Newsroom

The B&O Railroad Museum will unveil the newly restored American Freedom Train No. 1 (AFT No. 1) on January 12, 2026, 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.

The B&O Railroad Museum’s beloved holiday tradition, THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride, returns this year to whisk passengers away on a magical journey to the North Pole. The immersive experience, inspired by the classic book and film, runs on select dates from November 28-29 and December 6-7, 13-14, and 19–23.

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 (Reginal 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.

The beloved holiday tradition, The Polar Express®, will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the B & O Railroad Museum from November 29-30 and December 1, 6-8, 12-15, 18-22. The experience, based on the book and movie of the same title, allows guests of all ages to embark on a magical train journey to the North Pole.

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.

On September 26th, The B&O Railroad Museum will unveil the “Legacy of the Underground Railroad” a Student Companion Website to the Museum’s Underground Railroad Exhibit: Freedom Seekers on the B&O.

The B&O Railroad Museum (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.

In honor of those who serve as emergency personnel, the B&O Railroad Museum is hosting its annual First Responders Showcase on September 9

The B&O Railroad Museum and Wordsmith, an artistic partner with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, are set to host a free community celebration and concert on July 14 at the Museum.

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

The B&O Railroad Museum will be hosting Howard University’s Department of Music and the award-winning Afro Blue Ensemble for a special live performance in the Museum’s historic 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse.

Spend Spring Break at the B&O Railroad Museum with a fun-filled week of hands-on workshops, performances, tours, and scavenger hunts for kids of all ages.

The museum’s chief curator Jonathan Goldman will be moderating an academic roundtable with advisors who assisted in the production and research of the exhibit.

This year marks the 196th anniversary of the B&O Railroad, the first American railroad, and the Museum is celebrating with a Birthday Bash.

In celebration of Black History Month, the B&O Railroad Museum will have a free, public, screening of the PBS documentary Underground Railroad: The William Still Story on Feb. 23. The documentary recounts the story of William Still – a Philadelphia abolitionist who risked his life to help Freedom Seekers as an agent for the Underground Railroad.

The Museum is offering a tour to look at the storied history of the Roundhouse – from that fateful night in February 2003 to rebuilding it to its current glory.

This is the first time the Museum and the Games Club of Maryland are partnering together for this offering! There will be more than 50 train-themed strategy games available for everyone of all skill and interest levels to play and demo.

In celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the B&O Railroad Museum is honored to welcome the Union Baptist Church for special programming on Sunday, Jan. 15th in observance of MLK holiday weekend.