Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, Washington
Museum with a major rail exhibit
The Washington State History Museum in Tacoma is home to the largest model railroad on permanent public display in Washington, built and run by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers on the museum's fifth floor.
- Largest permanent model railroad in Washington
- Fifth-floor layout with a roundhouse
- Run by a nonprofit model railroad club
- Annual holiday Model Train Festival
- Light rail stop out front
Washington State History Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Model railroad viewable during regular museum hours; check the museum's website
- Admission
- Included with museum admission; check the museum's website for current prices
- Seasonal events
- Model Train Festival
- Best for
- Families with young train fans and history lovers
- Best ages
- All ages
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Washington State History 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 Tacoma.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
A model railroad club's layout inside the state's history museum
The Washington State History Museum, run by the Washington State Historical Society, covers the full sweep of the state's past through interactive exhibits, from the Great Hall of Washington History to a large collection of pioneer, Native and Alaskan artifacts. For many visitors, though, the favorite room is upstairs: a big model railroad that people mention more than almost anything else in the building.
That layout was built by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, known as PSMRE, a nonprofit club whose members still operate and maintain it. It is the largest model railroad on permanent public view in Washington, and it includes a roundhouse among its scenes. Each holiday season the museum and the club celebrate with the Model Train Festival, a Tacoma tradition that reaches its 30th year in 2026.
Up to the fifth floor
Head to the fifth floor to find the model railroad, which you can see any time the museum is open. Elsewhere in the building are the Great Hall of Washington History, space for traveling exhibits, the History Lab Learning Center for children, a 215-seat auditorium and an outdoor amphitheater. The museum does not post separate hours or tickets for the train layout; it is part of a regular museum visit.
Don’t miss
- The fifth-floor model railroadThe largest model railroad on permanent public view in Washington, operated by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers.
- The layout's roundhouseA favorite scene on the layout, and a nice way to explain to kids how real railroads turned and stored locomotives.
- Model Train FestivalThe museum's annual holiday event, a Tacoma tradition now in its 30th year.
Trains upstairs, hands-on history down the hall
Young train fans can watch the model trains run on the fifth floor, then try the History Lab Learning Center, which the museum created for children. The holiday Model Train Festival is billed as an event for all ages and is often the busiest, most festive time to see the layout.
Plan your visit: tips for Washington State History Museum
- The model railroad is on the fifth floor.
- A light rail stop sits right out front, handy if you are coming from elsewhere in Tacoma.
- Plan a holiday visit around the Model Train Festival, when the layout is the center of attention.
- Confirm hours and admission on washingtonhistory.org before you go.
The Model Train Festival is the museum's holiday tradition, returning in 2026 for its 30th year with model trains for all ages to enjoy. Dates are posted on the Washington State Historical Society website. If your family wants to ride a real train this season too, see our list of Christmas train rides in Washington.
The club behind the layout
Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, a nonprofit model railroad club, built the layout and keeps it running for museum visitors. The museum itself is operated by the Washington State Historical Society. Visiting, coming back for the Model Train Festival, and supporting the Historical Society all help keep the trains rolling.
More railroading around Tacoma
Tacoma Rail, the city's working freight railroad, is about 3 miles away. For a real ride, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad in Elbe is about 36 miles, and the Northwest Railway Museum about 35 miles. Find more in our list of train museums in Washington.
- Pacific Northwest Railroad ArchiveBurien, WA · about 16 mi
- Seattle Center Monorail historic exhibitsSeattle, WA · about 26 mi
- Issaquah Valley TrolleyIssaquah, WA · about 27 mi
- Northwest Railway MuseumSnoqualmie, WA · about 35 mi
- Mount Rainier Scenic RailroadElbe, WA · about 36 mi
- Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & MuseumChehalis, WA · about 49 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The Model Train Festival here has been a Tacoma holiday tradition for 30 years, and I can almost hear the happy noise around that layout. It puts me in mind of the tunnel page in our book: everything goes dark, then comes a big bright light and a burst of cheers. Little ones watching a model train come around a bend make that same sound. My mom would have loved this kind of tradition, which is part of our story.
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
- Train museums in Washington: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Washington
- Halloween train rides in Washington
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Washington State History 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.
Washington State History Museum trains: 20 questions
Does the Washington State History Museum have a train exhibit?
Yes. The Washington State History Museum in Tacoma has the largest model railroad on permanent public view in Washington. It is on the fifth floor and can be seen during normal museum hours. The layout was built and is operated by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, a nonprofit club.
