Walt Disney Hometown Museum in Marceline, Missouri

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Marceline, Missouri · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitTue to Sat 10 am to 4 pm, Sun 1 to 5 pm, closed Mondays

Housed in Marceline's restored Santa Fe Railway station, just feet from a busy main line, the Walt Disney Hometown Museum honors the boy who arrived here by train at age four, and its Marceline Railroad Story gallery tells how the railroad created the town.

  • Inside the restored Santa Fe depot
  • Marceline incorporated in 1888
  • About 70 trains pass daily
  • Railroad gallery in the old Lunchroom
  • Steam engine in E.P. Ripley Park

Walt Disney Hometown Museum at a glance

Hours
Tue to Sat 10 am to 4 pm; Sun 1 to 5 pm; closed Mon
Admission
Railroad gallery included with a Walt Disney Hometown Museum ticket; see the museum's website for prices
Plan for
About 2 hours
Best for
Disney fans, families and rail fans traveling together
Best ages
Ages 5 and up

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Walt Disney Hometown 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 Marceline.

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.

A Santa Fe division town and the boy who loved its trains

Marceline exists because of the railroad. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe chose the spot as a division point on its route between Kansas City and Chicago and set out the borders for a new town. After an election on March 6, 1888, the Linn County Court incorporated the City of Marceline. The name came at the request of one of the railway's directors, whose wife had the Spanish name Marcelina.

Walt Disney first came to Marceline by train when he was four years old, and he later said he had always loved trains. That is why the museum honoring him sits inside the former Santa Fe train depot, a two-story brick building only about 15 feet from the tracks. The museum was established in 2001 after the Disney family donated thousands of personal family artifacts, and it now fills about 10,000 square feet of gallery space in the restored station.

The railroad remains part of daily life here. Trains no longer stop in Marceline, but about 70 pass through town every day, and the museum's Marceline Railroad Story gallery makes sure the town's railroad roots are not forgotten. The museum is a nonprofit organization and is not part of The Walt Disney Company.

From Buck Snort to the last crew change

The Marceline Railroad Story is an intimate gallery in the depot's old Santa Fe Lunchroom, where train crews and passengers once ate. It traces the history of railroading and coal mining in Marceline, starting with the early settlers who homesteaded an area called Buck Snort, continuing through the arrival of the AT&SF and the founding of the town, and ending with the last BNSF crew change in Marceline. Entry is included with a regular museum ticket.

Step outside and you are beside an active main line, so there is a good chance of seeing a train go by during your visit. A short walk away, E.P. Ripley Park sits on land the Santa Fe donated to the town in 1898. Walt played there as a boy, and he later named the first steam engine at Disneyland the E.P. Ripley. Today the park displays a steam engine and a caboose.

Don’t miss

  1. Marceline Railroad Story galleryRailroad and coal mining history told in the restored Santa Fe Lunchroom, included with admission.
  2. The Santa Fe depotThe two-story brick station, about 15 feet from the tracks, that the museum calls home.
  3. E.P. Ripley Park steam engine and cabooseIn the park the Santa Fe gave the town in 1898, where young Walt played.
  4. Passing trainsAround 70 trains a day roll past the depot, so keep an ear out while you visit.

Trains rolling by and an engine in the park

For train-loving kids, the best show may be outside: with about 70 trains passing every day, watching from near the depot is part of the fun. In E.P. Ripley Park they can see a real steam engine and caboose, and parents can tell them that Walt played in that same park as a boy.

The railroad gallery is a small, quiet space, best for children old enough to enjoy pictures and stories. Stay well back from the tracks; this is a busy, active main line.

Plan your visit: tips for Walt Disney Hometown Museum

  • The museum is closed on Mondays.
  • Sunday hours start later, at 1 pm.
  • Save time to walk to E.P. Ripley Park to see the steam engine and caboose.
  • Trains do not stop in Marceline, so drive in rather than planning to arrive by rail.

A nonprofit built on a family's gift

The Walt Disney Hometown Museum is a nonprofit organization, separate from The Walt Disney Company, that began in 2001 with thousands of artifacts given by the Disney family. Visitors support it by buying a museum ticket. To ask about donations or other ways to help, call 660-376-3343 or email info@waltdisneymuseum.org.

More railroad history within a few hours

The Sedalia Katy Depot is another restored Missouri passenger station, about 71 miles south. Across the Iowa line, the Fort Madison Railroad Museum is about 107 miles away, and the Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad near Kansas City is about 105 miles. See all of Missouri's train museums for more.

Every train museum in Missouri

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.

Walt Disney was only four when he stepped off a train in Marceline, and I always wonder whether someone had to help him down those tall steps. In our book Rally has the same trouble, so Dad gives his little corgi body a boost. My own kids still need a hand on train stairs. If your family is reading about trains together, our train books for toddlers list is a good place to start.

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 Walt Disney Hometown 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.

Walt Disney Hometown Museum: 20 questions about its railroad story

Where is the Walt Disney Hometown Museum?

