What kid, or adult, doesn’t love trains? On our recent trip to California, we were able to visit the California State Railroad Museum in downtown Sacramento, California. This museum is one of Sacramento’s largest and most visited museums -and it’s for a good reason, it features over 225,000 square feet of total exhibit space and there’s so much to see.
Inside the California State Railroad Museum, there are 21 restored locomotives, hands-on exhibits, and knowledgeable docents to help answer any questions and tell you about the history of the trains.
On the day we visited the California State Railroad Museum, we were practically the only ones in the museum. Though there were a few other train enthusiast visiting, the museum was large enough that we barely saw them.
The museum has so much to offer! Even for people like me who know very little about trains, the museum does an amazing job teaching people about the history of trains and how they used to look. One of our favorite locomotives inside the museum was this dining locomotive. It showed what the food used to look like on the trains and how much it used to cost. Let’s just say, I wish prices were still that cheap! 😂
The museum features 3 stories that include a children’s area, a theater, and the main level- which we spent most of our time on.
For visitors with small children, the children’s area on the third floor has a fun Thomas-themed play area. And, when you are done there, you have to check out the massive train collection on the floor.
Our visit to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento took us a little over an hour. When we were done, we stopped inside the gift shop for fun train-themed gifts.
Parking at the California State Railroad Museum
Parking at the California Railroad Museum can be tricky. The museum is located in a town called, Old Sacramento and the museum has no parking lot. You can, however, find parking nearby in Old Sacramento, just bring lots of coins for the parking meters.
If parking is full, there is a parking garage nearby. Parking at the garage currently cost $10 for all day parking.
Admission inside the California Railroad Museum
Admission for the CA State Railroad Museum at the time of this article is:
- Adults – $12
- Youths – $6 (ages 6-17)
- Children – Free (ages 5 and under)
- Members – Free
*Pricing can change at anytime, so be sure to call ahead or check out the website HERE for current prices.
If you are ever in Sacramento and trying to decide which one of Sacramento’s museums you should visit, I highly suggest visiting the Railroad Museum, you will not regret it.
Have you ever visited this museum?
Last Updated on 9 months by Crystal Carder