Train Museums in Delaware: Every Railroad Museum by Town
- 5 museums
- 5 towns
- 3 with train rides
- 2 free
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In 1982 a group of Delaware volunteers did something few rail fans ever manage: they bought the last 10.2 miles of the B&O's Landenberg Branch, and they still run steam trains over that 1867 line west of Wilmington. That railroad leads off this page, part of our nationwide guide to train museums for families, which covers 5 Delaware museums and rail sites in 5 towns. Type your town into the finder below to see which one is closest.
Delaware is small, so the whole list fits in a long weekend. Up north, the Wilmington & Western Railroad and the Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights sit about 6 miles apart. Downstate, Georgetown, Harrington and Laurel each keep a piece of the railroad that crossed the Delmarva Peninsula, and two of those stops are free.
Almost every place here keeps short or seasonal hours, from weekend trains to first-Sunday openings, so check each card before you drive.
Look inside the book
Big engines, little legs. 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 a Delaware train museum.
Rally Takes the Train
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Quick picks: where to start in Delaware
Best train ride
Wilmington
Antique coaches roll through the Red Clay Valley behind a 1907 Baldwin, a 1909 Alco or an early diesel, mostly on weekends.
Best first visit with a toddler
Historic Georgetown Train Station
Georgetown
Free two-hour open houses with model trains and the kid-sized Lil Toot Express are just the right length for small riders.
Best for steam lovers of every kind
Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights
Yorklyn
On first-Sunday Steamin' Days kids can ride coal-fired 1/8-size trains, then see running Stanley steam cars indoors.
Free stop for rail fans
Harrington
A restored tower, a watchman's shack and a 1926 Pennsylvania Railroad N5 caboose, with no admission charge.
Quiet history afternoon
Laurel
Laurel's 1910 depot now holds town history and the Waller Photograph Collection, a good fit for older kids.
Every train museum in Delaware, town by town
5 museums in 5 towns, A to Z by town. Tap any museum for its own page: the full story, what to see, what kids can do, hours, tickets, contact details and 20 answers to the questions families ask.
Georgetown
Depot museum
Historic Georgetown Train Station
A late 1860s depot in Delaware's county seat, restored by local volunteers and rebuilt after a 2011 fire. It opens on select Saturdays for free open houses with model trains, the First Fire House next door, and Lil Toot rides for kids.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHarrington
Historic rail site
Harrington Railroad Museum
A restored railroad tower and 1926 Pennsylvania Railroad N5 caboose on Hanley Street, saved by the Greater Harrington Historical Society in 1993. Admission is free; the society's museums open the 1st and 3rd Sundays, and you can call to arrange a visit.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsLaurel
Depot museum
Laurel Heritage Museum
Laurel's restored 1910 train station, now the Laurel Historical Society's museum of town history and home of the Waller Photograph Collection. Open the first Sunday of each month, May to November, 1 to 4 pm, or by appointment.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsWilmington
Heritage railroad with a museum
Wilmington & Western Railroad
Delaware's heritage railroad, running steam and diesel trains through the Red Clay Valley west of Wilmington on an 1867 branch line. Trains run mostly on weekends, with Santa, Easter Bunny and fall foliage specials, so check the schedule and buy tickets online.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsYorklyn
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights
Stanley steam cars, a 1930s Lionel layout and the 1/8-size coal-fired Auburn Valley Railroad on a family estate near Hockessin. Open Thursdays and Fridays, 1 to 4 pm, but train rides happen only on Train Day and first-Sunday Steamin' Days.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCompare every Delaware train museum side by side
Type, train rides, admission, hours and who each one suits, in one table. Tap a column to sort it, or a museum to open its page.
| Hours | Best for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Historic Georgetown Train StationGeorgetown | Depot museum | Yes | Free at open houses | Open houses on select Saturdays, usually noon to 2 pm; see the event calendar | Families with toddlers and local history fans |
| Harrington Railroad MuseumHarrington | Historic site | No | Free; donations welcome | 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, noon to 5 pm, or by appointment | Rail fans and local history lovers |
| Laurel Heritage MuseumLaurel | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; call (302) 875-2820 | First Sunday of each month, May to November, 1 to 4 pm, or by appointment | Local history and photography fans |
| Wilmington & Western RailroadWilmington | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares vary by train and event; buy tickets through the online schedule | Trains run mainly on weekends; see the online schedule. Business office Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. | Families with young kids and steam fans |
| Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn HeightsYorklyn | Rail gallery | Yes | Museum $8 adults, $4 ages 12 and under; museum and mansion $14 adults, $7 children | Thursdays and Fridays, 1 to 4 pm, except major holidays; plus special event days | Families with train fans and car lovers of every age |
No museum on this page matches every filter you picked.
