WHEELS Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Albuquerque, New Mexico · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitOpen Monday to Thursday mornings and Saturday and Sunday

WHEELS Museum is a volunteer-run nonprofit housed in the long 1914 Storehouse of the Santa Fe Railroad Shops at the Albuquerque Rail Yards, where it collects and shows the trains, wagons and cars that shaped Albuquerque and New Mexico.

  • Inside the 1914 Santa Fe Storehouse
  • At the Albuquerque Rail Yards
  • Chartered in 1999
  • Run by volunteers
  • Model railroads and full-size vehicles
  • Route 66: Roads & Rails festival

WHEELS Museum at a glance

Hours
Monday to Thursday 9 am to 12 pm; Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 2 pm
Admission
Directory listings describe it as free; call (505) 243-6269 to confirm
Seasonal events
Route 66: Roads & Rails Transportation Festival, New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and Route 66 road-trippers
Best ages
Toddlers 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 WHEELS 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 Albuquerque.

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.

Saving the story of Albuquerque's Santa Fe shops

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe built its Albuquerque locomotive shops between 1914 and 1924 to maintain and repair the steam engines that served the Southwest. It was one of only four such shop complexes on the railroad, alongside Topeka, Kansas, Cleburne, Texas and San Bernardino, California, and it was fitted out with the latest locomotive repair technology of its day. For more than six decades the shops kept freight and passenger trains moving, and they grew into the second largest industrial complex in New Mexico and the city's largest employer.

That work shaped the neighborhoods around the yards, especially Barelas, South Broadway and San Jose. A 1948 business report that the museum has shared counted 995 shop employees drawing a combined monthly payroll of $252,000, plus more men at the roundhouse and the storehouse. Businesses grew up to serve rail travelers and yard workers, and the nearby Alvarado Hotel stood until it was torn down in the early 1970s.

WHEELS Museum, chartered in 1999, set out to keep that history in front of the public. The name stands for We Have Everything Everyone Loves Spinning, and the nonprofit collects and builds exhibits about transportation in Albuquerque and New Mexico, with a focus on how the railroad and the rail yards built the city. Volunteers run it, and the museum describes itself as still growing as the Rail Yards are restored around it.

The museum makes its home in The Storehouse, a long, narrow building from 1914 where the Santa Fe once kept a huge stock of parts and supplies for the shops and for the wider railroad system. President Leba Freed and a volunteer team have also brought the museum back to the public through events, and it has received a Visit Albuquerque Tourism Grant two years running.

Inside the long Storehouse

The museum fills a 21,000-square-foot warehouse with what directory listings describe as more than 5,000 exhibits. Model railroads share the floor with wooden wheeled carriages, horse buggies, wagons, carts, antique cars, gas pumps and old signs, and the museum also counts a locomotive or two among its collection. The displays are arranged around one idea, how getting around Albuquerque changed over time, so a model horse can sit near a Model T Ford, which sits near a Mobil sign with its red flying horse.

Rail fans will want time with the material on the Santa Fe shops themselves: photographs of shop crews and railyard workers on locomotives, and documents about the Rail Yards site, including its master development plan and studies of the historic railroad buildings. The museum also has a gift shop. Visitors often mention that the volunteers on the floor know the collection well and are happy to answer questions.

Don’t miss

  1. The Storehouse buildingThe museum's home is the long, narrow 1914 building where the Santa Fe stored parts and supplies for its shops and much of its system.
  2. The model railroadsModel trains are a big part of the collection, and visitors who build or run their own layouts tend to linger here.
  3. Wagons, buggies and carriagesHorse-drawn vehicles and wooden wheeled carriages show how people and freight moved before the railroad and the car.
  4. Santa Fe shop photographsImages of shop workers and yard crews on locomotives connect the collection to the people who worked here.
  5. Model T and roadside signsCars, gas pumps and signs like the red winged horse tie the rail story to Route 66 just north on Central Avenue.

