If you’re looking to hit the brakes on boredom and shift into a day of discovery, the National Museum of Transportation is your next stop! Tucked away in Kirkwood, Missouri, this wheel-y wonderful museum is packed with everything from towering steam engines to jet-age aircraft, tugboats to trolley cars – and even a mini train ride that’ll have your little conductors shouting “all aboard!” We’ve tracked down some of the best sights and seasonal surprises (spoiler: Santa flies in by helicopter) to help you plan your visit. So buckle up, because this blog is about to take you on a ride through time, rails, and road-ready fun.

📜 A Brief Track Record: History Highlights

• 🛤️ 1944 – Founded by a group of transit-loving citizens to save the Bellefontaine, a mule-drawn streetcar set for the scrapyard.
• 🧭 1950s–60s – Collection grew rapidly as railroads began retiring historic engines and rolling stock; the museum switched tracks from humble to historic.
• 🏛️ 1990s – Officially recognized as one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world by the Smithsonian.
• 🔧 Ongoing – Expands its exhibits to include rare cars, aircraft, trolleys, buses, and even a tugboat.

📍 Where Wheels Meet Wow

• Located just west of St. Louis off of I-270 in the Kirkwood suburb, this transit time capsule is easily reached by car (with free parking).
• While it’s not on the MetroLink, it’s worth the detour if you want to rail-y impress your inner child or transportation buff.

🚆 Highlights That Steal the Show (& Your Caboose)

• Big Boy #4006 – One of the largest steam locomotives ever built. It’s not just big, it’s track-stopping.
• Train Yard – A sprawling outdoor lineup of locomotives and railcars you can actually climb aboard – all aboard the nostalgia express! It’s a hands-on paradise for kids and train buffs alike.
• Trolley Ride – Hop aboard a vintage electric streetcar powered by overhead lines and ride the rails like it’s 1923. It’s a breezy, bell-ringing trip through St. Louis history.
• Mini Train Rides – Perfect for kids looking to choo-choo their way around the grounds on a scenic seven-minute loop.
• Rare Autos – From vintage Cadillacs to a turbine-powered time capsule, these cars rev up the wow factor. They even have some local favorites like a Cadillac Seville owned by baseball legend Stan Musial.
• Creation Station – A hands-on play space that’s fun-sized but full-throttle for your littlest conductors and future engineers.
• Airplane Exhibits – These historic aircraft really take off, including a WWII-era C-47 (“Gooney Bird”) that resupplied troops after the June 6, 1944 invasion of Normandy!

🎟️ Ticket to Ride

Open daily 9:00 AM–4:00 PM, admission is:

• $15 for adults
• $12 for seniors, military, and first responders
• $6 for kids ages 2–12. You can also snag a mini train ride ticket for a few extra bucks.

💡 Pro Tips for a Smooth Ride

• 🚼 Strollers welcome, but watch for train tracks.
• 🌞 Many exhibits are outdoors, so bring sun protection and check the weather (you don’t want your plans derailed by rain).
• 🧀 There’s a snack bar in case you get hungry

🚂 All Aboard Our Adventures

We love going to the National Museum of Transportation with our nieces and nephews. From climbing aboard historic railcars to ringing in nostalgia on the trolley ride, there’s never a dull moment. The mini train ride is a choo-choo-rrific favorite, and the vintage cars are the perfect drive down memory lane. Ready to roll? Here’s a map to steer you in the right direction!

🚂 Mini Train Ride and Kids Stuff

Little conductors can hop on the Wm. F. Ross Special Miniature Train for a seven-minute ride that loops through the museum grounds, offering a pint-sized adventure that’s big on excitement. For an additional fee, children aged 12 months and older can enjoy unlimited rides throughout the day.
There are tons of photo ops and train displays sprinkled throughout the museum. Kids will love the interactive train sets and themed setups, many of which get an extra dose of sparkle when the museum gets glitzed up for the holidays.

🚂 Train Yard

The train yard is one of the most exciting parts of the museum, featuring a massive lineup of historic locomotives and railcars – many of which you can actually climb aboard.

🚃 Roberts Pavilion – Passenger Cars

The Roberts Pavilion is your ticket to a first-class ride through railroad history – no reservations required! This open-air rail haven is packed with historic passenger cars that once crisscrossed the country in style, from the elegant Black Diamond to the charmingly old-school Daniel Nason. Each car is a rolling time capsule, offering a glimpse into the glory days of rail travel when meals came with white linens and windows framed scenic views instead of screens. And don’t miss your chance to ring the bell on Santa Fe #5011 – because nothing says “I’m loco for locomotives” like sounding off in style. Whether you’re a train buff or just hitching a ride, Roberts Pavilion is sure to leave you on the right track.

🚋 Trolley

The free trolley ride was a real highlight – a charming, nostalgic experience that lets you hop aboard a restored electric streetcar from the early 1900s. Running along a scenic half-mile track, the trolley is powered by overhead electric lines, just like St. Louis’ original system operated by the United Railways Company. With wooden benches, vintage details, and fun facts shared by the conductor, it’s a short but sweet ride that offers a glimpse into the city’s golden age of transit.

🏎️ Vintage Cars at the Lindburg Automotive Center

The Lindburg Automotive Center is a car lover’s dream garage – revved up with over 30 vintage vehicles that span decades of design and horsepower. From a rare 1901 St. Louis Motor Carriage Co. beauty to the futuristic 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car, the collection shifts into high gear. Don’t miss Bobby Darin’s flashy DiDia 150, a custom-built stunner that’s more art than auto. Outside, a 1941 Cadillac parked in front of a restored Route 66 motel room offers a full retro road trip vibe. Whether you’re into fins, chrome, or tailpipe tales, this gallery is fueled with nostalgia.

✈️ Plane and Boat

Nestled among trains and vintage cars, you’ll find the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, a WWII-era workhorse that delivered troops, equipment, and supplies to the 82nd Airborne Division just after dawn on the day after D-Day. Right nearby floats the H.T. Pott, a pioneering tugboat and the first with an all-steel welded hull – she may be small, but she steers a big story. These aerial and nautical legends prove that this museum isn’t just about wheels – it’s about wings and waves too!

🎅🏻 Santa’s Arrival by Helicopter

Every holiday season, the National Museum of Transportation adds a dash of aviation magic when Santa Claus makes his grand entrance – not by reindeer, but by helicopter! This high-flying tradition typically occurs on select dates following Thanksgiving, weather permitting. Families gather with excitement as the chopper descends, delivering Santa to greet children and spread festive cheer. Kids even get to sit on Santa’s lap in a train! It’s a unique twist on holiday traditions, offering a memorable experience that combines the wonder of flight with the joy of the season.

🐣 Easter Egg Hunt

They also host an egg-stra special Easter Egg Hunt, turning the museum grounds into a springtime scramble with large, colorful eggs atop the locomotives!