Map of every train museum in Delaware
Delaware train day trips
Trip 1
A first-Sunday steam double in the Red Clay Valley
- Wilmington & Western RailroadWilmington
- Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn HeightsYorklyn
The two northern stops are about 6 miles apart. From June to November, the first Sunday of the month is a Steamin' Day at Auburn Heights, with miniature steam rides from 12:30 to 4:30 pm, and the Wilmington & Western runs mostly on weekends. Book a morning train on the online schedule, then head to Yorklyn for the afternoon.
Trip 2
Downstate depots on a first Sunday
- Harrington Railroad MuseumHarrington
- Laurel Heritage MuseumLaurel
- Historic Georgetown Train StationGeorgetown
Harrington and Laurel are about 25 miles apart, and both open on the first Sunday of the month, Harrington from noon to 5 and Laurel from 1 to 4 between May and November. Start at the caboose and tower, then drive south to the 1910 depot. Georgetown sits between them but opens on select Saturdays, so save it for an open house weekend.
How the railroad shaped Delaware
In the north, railroads followed the mills. The Wilmington & Western was chartered in 1867 to carry goods from the water-powered mills on Red Clay Creek to the Port of Wilmington, and it opened in 1872 with nearly 20 miles of track to Landenberg, Pennsylvania. Kaolin clay, vulcanized fiber, snuff, iron and coal rode its cars, and as the B&O's Landenberg Branch it was for a time that railroad's most profitable branch. Summer trains also carried families to the resort park at Brandywine Springs until it closed in 1923.
Downstate, the rails crept south slowly. A line from Harrington toward the harbor at Lewes began in 1857, stalled after reaching Milford in 1859, reached Georgetown in 1868 and Lewes the next year. Towns grew around their depots: Laurel built a second station in 1910 when traffic needed two sets of tracks, and Harrington's tower and watchmen kept trains moving through town in the 1920s and 1930s.
Each museum keeps one chapter. Ride the mill line itself on the Wilmington & Western Railroad, see a paper mill family's steam collection at the Marshall Steam Museum, and follow the southern line at the Historic Georgetown Train Station, the Harrington Railroad Museum and the Laurel Heritage Museum.
How far is each Delaware train museum?
Times are approximate, worked out without traffic.
| Museum | From Wilmington | From Dover | From Newark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington & Western RailroadWilmington | 10 min | 55 min | 10 min |
| Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn HeightsYorklyn | 15 min | 15 min | |
| Harrington Railroad MuseumHarrington | 1 hr 20 min | 25 min | |
| Historic Georgetown Train StationGeorgetown | 1 hr 40 min | 45 min | |
| Laurel Heritage MuseumLaurel | 1 hr |
Holiday trains and seasonal days at Delaware museums
December is the busiest train month in Delaware. The Wilmington & Western runs Santa trains as a holiday tradition, and the Historic Georgetown Train Station holds Christmas at the Train Station on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from noon to 2 pm, with model trains and a visit from Santa. In fall, the Wilmington & Western's Autumn Leaf Specials ride through the Red Clay Valley, and in spring its Easter Bunny Express is a family favorite. For dates and more options, see our roundup of Christmas train rides in Delaware and our list of Halloween and fall train rides in Delaware.
Good to know before you go
- Wilmington & Western seats are assigned by reservation, so buy tickets online and call the business office if you need to add people to your group.
- Most Wilmington & Western trains are pulled by diesels; if your child wants steam, check which locomotive is listed on the schedule.
- The Marshall Steam Museum offers no rides on its regular Thursday and Friday hours. Come on Train Day in May or a first-Sunday Steamin' Day to ride.
- For Auburn Heights, enter Hockessin, DE in your GPS for the best route to 3000 Creek Road.
