, but you can research on site. Call (717) 687-8623 ext. 108 or email ref-library@traincollectors.org.

Do TCA members get into the National Toy Train Museum free?

Yes. Train Collectors Association members are admitted free, and members of TCA youth clubs, including the TCA Kids Club, also get free admission every time they visit. Members are encouraged to lend special trains to the museum for display. Contact membership@traincollectors.org to join.

Does the National Toy Train Museum offer group rates?

Yes. As of October 2026, group rates are $7 for adults and seniors and $4.75 for kids 4 to 11, compared with individual prices of $8.50, $8 and $5.50. The museum describes itself as group-friendly. Call (717) 687-8976 to arrange a group visit.

Is the National Toy Train Museum open in winter?

As of October 2026, yes: it is open every day through January 19, 2027, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. It then closes for a short break and reopens for the 2027 season on February 13. Check the museum's Visit page for the latest schedule before a winter trip.

What events does the Train Collectors Association hold?

The TCA's divisions and chapters hold train meets, shows and auctions across the country, plus an annual national convention. Closest to the museum is the Eastern Division York Train Meet at the York Fairgrounds, held October 20 to 24 in 2026, with a pre-show hall that is open to the public.

Can I donate trains or materials to the National Toy Train Museum?

The TCA accepts tax-deductible contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its library takes donations of catalogs and other paper items through a donation form on tcatrains.org. To discuss donating trains to the museum itself, use the website's contact form and choose National Toy Train Museum.

How can I volunteer at the National Toy Train Museum?

The TCA's contact form lists museum and library volunteer opportunities as options. Volunteers lead guests around the layouts and help in the library and its oral history program. Fill out the form at tcatrains.org/contact-us or call (717) 687-8623 to ask what help is needed.

What train attractions are near the National Toy Train Museum?

The Strasburg Rail Road, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and Choo Choo Barn are each about a mile away. A bit farther, the Ma and Pa Railroad Heritage Village is about 21 miles away, and the Marshall Steam Museum, Stewartstown Railroad and West Chester Railroad are each 28 to 29 miles away.

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