Newsroom

The B&O Railroad Museum, birthplace of American railroading, today announced it will become the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, reflecting its expanded national mission to preserve and interpret America’s railroad heritage while exploring the innovations shaping the future of rail transportation.

Slovak-based gaming company Pixel Federation will partner with the B&O Railroad Museum for the next chapter in its “Save the Rails” initiative. Save the Rails connects the 80 million players of its TrainStation game franchise with real-world railway preservation efforts. The partnership arrives just in time for America’s 250th Independence Day celebration and will be showcased live at the museum on July 4th.

The B&O Railroad Museum will celebrate America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, with the 250th All-American Bash — a day of celebrating American history with live music, food, and family fun running from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The B&O Railroad Museum today announced it has been awarded a $500,000 grant through the State of Maryland’s Road to Careers initiative, part of a $4 million investment announced by Maryland Governor Wes Moore to expand workforce training opportunities across the state’s transportation and construction industries.

Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott will be among the featured guest readers at the B&O Railroad Museum’s Read Across America celebration on March 1 and 2, bringing together prominent Maryland leaders, media personalities, and community members for a weekend of storytelling and family fun in the Museum’s historic Roundhouse.

The B&O Railroad Museum invites guests to an unforgettable evening of intrigue, suspense, and delicious dining at its 4th Annual Murder Mystery Dinner, “Til Death Do Us Part,” on Friday, February 13, 2026, from 6 pm to 9:30 pm—just in time for Valentine’s Day! 

The B&O Railroad Museum is proud to announce that Olive Dennis, a trailblazing civil engineer for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame® as part of the 2026 class on May 7. Olive Dennis’s groundbreaking work transformed passenger rail travel, making journeys safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable for millions of travelers.

In honor of Black History Month, the B&O Railroad Museum will unveil the newly restored Baltimore & Ohio Railroad No. 3316 “Washington” on Saturday, February 21, from 11 am to 3 pm. Built in 1949 by the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company, the No. 3316 is an observation tavern car that represents both the height of luxury rail travel and the enduring legacy of African American railroad workers who made that experience possible.

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, the B&O Railroad Museum invites the public to explore the intersection of quilting and its connection to the Underground Railroad with a special program: “Freedom in Fabric: The Legacy of African American Quilting.”

The B&O Railroad Museum unveiled the newly restored American Freedom Train No. 1 (AFT No. 1) today, as part of the Museum’s contribution to the national America 250 celebration.

The B&O Railroad Museum, the birthplace of American railroading, is pleased to announce Steve Angel, President and CEO of the CSX Corporation (NASDAQ: CSX), will co-chair the Museum’s $38 million dollar capital campaign to transform its campus in preparation for the 200th Anniversary of American Railroading in 2027.

It’s a Howl-oween Paw-ty at the B&O Railroad Museum’s beloved annual event, Tails on the Rails, returning Sunday, October 26, from 2 to 5 pm. This one-of-a-kind celebration invites guests to bring their four-legged friends for a spirited afternoon of Halloween fun, featuring costumes, a dog-friendly train ride, vendors, and more.

The B&O Railroad Museum is proud to present the Rail Rescue and Response Showcase, an immersive, family-friendly event that honors first responders, promotes public safety, and educates the community on emergency preparedness.

The Greater Baltimore History Alliance announced today the election of new leadership to guide the organization for the foreseeable future. Kris Hoellen, Executive Director of the B&O Railroad Museum, along with Robert Parker (Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture), Enrica Jang (Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum) and Chris Sniezek (Star Spangled Banner Flag House) will serve as President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary of the consortium.

The Baltimore Business Journal’s 2025 Women Who Mean Business awards celebrate 25 women making a big impact in the Greater Baltimore business community. One of the honorees this year is Kris Hoellen, executive director of the B&O Railroad Museum. Hoellen’s leadership has been key in transforming the museum into not just a place to learn about history, but also a community hub that brings people together and helps boost Baltimore’s economy.

The B&O Railroad Museum, the birthplace of American railroading, will mark a milestone in its history on Wednesday, May 14, with a groundbreaking ceremony for its Campus Transformation Plan, in preparation for the 200th anniversary of American railroading in 2027. The Museum will restore its South Car Works building, the oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility in the country (1869-1990). The South Car Works will become the Museum’s new entrance, thereby reconfiguring the Museum’s campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore for the purpose of sparking community economic development.

The B&O Railroad Museum will begin a full cosmetic restoration of the American Freedom Train No. 1 (AFT No. 1) locomotive, with an expected completion date of December 2025.

The Reverend Alvin C. Hathaway Sr., a prominent Baltimore leader, will headline the B&O Railroad Museum’s MLK Celebration of Freedom weekend.

In this beautiful photo essay, the Baltimore Sun highlights An Afternoon Tea and a Toast, a collaboration between the Museum and Emma’s Tea Spot.

Marty Bass of WJZ came by the Museum to learn more about the Polar Express, as well as all of the other holiday events at the B&O Railroad Museum.

Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story podcast, chats with Executive Director Kris Hoellen. The two talk about the historical significance of the B&O Railroad Museum, its transformational impact on the Baltimore community, and the innovative programs they’ve implemented such as workforce development and sensory-friendly initiatives for children on the autism spectrum.

Every holiday season, The Polar Express™ captivates hearts and many of its film elements are inspired by real place and artifacts of railroading history.

WJZ came aboard to explore the magic of the Polar Express! The team captured the festive spirit of the beloved holiday tradition, from the delicious hot cocoa to the excitement of Santa’s arrival.

ABC2 visits the Roundhouse to explore the Museum’s Festival of Trains.

NBC11 interviews the Museum’s director of programming, Eileen Blinzey, and one of our dancing chefs to discover what makes this trip to the North Pole so magical.

The B&O Railroad Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of three distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors: Anirban Basu, Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group; Janet S. Currie, President of Bank of America, Greater Maryland; and Wordsmith, Artistic Partner of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Fox45 features the Polar Express in their Hometown Hotspot, interviewing museum staff and a dancing chef to uncover the secrets behind the magic.

Chief Curator Jon Goldman explores how railroading led to the birth of unified time zones in this article with the BBC.

B&O Railroad Museum Executive Director Kris Hoellen has been awarded a Gold Stevie® Award for Women of the Year in the Non-Profit category and a Silver Stevie® Award in the Female Executive of the Year – Non-Profit category in the 21st annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business. 

WJZ’s Marty Bass hears from Santa at the B&O Railroad Museum as the holiday season approaches.

Freedom Train No. 1 (AFT 1) – the locomotive that pulled the American Freedom Train on a nationwide tour in 1975-1976 to celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the United States – to the Museum’s restoration shop.

The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP) is proud to announce significant funding of $1 million to the B&O Railroad Museum in support of the Museum’s new master plan to restore the South Car Works Building on their property and to create open community space as part of the redevelopment.

The B&O Railroad Museum today announced it has submitted design plans for the restoration of its South Car Works building, the oldest continuously operating railroad repair facility in the United States (1869-1990), located on the Museum’s campus, to the Urban Design & Architecture Advisory Panel (UDAAP) for Baltimore City.

CSX Corp. (NASDAQ: CSX) today announced a gift of $5 million to the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD, toward the Museum’s $30 million capital campaign in anticipation of the B&O Railroad’s bicentennial anniversary in 2027.