- The Georgetown station opens only for events, so check its calendar or Facebook page before you go.
- Harrington's tower and caboose are on Hanley Street, two blocks from the society's main museum on Fleming Street; call (302) 398-3698 to visit outside Sunday hours.
- Auburn Heights closes for a winter break after December 19, 2026, and reopens February 4, 2027.
Train museums just over the Delaware line
Northern Delaware sits close to some of the biggest rail collections on the East Coast. In Pennsylvania, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg holds more than 100 locomotives and cars and is about 50 minutes from Wilmington. In Maryland, the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation in Baltimore, the former B&O Railroad Museum, fills an 1884 roundhouse with 19th-century locomotives, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Wilmington. Families near the beaches can look to New Jersey, where Cape May Seashore Lines runs excursions over working short line track in the state's southern counties.
A note from Rally's mom
Rally is our real corgi, and in our book he needs a boost from Dad to get up the big train stairs. I think of that every time I read about antique coaches like the ones in the Red Clay Valley, where the first step up is a big one for short legs. My mom dreamed up Rally's story before she died in 2021, and now my kids are learning to read with it. If your little rider wants a train to color after a day out, our free Rally coloring pages are waiting, and you can read how Rally's story began.
A train book for the drive
For a real train ride along the East Coast with your kids, read our guide to the Northeast Regional with kids.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. They fit in a folder with a few crayons for the drive to the museum or the wait for the next train ride.
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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- Christmas train rides in Delaware: Santa trains and holiday rides
- Halloween train rides in Delaware: pumpkin trains for next October
- The Northeast Regional with kids: ride a real Amtrak train
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find a train by city or station
- Train books for toddlers for the drive home
Delaware train museum questions
What is the best train museum in Delaware?
The Wilmington & Western Railroad is the top pick for most families. It runs steam, diesel and Doodlebug excursions through the Red Clay Valley over a branch line chartered in 1867. Listings describe it as Delaware's only operating rail museum. Trains run mainly on weekends, so check the online schedule and buy tickets ahead.
Are there free train museums in Delaware?
Yes, two Delaware rail stops are free. The Harrington Railroad Museum charges no admission and welcomes donations, and the Historic Georgetown Train Station is free during its open houses. Harrington opens the 1st and 3rd Sundays from noon to 5 pm or by appointment, while Georgetown opens on select Saturdays, usually noon to 2 pm.
Where can kids ride a train in Delaware?
The Wilmington & Western Railroad is the main place to ride a full-size train in Delaware. For smaller riders, the Marshall Steam Museum in Yorklyn runs 1/8-size coal-fired steam trains on Train Day and Steamin' Days, and the Historic Georgetown Train Station offers Lil Toot Express rides at its open houses. Each runs on set days only, so check before you go.
What is the best Delaware train museum for toddlers?
The Historic Georgetown Train Station is an easy first stop for toddlers. Open houses run about two hours at midday, admission is free, and kids can watch model trains and ride the Lil Toot Express on its own small track. The First Fire House Museum across the street opens at the same time for a little extra to see.
Is there a train museum in Wilmington, Delaware?
Yes, the Wilmington & Western Railroad runs just west of Wilmington. Trains board at the station on Newport Gap Pike, Route 41 North, and roll through the Red Clay Valley in antique Lackawanna and Pennsylvania Railroad coaches. The Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights is about 6 miles farther, near Hockessin, if you want a second stop.
Train museums near Dover, Delaware?
The Harrington Railroad Museum is the closest, roughly 25 minutes south of Dover without traffic. It has a restored railroad tower, a watchman's shack and a 1926 Pennsylvania Railroad N5 caboose. The Historic Georgetown Train Station is about 45 minutes away, and the Wilmington & Western Railroad is just under an hour north.
Is there a train museum in Georgetown, Delaware?
Yes, the Historic Georgetown Train Station is a late 1860s depot restored by the Historic Georgetown Association. It opens for free open houses on select Saturdays with model trains, railroad displays and Lil Toot rides for kids. Volunteers rebuilt the station after a 2011 fire gutted the interior, and it reopened in 2014.
Is there a railroad museum in Harrington, Delaware?
