Paterson Museum Locomotive Works, New Jersey
Museum with a major rail exhibitCheck the museum's website for current hours and any heat closures
The Paterson Museum, owned and run by the City of Paterson since 1925, preserves the city's industrial history, including the locomotive works whose engines were designed, built, tested and shipped from Paterson.
- Founded in 1925
- Run by the City of Paterson
- Housed in an old locomotive shop
- Permanent Locomotive Works exhibit
Paterson Museum Locomotive Works at a glance
- Hours
- Weekday hours; check the museum's website before you go
- Admission
- Not posted with the exhibit; check the museum's website
- Best for
- School-age kids, history fans and anyone curious about how locomotives were built
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Paterson Museum Locomotive Works? 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 Paterson.
Rally Takes the Train
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A city that built locomotives for the world
The Paterson Museum was founded in 1925 and is owned and operated by the City of Paterson. Its mission is to collect, preserve and display the cultural, technological and geological history of the city, and above all its industrial story.
Railroading is a big part of that story. The museum's permanent Locomotive Works exhibit looks at the Paterson shops that turned out steam locomotives, and local historians describe exhibits that show how engines were designed, assembled, tested and shipped around the world. Fittingly, travel writers note that the museum itself sits inside a hulking old locomotive shop. The museum does not post a full list of rail artifacts online, so check its website or call ahead if you are hoping to see something specific.
Locomotives among the looms
The Locomotive Works exhibit is one of several permanent galleries. Visitors who come for the trains will also find displays that travel writers list as silk looms, submarine prototypes, rare Colt firearms, local baseball history and a large rock and mineral collection, all tied to Paterson's past.
Don’t miss
- Locomotive Works exhibitThe museum's permanent gallery on Paterson's locomotive builders and the engines they sent around the world.
- The building itselfThe museum is set inside a former locomotive shop, so the architecture is part of the rail story.
Big machines for curious kids
Kids who like machines will find plenty to look at, from locomotive history to looms and a rock collection that travel writers say would thrill any geology fan. The museum does not post age guidance or stroller details online, and it has warned of closures on very hot days, so check before you go.
Plan your visit: tips for Paterson Museum Locomotive Works
- Check for heat closure notices on hot summer days.
- Combine the Locomotive Works with the museum's other permanent galleries for a full Paterson history visit.
A museum run by its city
The Paterson Museum is owned and run by the City of Paterson, which has kept it going since 1925. Visiting, telling friends and following the museum's announcements help keep this piece of the city's industrial story in front of new generations.
More rail stops near Paterson
The Maywood Station Museum is about 6 miles away and has a caboose kids can step into. The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey in Boonton is about 12 miles, and the Whippany Railway Museum about 14 miles. Browse all New Jersey train museums.
- Maywood Station MuseumMaywood, NJ · about 6 mi
- United Railroad Historical Society of New JerseyBoonton, NJ · about 12 mi
- New Jersey Transit historic railway collectionsstatewide, NJ · about 13 mi
- Whippany Railway MuseumWhippany, NJ · about 14 mi
- New York Transit MuseumBrooklyn, NY · about 18 mi
- New York Central System Historical Societystatewide, NY · about 22 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
It amazes me that engines built in Paterson went off to railroads all over the world, through mountains and across plains. Every one of them must have rolled through a tunnel or two. In our book, the train dips into a dark tunnel and then bursts out into a big bright light while Rally, Mom and Dad cheer. My kids cheer right along. You can color that scene from 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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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Paterson Museum Locomotive Works?
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.
Paterson Museum Locomotive Works: 20 visitor questions
What is the Locomotive Works exhibit at the Paterson Museum?
Locomotive Works is one of the Paterson Museum's permanent exhibits. It covers the Paterson shops that built locomotives, and local historians describe displays showing how engines were designed, assembled, tested and shipped around the world. It sits alongside the museum's other galleries on the city's industrial history.
Where is the Paterson Museum?
The Paterson Museum is in Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey. Travel writers note that it is housed in an old locomotive shop. The museum's website, patersonmuseum.com, lists its address and directions, so check there before you set out.
What are the Paterson Museum hours?
