Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Roanoke, Virginia · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitOpen Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm

The Virginia Museum of Transportation is the Commonwealth's official transportation museum, filling downtown Roanoke's century-old Norfolk & Western freight station with steam, diesel and electric locomotives and the stories of the people who built and ran them.

  • Founded in 1963
  • Official state transportation museum
  • Over 50 pieces of rolling stock
  • Home of N&W J Class 611
  • O-gauge model railroad
  • Open six days a week

Virginia Museum of Transportation at a glance

Hours
Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm, closed Monday
Admission
Adults (18 to 59) $14.77, seniors, students and youth (13 to 17) $12.66, ages 3 to 12 $10.55, 2 and under free, tax included
Seasonal events
Spooky Sweets & Treats, Roanoke Railway Expo, Candy Cane Celebration
Plan for
About 2 to 3 hours
Best for
Families and rail fans of all ages
Best ages
Toddlers to age 12
Parking
Spaces in front of the museum are free for paying guests; more on city streets and in the Salem Avenue garage

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Virginia Museum of Transportation? 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 Roanoke.

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.

From a flooded riverside depot to Roanoke's freight station

The museum started in 1963 as the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Wasena Park, inside an old Norfolk & Western freight depot on the banks of the Roanoke River. Its first big pieces were a United States Army Jupiter rocket and the Class J steam locomotive No. 611, which Norfolk & Western gave to the city of Roanoke, the place where so many of its engines were built. Over the years a DC Transit PCC streetcar, a covered wagon, a Studebaker wagon and a horse-drawn hearse joined them.

The General Assembly named it the Official Transportation Museum of Virginia in 1983. Two years later, in November 1985, a flood damaged the museum and much of the collection. Supporters regrouped, and in April 1986 it reopened downtown in the former Norfolk & Western Railway Freight Station under its new name, the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

That building is part of the story. Completed in 1918, it pairs a two-story, 50-bay freight station with a brick annex that once held offices for N&W's Shenandoah and Radford divisions. It closed to freight in 1964 and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. The same year, during the museum's 50th birthday, the city handed ownership of steam locomotives 611 and 1218 to the museum itself.

Today the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its partners include the Roanoke Chapter of the NRHS, whose volunteers cosmetically restored pieces such as Chesapeake Western Baldwin 662 and Panama Canal mule 686, and Norfolk Southern, whose shops refreshed several of the diesels on display.

Five galleries and a railyard full of heavyweights

The Rail Gallery covers American railroading with a Virginia focus. Big Lick recreates a 1930s country depot with freight scales, a telegrapher's office and a velocipede handcar, and visitors can step inside the cab of a locomotive. Exhibits on the Claytor brothers and on African American railroad workers of the N&W and Norfolk Southern, built from an oral history project, add the human side. Nearby, an extensive O-gauge layout models the rail lines around Roanoke, Salem and Lynchburg.

Out back, the Outside Railyard holds the heavy equipment from a collection of more than 50 pieces of rolling stock: steam engines, electric locomotives including a Pennsylvania Railroad GG1, a long line of Norfolk & Western diesels, freight cars, passenger cars and cabooses. Indoors again, the Auto Gallery shows more than 30 cars, from a 1913 Studebaker to GM's EV1, and the Aviation Gallery has a passenger fuselage you can board, a replica control tower and the Jupiter rocket.

Don’t miss

  1. Norfolk & Western J Class 611Built in 1950 at the N&W's own shops in Roanoke, the streamlined 611 has run again since May 2015. It travels for excursions, so check the museum's Facebook page to see whether it is home.
  2. Norfolk & Western Class A 1218Built at the Roanoke Shops in 1943, it is the last surviving 2-6-6-4, and it pulled excursions from 1987 to 1991.
  3. Virginian Railway SA class No. 4A 1910 Baldwin and the last steam locomotive left from the Virginian Railway.
  4. Norfolk & Western Class G-1 No. 6Built by Baldwin in 1897, it is the oldest piece in the collection and one of the oldest N&W locomotives still around.
  5. Norfolk & Western SD-45 1776The diesel many visitors search for by number; it was cosmetically restored at Norfolk Southern's Chattanooga shops and brought back to Roanoke.
  6. Big Lick depot exhibitA recreated 1930s depot with a telegrapher's office and a handcar, plus a short history of the freight station you are standing in.