Yes, the Greater Harrington Historical Society runs a small free railroad complex on Hanley Street. It includes a railroad tower saved in 1993, a watchman's shack and a 1926 Pennsylvania Railroad N5 caboose. The society says the tower is one of the few of its kind left on the Delmarva Peninsula, restored to operating condition.
What is at the Laurel Heritage Museum in Delaware?
The Laurel Heritage Museum fills the town's restored 1910 train station with local history. Its best-known holding is the Waller Photograph Collection, praised by the Delaware State Archives and the University of Delaware. It opens the first Sunday of each month, May to November, from 1 to 4 pm, or by appointment at (302) 875-2820.
When do the trains run at Auburn Heights in Yorklyn?
The Auburn Valley Railroad gives rides on Train Day, the first Sunday in May, and on Steamin' Days, the first Sunday of each month from June to November, from 12:30 to 4:30 pm. Regular Thursday and Friday museum hours, 1 to 4 pm, do not include rides, though visitors can still see the Lionel display and Stanley cars.
How much does the Marshall Steam Museum cost?
As of October 2026, museum admission is $8 for adults and $4 for ages 12 and under. A combined ticket for the museum and the 1897 Marshall Mansion is $14 for adults and $7 for children. No advance tickets are needed for regular open hours, and many visitors take the 1 pm mansion tour first.
What steam locomotives does the Wilmington & Western Railroad have?
The Wilmington & Western keeps two coal-burning steam locomotives: a 1907 0-6-0 switcher built by Baldwin and a 1909 4-4-0 American built by Alco. It also runs a 1929 Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebug, a self-propelled railcar with a polished wood interior. Most trains use diesels, so check the schedule if you want steam.
What is the Doodlebug on the Wilmington & Western?
The Doodlebug is a 1929 Pennsylvania Railroad self-propelled railcar, part locomotive and part passenger coach. The Wilmington & Western calls it its most unusual piece of equipment, and some excursions use it in place of a locomotive and coaches. Riders sit in plush seats inside a polished wood interior.
What is the Lil Toot Express in Georgetown?
The Lil Toot Express is a kid-sized train that gives rides on its own track at Historic Georgetown Train Station open houses. The track was built in 2026 as an Eagle Scout project by Shane Jones of Troop 95, with help from his family, advisors and fellow scouts. Rides are part of the free open house days.
Are there Santa trains in Delaware?
Yes, the Wilmington & Western Railroad runs Santa trains each December, a holiday tradition on its calendar. The Historic Georgetown Train Station also hosts Christmas at the Train Station on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from noon to 2 pm, with decorations, model trains, museum displays and a visit from Santa Claus.
Are there fall train rides in Delaware?
Yes, the Wilmington & Western Railroad runs Autumn Leaf Specials through the Red Clay Valley in fall. The Marshall Steam Museum in Yorklyn also holds first-Sunday Steamin' Days through November, when its miniature coal-fired trains carry riders around the Auburn Heights estate. Check both schedules for exact dates as of October 2026.
Who owns the Wilmington & Western Railroad?
Historic Red Clay Valley, Inc., a nonprofit, owns and runs the Wilmington & Western. The group began running weekend tourist trains in 1966 on track leased from the B&O, then bought the last 10.2 miles of the Landenberg Branch in 1982 when the line faced abandonment. Volunteers still run the trains and repair the track.
When did the railroad reach southern Delaware?
Rails reached Georgetown in 1868 on a line built from Harrington toward Lewes. Work started in 1857 and reached Milford in 1859, but construction stalled until 1867, and the line continued to Lewes the following year. State historical marker SC-193 outside the Georgetown station tells that story.
Can you plan a train museum day trip in northern Delaware?
Yes, the Wilmington & Western Railroad and the Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights are about 6 miles apart. The best day is a first Sunday from June to November, when Auburn Heights runs Steamin' Days in the afternoon. Ride the Wilmington & Western in the morning, then drive to Yorklyn for miniature steam trains and Stanley cars.
Are Delaware train museums open in winter?
Only a few Delaware rail stops keep winter hours. The Wilmington & Western runs Santa trains in December, and the Harrington Railroad Museum can be visited by appointment. The Marshall Steam Museum closes for a winter break after December 19, 2026, and reopens February 4, 2027, while the Laurel Heritage Museum opens May to November.
Keep exploring
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