Trains, wagons and Thursday storytime

With full-size vehicles, model trains and wagons all under one roof, there is a lot for young kids to point at, and the mix of trains, cars and horse buggies keeps the visit moving. Families who have reviewed the museum mention a small bubble train to ride and a storytime on Thursdays, so ask about both when you arrive or call ahead.

The museum is indoors, which helps on hot or windy Albuquerque afternoons. Weekday hours end at noon, so families with preschoolers may find a morning visit easiest.

Plan your visit: tips for WHEELS Museum

  • The museum is closed Fridays, and weekday hours end at noon.
  • It is about 0.7 mile south of Central Avenue (Route 66) at 1100 2nd St SW.
  • Ask about Thursday storytime if you are coming with little ones.
  • Bring a railroad story: the museum invites visitors to share their own memories.

The museum's big annual gathering is the Route 66: Roads & Rails Transportation Festival, and the next one is set for April 17 and 18, 2027, in partnership with New Mexico Heritage Rail. The museum also takes part in Route 66 Centennial events and posts its calendar on its website and Facebook page.

Volunteers on the floor and in the archives

WHEELS Museum is a nonprofit run by volunteers, led by President Leba Freed with a small team including a general manager and a director of development. You can help by visiting, shopping in the gift shop, donating, or joining as a volunteer, and the museum asks visitors to share their own railroad stories by phone or email.

Rail stops near the Albuquerque Rail Yards

The New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society, home of Santa Fe 2926, is about 2 miles away. The Belen Harvey House Museum is about 29 miles south, and the New Mexico Railroad Museum in Las Vegas is about 58 miles northeast. Find more on our page of New Mexico train museums.

Every train museum in New Mexico

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Storehouse at WHEELS once held every spare part the Santa Fe shops could need, all packed away and ready. It makes me think of Rally getting ready for his trip in our book, carefully packing his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball. My kids are learning to read, and packing lists are a favorite. There is more about how Rally's story began on our story page.

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 WHEELS 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.

WHEELS Museum Albuquerque: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the WHEELS Museum in Albuquerque?

The WHEELS Museum is at 1100 2nd St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, at the Albuquerque Rail Yards in the historic Barelas neighborhood downtown. It is about 0.7 mile south of Central Avenue, the old Route 66, and about 2.2 miles south of Interstate 40. Its mailing address is PO Box 95438, Albuquerque, NM 87199.

What are the WHEELS Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the WHEELS Museum is open Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 12 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. It is closed on Fridays. Because the museum is volunteer run, call (505) 243-6269 before you go if you are traveling a long way.

Is the WHEELS Museum free?

Directory listings describe the WHEELS Museum as free to visit, and the museum does not post an admission price on its website. As a volunteer-run nonprofit, it relies on donations and gift shop sales, so bringing a few dollars to give is a kind gesture. Call (505) 243-6269 to confirm current admission.

Do I need tickets for the WHEELS Museum?

The museum does not sell timed tickets online for regular visits, and it does not post a ticket price. During open hours you can walk in. Special events, such as the Route 66: Roads & Rails Transportation Festival, may have their own details, so check the events calendar on wheelsmuseum.org before going.

What can you see at the WHEELS Museum?

The museum fills a 21,000-square-foot warehouse with model railroads, wooden carriages, horse buggies, wagons, carts, antique cars, gas pumps, signs and even a locomotive or two. Listings count more than 5,000 exhibits. The theme is how transportation changed Albuquerque, with a strong focus on the Santa Fe Railroad shops.

What building is the WHEELS Museum in?

The museum is in The Storehouse, a long and narrow building from 1914 at the Santa Fe Railroad Shops. The railroad used it to hold a huge stock of parts and supplies for its maintenance shops and for the wider Santa Fe system. Some listings date the building to 1915.

What were the Albuquerque Rail Yards?