Where is the model railroad in the Washington State History Museum?
The model railroad is on the fifth floor of the museum. Take the elevator or stairs up after you enter, and plan to spend some time there, since visitors often call it their favorite part of the building.
What events are coming up at the Washington State History Museum?
The best-known event for train fans is the Model Train Festival, a holiday tradition that returns in 2026 for its 30th year. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits and programs in its auditorium and outdoor amphitheater. The full events calendar is on the Washington State Historical Society website.
What is the Washington State History Museum Model Train Festival?
The Model Train Festival is an annual holiday celebration at the museum, built around model trains and designed for all ages. It has run for three decades, with the 30th festival in 2026, and it is one of Tacoma's favorite seasonal traditions. Check the museum's website for dates and tickets.
Who built the model railroad at the Washington State History Museum?
Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, or PSMRE, a nonprofit model railroad club, built the layout. Club members also operate and maintain it, which is why it stays in such good running order for museum visitors.
How big is the Washington State History Museum model railroad?
It is the largest model railroad on permanent public view in Washington. The museum does not publish its dimensions on the exhibit page, but its size and detail, including a roundhouse scene, make it the main draw for many visitors.
Do I need a separate ticket to see the model railroad?
No separate ticket is posted for the layout. The model railroad is a permanent exhibit you can see during normal museum hours as part of a regular visit. Special events like the Model Train Festival may be ticketed differently, so check the museum's website.
What are the Washington State History Museum hours?
The museum does not list its hours on the model railroad page. The layout is open whenever the museum is, so check washingtonhistory.org for current days and hours before you go, especially around holidays and the Model Train Festival.
How much does the Washington State History Museum cost?
Current admission prices are posted on the Washington State Historical Society's website, washingtonhistory.org. Seeing the model railroad is part of a regular museum visit. Check the site before you go, since festival and special exhibition pricing may differ.
Is the Washington State History Museum good for kids?
Yes. Children can watch the model trains on the fifth floor and then visit the History Lab Learning Center, a space the museum created for young learners. The Model Train Festival is aimed at all ages and is a favorite with families during the holidays.
Can kids touch or run the trains at the Washington State History Museum?
The museum describes the layout as an exhibit operated by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, so the club runs the trains rather than visitors. Hands-on fun for kids is found in the History Lab Learning Center. Ask staff during your visit about any interactive train activities.
How do I get to the Washington State History Museum by light rail?
A light rail stop sits right in front of the museum, which makes it easy to arrive without a car from other parts of Tacoma. Check Sound Transit for current schedules, and the museum's website for directions and the street address.
Is there parking at the Washington State History Museum?
The museum does not give parking details on its model railroad page. Check the visit section of washingtonhistory.org for current parking options before you drive, or take the light rail instead, since a stop sits right outside the museum's front door.
Is the Washington State History Museum wheelchair accessible?
Accessibility details are not listed on the model railroad page. Since the layout is on the fifth floor, ask about elevator access when you plan your visit, and check washingtonhistory.org or contact the Washington State Historical Society.
What else is there to see at the Washington State History Museum?
Beyond the trains, the museum has the Great Hall of Washington History, interactive exhibits on the state's past, and a large collection of pioneer, Native and Alaskan artifacts. There is also space for traveling exhibits, a 215-seat auditorium and an outdoor amphitheater.
Is there a roundhouse on the Washington State History Museum layout?
Yes. The layout includes a roundhouse, which the museum features in its Model Train Festival materials. It is a nice spot to explain to kids how real railroads parked, serviced and turned their locomotives, and a good place to pause and watch the trains move in and out.
Who runs the Washington State History Museum?
The museum is run by the Washington State Historical Society, which also posts its exhibits and events on washingtonhistory.org. The model railroad on its fifth floor is operated and maintained by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, a nonprofit club, in partnership with the museum.
Can I join the club that runs the Washington State History Museum trains?
Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers is a nonprofit club, and model railroaders interested in helping can ask about membership. The museum's model railroad page is the best starting point for reaching the club, or ask staff on your visit.
How long should I spend at the Washington State History Museum?
The museum does not suggest a visit length. Families focused on the model railroad may want at least some unhurried time on the fifth floor, and seeing the Great Hall and History Lab as well can easily fill a longer visit.
What other train attractions are near the Washington State History Museum?
Tacoma Rail, the city's freight railroad, is about 3 miles away. The Pacific Northwest Railroad Archive in Burien is about 16 miles, the Northwest Railway Museum about 35 miles, and the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad in Elbe about 36 miles.
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