A cab to climb into, a playroom and a fuselage to board

The museum says many of its exhibits are made to be touched, and children can physically interact with them. Kids can step into a locomotive cab in the Rail Gallery, walk into an airliner fuselage in the Aviation Gallery, and watch the O-gauge trains run. There is also a playroom designed for younger children, which helps when little legs need a break from big steel.

The railyard is outdoors, so dress for the weather on hot or chilly days. The galleries cover cars, planes and trains together, which keeps mixed-age siblings happy even if only one of them is the train fan.

Plan your visit: tips for Virginia Museum of Transportation

  • Buy tickets online ahead of time if you want to skip the counter.
  • Members of the military, the NRHS or the N&W Historical Society get 10% off admission with their membership card.
  • The 611 travels for excursions; check the museum's Facebook page before you go if seeing it is the goal.
  • The museum is closed on Mondays, and Sunday hours start at 1 pm.
  • Watch the Roanoke Railcam on the museum's website to see trains passing in real time.

The calendar fills up in fall and winter. Spooky Sweets & Treats brings costumed kids to the museum in October, the Roanoke Railway Expo takes over a November weekend, and the Candy Cane Celebration in early December is the museum's holiday event. For more seasonal outings around the state, see our guides to Christmas train rides in Virginia and Halloween train rides in Virginia.

A nonprofit, a rail chapter and a railroad town

The Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc. is an independent nonprofit run by a board and staff, with long help from the Roanoke Chapter of the NRHS and from Norfolk Southern. Visitors can support it through membership, donations, birthday party and event rentals, school field trips, and the gift shop, which sells gifts and toys on site and online.

More rail history around Roanoke

The O. Winston Link Museum is right in Roanoke, and its photographs of N&W steam make a fine pairing with the 611. The N&W Historical Society Archives are in town too, and the C&O Railway Heritage Center is about 38 miles away in Clifton Forge. See all of Virginia's train museums for more ideas.

Every train museum in Virginia

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.

Kids can step right into a locomotive cab here, and for a small child, just getting up into one is the first adventure. In our book, Rally's short corgi legs can't make the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. Those tall steps are half the thrill when you're small. My kids are learning to read with Rally, and there are pages to color on our coloring pages too.

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 Virginia Museum of Transportation?

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.

Virginia Museum of Transportation: 20 questions families ask

Where is the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

The Virginia Museum of Transportation is at 303 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke, Virginia 24016, in downtown Roanoke. It fills the former Norfolk & Western Railway Freight Station, a long brick building completed in 1918 beside the tracks. The museum is within walking distance of other downtown Roanoke attractions, and you can call 540-342-5670 for directions.

What are the Virginia Museum of Transportation hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. It is closed on Mondays. The museum occasionally closes for private events, which it posts on its events page, so check vmt.org or its Facebook page before a long drive.

How much are Virginia Museum of Transportation tickets?

As of October 2026, admission including tax is $14.77 for adults 18 to 59, $12.66 for seniors 60 and up, students with ID and youth 13 to 17, $10.55 for children 3 to 12, and free for kids 2 and under. Tickets can be bought online through the museum's website or at the front desk.

Is the Virginia Museum of Transportation free?

No, general admission is paid, though children 2 and under get in free. Members of the military, the National Railway Historical Society or the N&W Historical Society receive a 10% discount when they show their membership. Museum members also visit as part of their membership, which can pay off for local families who come back often.

Where do you park at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

The parking spaces directly in front of the museum are always free for paying guests. If those are full, there is more parking along city streets in designated areas and in the Salem Avenue parking garage nearby. The museum's Directions and Parking page has a map if you need help finding the lot.

What is there to see at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

There are five main areas: the Rail Gallery, the Outside Railyard, the Auto Gallery with more than 30 cars, the Aviation Gallery with a fuselage and replica control tower, and an O-gauge model train exhibit. The railyard holds the big locomotives, and the rail collection numbers more than 50 pieces of rolling stock.

