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National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, Baltimore, MD

Photo: Barry Eagel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation

901 W Pratt St · Baltimore, MD

Why you should go…

Formerly the B&O Railroad Museum, this Baltimore site holds about 250 pieces of rolling stock and the country's largest collection of 19th-century locomotives. The centerpiece is the 1884 roundhouse, its roof rebuilt after a 2003 snowstorm collapse, beside the 1851 Mount Clare Station. Regular passenger rail service in America began here in 1830, and you can buy a separate ticket for a short train ride on the museum's historic track.

  • #railroad museum
  • #trains
  • #locomotives
  • #train ride
  • #roundhouse

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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    Oriole Park at Camden Yards

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    Watch the Baltimore Orioles play in a retro ballpark backed by the old B&O Warehouse, with Eutaw Street running between them.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

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    M&T Bank Stadium

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    Watch the Baltimore Ravens play or take a guided tour through the locker room, club level and sidelines of this downtown stadium.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Eat & Drink
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    Lexington Market

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    Graze among dozens of local food merchants selling seafood, baked goods, deli fare and produce in Baltimore's historic public market.

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    Maryland Science Center

    $25–$50

    Explore three floors of hands-on science exhibits, dinosaur skeletons, a planetarium and an IMAX theater on the Inner Harbor.

    1.1 mi awayMore like this

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    The Walters Art Museum

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    Wander free galleries of art spanning Egyptian mummies, medieval ivories, armor and Old Master paintings in Mount Vernon.

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