The museum is at 120 E Santa Fe Ave, Marceline, MO 64658, inside the town's restored Santa Fe Railway station in the heart of downtown. The building stands only about 15 feet from the train tracks. Call 660-376-3343 if you need directions.

What are the Walt Disney Hometown Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. It is closed on Mondays. Check waltdisneymuseum.org or call 660-376-3343 before traveling, especially around holidays.

How much are Walt Disney Hometown Museum tickets?

The museum sells admission tickets, and the Marceline Railroad Story gallery is included in the regular ticket price. Current prices are not shown on the railroad page, so check waltdisneymuseum.org or call 660-376-3343 for the latest admission costs and any group rates.

What is the Marceline Railroad Story exhibit?

It is a small gallery inside the museum that tells the history of railroading and coal mining in Marceline. It begins with settlers homesteading an area known as Buck Snort, follows the arrival of the Santa Fe and the founding of the town, and ends with the last BNSF crew change in Marceline.

Where is the railroad exhibit inside the Walt Disney Hometown Museum?

The Marceline Railroad Story gallery is located in the depot's old Santa Fe Lunchroom, the room where railroad crews and travelers once ate. Admission to the gallery is included with a regular Walt Disney Hometown Museum ticket, so there is no separate fee.

Why is the Walt Disney Hometown Museum in a train depot?

Walt Disney first arrived in Marceline by train when he was four years old, and he said he had always loved trains. As a tribute to that, the museum honoring him was placed inside the former Santa Fe train depot, a two-story brick building beside the tracks.

When did the Walt Disney Hometown Museum open?

The museum was established in 2001 after the Disney family donated thousands of personal family artifacts. It now offers about 10,000 square feet of gallery space in the restored Santa Fe Railway station in downtown Marceline.

Is the Walt Disney Hometown Museum part of Disney?

No. The Walt Disney Hometown Museum is a non-profit organization and is not part of The Walt Disney Company. Its collection grew from personal artifacts donated by the Disney family, and ticket sales help keep the museum running in Marceline.

How did the railroad found Marceline, Missouri?

The Santa Fe Railway founded Marceline as a division point on its Kansas City to Chicago route and set out the town's borders. After an election on March 6, 1888, the Linn County Court incorporated the City of Marceline. Coal mining also shaped the early town.

How did Marceline get its name?

The name came at the request of a director of the new Santa Fe railway line, whose wife had the Spanish name Marcelina. The railroad shaped the town from that start, and the museum's railroad gallery tells the story in more detail.

Do trains still run through Marceline?

Yes. Trains no longer stop in Marceline, but about 70 pass through town every day on the main line beside the museum. That makes the depot area a good place to watch trains, as long as you stay well back from the tracks.

What is E.P. Ripley Park in Marceline?

E.P. Ripley Park sits on land the Santa Fe donated to the center of town in 1898. Walt Disney played there as a child and later named the first steam engine at Disneyland the E.P. Ripley. The park displays a steam engine and a caboose.

Is there a steam engine to see in Marceline?

Yes. E.P. Ripley Park, a short walk from the museum in the center of town, features a steam engine and a caboose on display. The park is the same one where young Walt Disney played, which makes it a favorite photo stop for families.

Is the Walt Disney Hometown Museum good for kids?

Kids who love Disney or trains usually find plenty to enjoy, especially watching passing trains and seeing the steam engine in E.P. Ripley Park. The railroad gallery is small and quiet and suits school-age children best. Ask the museum about any family activities when you visit.

How long should I spend at the Walt Disney Hometown Museum?

Plan around two hours to tour about 10,000 square feet of galleries, including the Marceline Railroad Story, and then walk over to E.P. Ripley Park. Disney fans who read every display, or who stop to watch trains, may want longer.

Is the Walt Disney Hometown Museum wheelchair accessible?

The museum does not describe accessibility on its railroad page. The galleries are inside a historic two-story depot, so call 660-376-3343 or email info@waltdisneymuseum.org before your visit to ask about elevators, entrances and parking. Staff can also suggest the easiest way to reach E.P. Ripley Park.

Is there parking at the Walt Disney Hometown Museum?

The museum does not list parking details on its railroad page. It is on E Santa Fe Ave in downtown Marceline. Call 660-376-3343 if you are bringing a bus or a large group and want to know where to park.

Can groups visit the Walt Disney Hometown Museum?

The railroad page does not describe group tours. Call 660-376-3343 or email info@waltdisneymuseum.org to ask about group admission, school visits or tours, and allow time for your group to see the railroad gallery and E.P. Ripley Park.

Can I reach Marceline by train?

Not directly. Although about 70 trains pass through each day, trains no longer stop in Marceline. Most visitors arrive by car. The museum is in the old Santa Fe depot, so you can still see the trains roll past once you get there.

What train museums are near the Walt Disney Hometown Museum?

The Sedalia Katy Depot, a restored 1896 passenger station, is about 71 miles away. The Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad near Kansas City is about 105 miles, and the Fort Madison Railroad Museum in Iowa is about 107 miles.

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Kelsey Cecil
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