Is N&W 611 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

Norfolk & Western J Class 611 is owned by the museum and calls Roanoke home, but it is a traveling exhibit. The 1950 steam locomotive has been operational since May 2015 and leaves for excursions and events. The museum posts 611 updates on its Facebook page, so check there if seeing the engine is the reason for your trip.

What is engine 1776 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

Norfolk & Western 1776 is an EMD SD-45 diesel locomotive in the museum's collection. It was cosmetically restored at Norfolk Southern's shops in Chattanooga and then returned to Roanoke for display. It sits among a long lineup of N&W diesels, including an ALCO RS-3, a GP-9 and an ALCO C-630, in the museum's railyard.

Can you ride a train at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

The museum does not list a regular train ride as part of a daily visit; the experience is walking among the locomotives, galleries and model trains. The 611 runs steam excursions at times, and the museum has posted news about its Summer of Steam program. Check vmt.org and its Facebook page for any current ride announcements.

Can you go inside a locomotive at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

Yes. The Rail Gallery invites visitors to step inside the cab of a locomotive, which is a highlight for young kids. Some pieces in the outdoor railyard may be closed for restoration at times, so not every engine can be boarded. Ask staff at the front desk which cars are open the day you visit.

Is the Virginia Museum of Transportation good for toddlers?

Yes. The museum describes many exhibits as hands-on and has a playroom designed for younger children. Toddlers tend to enjoy the O-gauge trains, the locomotive cab and the big engines outside. The galleries are indoors, which helps on rainy days, while the railyard is outdoors, so plan around heat or cold.

What events are coming up at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

As of October 2026, the museum lists Spooky Sweets and Treats on October 10, the Roanoke Railway Expo on November 7 and 8, and the Candy Cane Celebration on December 5 and 6. The museum says its Facebook page carries the latest event news, so check there for times and any changes.

Does the Virginia Museum of Transportation do anything for Christmas?

Yes. The Candy Cane Celebration is the museum's holiday event, held as of October 2026 on December 5 from 10 am to 4 pm and December 6 from noon to 4 pm. Details and ticket information are posted on the museum's events page and Facebook page, and you can call 540-342-5670 with questions.

Can you have a birthday party at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

Yes. The museum takes birthday party bookings through its website, and it also rents event space for weddings, corporate events and other occasions. A Norfolk and Western caboose in the collection has been used for birthday parties. Use the Birthday Party Booking form on vmt.org or call 540-342-5670 to ask about dates.

Does the Virginia Museum of Transportation have a gift shop?

Yes. The gift shop carries gifts and toys for all ages, and you can order on site or through the museum's online store. It is a good place to pick up a train book or toy at the end of a visit, and purchases help support this nonprofit museum.

Does the Virginia Museum of Transportation offer school field trips and group visits?

Yes. The museum hosts school field trips built around its interactive displays and knowledgeable staff, covering the mechanics and engineering of transportation along with its history. Groups can submit a Group Visit Request through vmt.org. For dates, pricing and group sizes, call 540-342-5670 or email info@vmt.org.

When did the Virginia Museum of Transportation open?

It began in 1963 as the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Wasena Park, in an old N&W freight depot by the Roanoke River. After a November 1985 flood damaged the museum, it reopened in April 1986 in the downtown N&W freight station under its current name. It was named Virginia's official transportation museum in 1983.

Are there jobs or volunteer roles at the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

The museum does not post a standing list of openings on its main pages. To ask about jobs or volunteering, call 540-342-5670, email info@vmt.org, or use the contact form on vmt.org. Its Board of Directors and Staff page lists the team, and the Roanoke Chapter of the NRHS has long helped restore equipment.

Where can I see photos and reviews of the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

The museum shares photos, event news and 611 updates on its Facebook page, VMTRoanoke, and on Instagram as vmtroanoke. Its website also hosts the Roanoke Railcam, a live camera on the busy tracks beside the museum. Families often check those feeds before a visit to see what is on display.

What other train museums are near the Virginia Museum of Transportation?

The O. Winston Link Museum and the N&W Historical Society Archives are both in Roanoke. The C&O Railway Heritage Center and the Historic C&O Depot in Clifton Forge are about 38 miles away, and the Virginia Scenic Railway in Staunton, about 77 miles away, offers train rides.

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