The Albuquerque Rail Yards were the Santa Fe Railway's locomotive shops, built between 1914 and 1924 to maintain and repair steam locomotives serving the Southwest. They were one of only four such shops on the railroad and became the city's largest employer and the second largest industrial complex in New Mexico.

Does the WHEELS Museum have story time?

Visitors who have reviewed the museum mention a storytime for kids on Thursdays. The museum does not post a storytime schedule on its website, so call (505) 243-6269 or check its Facebook page to confirm the day and start time before you bring little ones. Thursday hours are 9 am to 12 pm as of October 2026.

Is the WHEELS Museum good for toddlers?

Yes, for a short morning visit. Toddlers can look at model trains, wagons and full-size cars indoors, and families mention a little bubble train ride and a Thursday storytime. Weekday hours end at noon, which fits naturally around nap schedules. Ask the volunteers about anything you would like little ones to try.

Is there parking at the WHEELS Museum?

The museum does not post parking details on its website. It is at 1100 2nd St SW on the Rail Yards site in Barelas. If you are not sure where to leave the car, call (505) 243-6269 before you go and ask the volunteers which entrance and lot to use.

Does the WHEELS Museum do a car show or festival?

Yes. The museum's signature event is the Route 66: Roads & Rails Transportation Festival. The museum has announced the next one for April 17 and 18, 2027, in partnership with New Mexico Heritage Rail, and is calling it its biggest yet. Watch wheelsmuseum.org and the museum's Facebook page for details on vehicles and activities.

What events does the WHEELS Museum have coming up?

As of October 2026, the main announced event is the Route 66: Roads & Rails Transportation Festival on April 17 and 18, 2027. The museum also takes part in Route 66 Centennial activities, including a monthly history lecture series in the Albuquerque area. Its events page and Facebook page carry the latest listings.

Can you have a birthday party at the WHEELS Museum?

The museum does not post a birthday party package online. With trains, cars and wagons to explore, it is worth asking about. Call (505) 243-6269 or email info@wheelsmuseum.org with your date and group size to see what the volunteers can arrange.

Are WHEELS Museum reviews good?

Reviews are generally warm. Visitors often praise the knowledgeable volunteers, the large number of models and old vehicles, and how well the museum works for kids. Some note that it feels more lived in than polished, with plenty of variety to keep you looking. The museum shares many Google reviews on its own website.

How long should I spend at the WHEELS Museum?

Plan on about one to two hours. Families with young kids may be ready to go in an hour, while model railroaders and Santa Fe history fans can easily spend longer reading about the shops and talking with volunteers. Keep the short weekday hours in mind when you plan.

Who runs the WHEELS Museum?

The WHEELS Museum is a volunteer-run nonprofit, chartered in 1999. Leba Freed is its president, working with a general manager and a director of development. The museum has received a Visit Albuquerque Tourism Grant two years in a row to support its events.

What does WHEELS stand for?

WHEELS stands for We Have Everything Everyone Loves Spinning. The name fits the collection, which covers anything that rolls: trains, cars, wagons, carriages and more. The museum focuses on how all those ways of getting around helped build Albuquerque and connect it to the rest of New Mexico and the West.

Does the WHEELS Museum have a gift shop?

Yes. The museum has a gift shop on site, and purchases help support a nonprofit run by volunteers. Hours for the shop follow the museum's own hours, which as of October 2026 are Monday to Thursday 9 am to 12 pm and Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 2 pm.

How can I volunteer at the WHEELS Museum?

The WHEELS Museum is run by volunteers and recruits at community events such as Albuquerque's volunteer fairs. To get involved, call (505) 243-6269 or email info@wheelsmuseum.org. The museum also invites people to share their own railroad stories or memories, which helps it record the history of the Santa Fe shops.

What train museums are near the WHEELS Museum?

The New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society, home of Santa Fe 2926, is about 2 miles away. The Belen Harvey House Museum is about 29 miles south. Sky Railway, the Santa Fe Railway historical exhibits and the New Mexico Railroad Museum in Las Vegas are each about 58 miles away.

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