The museum keeps weekday hours, but they are not posted alongside the Locomotive Works exhibit. Check patersonmuseum.com for the current schedule before you go. The museum has also posted warnings about closing on very hot days, so look for notices in summer.
How much does the Paterson Museum cost?
Admission details are not listed with the Locomotive Works exhibit online. Check the main pages of patersonmuseum.com or contact the museum for the current admission policy before your visit, especially if you are bringing a group.
When was the Paterson Museum founded?
The Paterson Museum was founded in 1925. It is owned and run by the City of Paterson, and its mission is to preserve and display the industrial history of Paterson along with the city's cultural, technological and geological heritage.
Who runs the Paterson Museum?
The City of Paterson owns and operates the museum, as it has since the museum's founding in 1925. It acquires and preserves the cultural, technological and geological history of the city and interprets Paterson's scientific, historic and cultural legacy for visitors of all ages.
Is the Paterson Museum in an old locomotive shop?
Yes, according to travel writers, the museum is set inside a large former locomotive shop. That makes it a fitting home for the Locomotive Works exhibit, since the building itself is part of Paterson's railroad story.
Does the Paterson Museum have real locomotives?
The museum does not post a list of the rail equipment in its Locomotive Works exhibit online. Its exhibits focus on how Paterson's locomotive builders worked. Check patersonmuseum.com or contact the museum if you want to know which artifacts are on display.
Why was Paterson important for locomotives?
Paterson was home to locomotive works whose engines, local historians say, were shipped around the world. Those engines helped carry settlers west, connect farms with cities, move goods to ports and power the industrial growth of the United States.
What else is at the Paterson Museum besides trains?
Travel writers describe silk looms, submarine prototypes, rare Colt firearms, local baseball history and a large collection of rocks and minerals. All of them tie back to Paterson's industries and people, so a visit covers much more than railroading.
Is the Paterson Museum good for kids?
Kids who love machines, trains and rocks usually find plenty to look at, from locomotive history to the mineral collection. The museum does not post age guidance online, so check its website for school group information or family programs before you go.
Can you ride a train at the Paterson Museum?
No train rides are listed at the Paterson Museum. It is an indoor history museum. For a ride, look at heritage railroads elsewhere in New Jersey, such as the Whippany Railway Museum's seasonal trains or the Black River & Western Railroad.
Does the Paterson Museum close in hot weather?
The museum has posted heat closure warnings, which suggests it may close on very hot days. If you are planning a summer visit, check patersonmuseum.com or the museum's announcements the morning you go so you do not arrive to a closed door.
How long should I spend at the Paterson Museum?
The museum does not suggest a visit length online. With several permanent galleries, including Locomotive Works, plan enough time to see the rail exhibit and the silk, firearms and geology displays. Check the hours first so you do not feel rushed before closing.
Is the Paterson Museum wheelchair accessible?
Accessibility details are not posted with the Locomotive Works exhibit. Contact the museum through patersonmuseum.com before your visit to ask about entrances, the galleries, restrooms and any assistance available for visitors with mobility needs or strollers.
Is there parking at the Paterson Museum?
Parking details are not listed with the exhibit online. Check the visitor information on patersonmuseum.com, or contact the museum before your trip to ask where to park, especially if you are coming with a school or scout group.
Can school groups visit the Paterson Museum?
The museum's mission centers on interpreting Paterson's history for the public, and its industrial exhibits suit school trips. Group visit details are not posted with the Locomotive Works page, so contact the museum through its website to plan a class visit.
Is the Paterson Museum near a Santa train?
Train ride guides mention the Paterson Museum as a nearby stop for families heading to the Tri-State Railway Historical Society's Santa train in Wayne. Check each organization's website for dates, as the Santa train is a separate event not run by the museum.
How can I support the Paterson Museum?
The museum is run by the City of Paterson. Visiting, sharing it with friends and following its announcements are simple ways to support it. Check patersonmuseum.com for any membership, donation or volunteer programs the museum currently offers.
What train museums are near the Paterson Museum?
The Maywood Station Museum is about 6 miles away, the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey in Boonton about 12 miles, and the Whippany Railway Museum about 14 miles. The New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn is about 18 miles away.
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