November 23-25, 27, & 30 @ 10 AM-4 PM
December 1-4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-23, & 28-31 @ 10 AM-4 PM
Celebrate the Holidays with a Festival of Trains!
Celebrate the holidays with trains at the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation! On select days in November and December, visit the Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to explore festive model train layouts, enjoy the holiday decorations, participate in seasonal crafts, and more. The Reindeer Railway will also be available on select dates for a festive train ride the whole family can enjoy!
* The Museum will close at 1:30 PM on December 21 & 22.
Please note: The Museum will be closed November 26, December 24 & 25, January 1, 4 & 5.
See full details for this year’s Holiday Festival of Trains below:
Reindeer Railway Train Rides
Get festive on the first mile! This holiday season, you can take a holiday train ride along the nation’s first mile of commercial railroad. The train will be all decked out for the season. All passengers will receive a sweet treat, and children will receive reindeer antlers!
Dates & Times:
- December 4 @ 11:30 am
- December 11 @ 11:30 am
- December 28 @ 11:30 am
- December 29 @ 11:30 am
- December 30 @ 11:30 am
- December 31 @ 11 am & 1 pm
Train Rides not included with admission. Train Ride tickets can be purchased on-site on the day of your visit.
Train rides may be canceled without prior notice. Please check our calendar of events to confirm the train ride schedule on the date of your visit.
Santa’s Winter Village
Celebrate the season at our Holiday Craft Station in the Roundhouse! Kids can enjoy festive hands-on activities, including postcards to Santa, Polar Express coloring magnets, wooden train toys, Christmas tree picture frames, and holiday slap bracelets. Stop by to create a holiday keepsake and make some merry memories!
- Postcards to Santa
- Polar Express Coloring Magnets
- Wooden Trains Toys
- Christmas Tree Picture Frames
- Holiday Slap Bracelets
Holiday Model Layouts
Celebrate the magic of the holidays with our collection of model train displays! Explore the festive O Scale layout in the Roundhouse, visit our Bank of America Model Train Gallery, stroll through the G Scale Outdoor Train Garden, and HO Scale model layout.
From December 27 through January 3, be sure to visit the BANTRAK model train layout in the North Car Shop!
Meet Gingy from the Christmas Village!
Gingy from the Christmas Village is coming to the Museum! Stay tuned to see when he will be stopping by…
Holiday Museum Admission:
Adult: $28
Senior: $24
Child: $18
Museums4All: $1 with snap/EBT card at the door
Museum Members FREE
Tickets for the Reindeer Railway Train Ride are available for purchase on site. See here for Train Ride pricing.
More Holiday Fun at the Museum
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride
Nov. 28-29 & Dec. 5-6, 12-13 & 19-22
All who believe can climb aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS™ to create a Christmas memory that you will cherish forever!
Holiday Festival of Trains
Starting Nov. 23!
Celebrate the holidays with trains at the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation!
Holiday Toddler Time
Thu, December 3, 2026 @ 10:30 am
Our final Toddler Time event of the year will be full of holiday fun!
Stuff the Train Dance Party
Tue, December 8, 2026 @ 6-8 PM
The Stuff the Train Toy Drive supports hospitals, schools and nonprofits across Maryland with gifts for children.
Reindeer Railway: Festive Holiday Train Rides
Dec. 4, 11, 28-30, & 31
Join us this December for festive holiday fun on the Reindeer Railway!
Noon Year's Eve at the Museum
Thu, December 31, 2026 @ 10 am-2 pm
This daytime New Year’s Eve celebration features fun festivities including dancing, photo opportunities, activity stations, and more.
Upcoming Events at the Museum
WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM:
“This was such an awesome experience! The trains inside were phenomenal and all very well kept. But we went ahead and did the train ride also and that was just icing on the cake! This is a great experience for kids, teens, and adults like myself.”
Kristina R.
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