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B & O Railroad Museum
Category: Arts & Entertainment Museums Museums [Edit]
901 W Pratt StBaltimore, MD 21223
Neighborhood: West Baltimore
(410) 752-2388
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 4 pm
Sun 11 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
15 reviews for B & O Railroad Museum
15 reviews in English
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Review from Peter G.
San Mateo, CA
3/22/2012 3 photos
This place is so beyond adjectives. Its collection comprises over 200 pieces of rolling stock; the museum is a National Historic Landmark and a Heritage Railroad. Fortunately for the public today, B&O Railroad had the foresight to put aside these locomotives and other items. There are many pieces which brought me so much joy in seeing, ie B&O #217 4-6-0 camelback , Atlantic #2 0-4-0 "Grasshopper," and 2-6-6-6 Allegheny (outside). Unfortunately, not all of the rail equipment is sheltered, and those which are not are showing the effects of weathering. Take a docent led tour of the other part of the collection in the shop bldg. One is allowed to roam alone in that bldg but he/she wouldn't hear all of the fascinating information and stories behind the pieces.
Let me repeat again, this museum is outstanding. -
Review from Katherine P.
Gainesville, VA
5/23/2012
I was honestly a bit disappointed. We came in in the afternoon, still a few hours before closing, and the place seemed pretty buttoned up and creepily deserted. I've been to a few railroad museums before but for some reason this one just left me with an overall "Meh" feeling.
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Review from Jan T.
We went here yesterday to complete the Baltimore Museum tour and were certainly not disappointed. It being the anniversary of the Civil War and their "Under Steam" day, there were quite a few things to do.
First, the basics. The museum is actually built inside an old railroad depot, which makes the location itself quite an experience. You have the old building, complete with repair shops, rails, etc, to go with the actual locomotives and trains.
The trains themselves are, for the most part, very well maintained, with some very interesting historical facts to see, including a post office on rails, which was fascinating, and a WWII troop train showing just how terrible military travel was prior to planes (yes, even modern flights). While I would have wished for greater access (some of the older trains would have been interesting), I understand that you can only do so much with the budget.
The special exhibits were very nice. The Civil War exhibit showed quite a bit of the history of Civil War rail service on the B&O lines, including troop transport, materials, and a moving slideshow of the Civil War showing how the territory moved throughout the war. Very fascinating to see what you usually just read about in motion.
One thing that was a bit disappointing, but expected, war the steam train ride. Instead of an older set of railcars they used retired MARC train cars (which strangely look and feel exactly like current Amtrak cars without power outlets....sad), so you lost some of the authenticity. The locomotive also did not go full speed, which, I understand, would be tough to do on a mile track and expensive given the price of coal.
Overall a very nice museum for families with some interesting exhibits. Combine with the Museum of Industry for a full day of Baltimore history. -
Review from Quinn W.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I haven't actually been to the museum for museum purposes, but I went to it as a venue for a college event. I think it is an amazing venue, with a gorgeous setup and lots of room. Also, it was really nice being surrounded by trains. I would definitely Choo-choose this place!
I have no idea what the pricing is to rent it as a venue though.
It was also super convenient to take the circulator to the event, so I didn't have to worry about driving under the influence. I did see a lot of people parking though, so there seemed to be plenty of parking.
I will have to go back to see the museum itself though. -
Review from Jennifer E.
Austin, TX
2/25/2012
A friend and I drove through some slightly shady neighborhoods to get to the B&O Railroad museum, and it was completely and utterly worth it. This museum is incredible - the trains are housed in a gorgeous old roundhouse, and many of them are the only remaining model of their kind. They've got trains ranging from the Civil War all the way up through the 50s. I like trains just fine but am not a huge aficionado - and even so, I thought this museum was phenomenal.
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Review from Christine C.
Annapolis, MD
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
This museum is fantastic. It's interactive, there are lots of things to touch, see, and ride! The locomotives are huge and just amazing to see. My son (almost 2) loved every moment and was able to run around everywhere. There are just so many things to do here. There is even a kiddie area specific to small children with a merry go round, and a ride on train set. It was just fantastic. There is also a small eatery - which I do not recommend - they would make a killing if they just upgraded to a food court or something better than what they have. They have a room for parties, and for an extra fee you can ride one of the locomotives for a short trip. There is indoor and outdoor things to do, so even if it is a little gloomy, it's still a good fun thing to do. If it's raining, you will miss out on some of the fun things to do.
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Review from Drew M.
Annapolis, MD
8/8/2010
I can't say that I am a big fan of trains. I went here because I got a 1/2 price off on Groupon. It seemed like it was not located in the best area but they did have dedicated parking. I was surprised. The exhibits were interesting and there was a lot to look at.
Overall, I'm glad I went to see it. If you are a fan of trains I would say you would not want to miss it. -
Review from Jason A.
Owings Mills, MD
12/15/2009 3 photos
Ok....ok...hmmm.
What can I say really? I'm not a train nerd. I'm a Star Wars nerd. I don't find a 30mph "ride" through scenic West Baltimore entertaining in the least. The model trains were nice...I guess?
I took my kid for their holiday festivities which were decent until the train "ride". The Frosty looked like he had dysentery, the train smelled weird, and as I've already said the view was less than inspiring. It was nice that they had a choir singing and a steel drum band playing Christmas songs (because steel drum bands SCREAM Christmas), but their pitiful crafts table was reserved for children who buy a ornament...so nobody was using it but my kid (2-yrs) who was yelled at by some slack-jawed 15-year-old for not buying an ornament. I had already paid $25 for a train ride through the slums and a view of model trains! Isn't that enough!
I can see where some people would find this place awesome, but it's not my thing.
To be fair (since I am a nerd of a different stripe) I would give the Star Wars ride at Disney -30,000 stars so I am fair in my judgement regardless of nerdly bias.
Bad train ride + overpriced + overbearing teens + niche adjustment =
2 Stars. -
Review from Antonio M.
Arlington, VA
"Choooooo chooooooooo!!"
One of my two year old monkeys could not contain himself when we first approached the B&O museum. We arrived this past Saturday for the "Day Out With Thomas" (read my review and advice for this event at: http://www.yelp.com/bi...) so the boys could see and ride on Thomas the Tank Engine and meet Sir Topham hat.
I hadn't been to this museum since I was 9 years old, so a cool nostalgic feeling came over me as we walked through the main door of the large cylindrical shaped brick building. Stepping inside, the place was jam packed with kids wearing all sorts of Thomas shirts and eager to see their favorite train.
As I walked around with the kids, I was amazed at how clean and tidy the museum was kept. The old trains were in immaculate condition and the museum itself looked like an updated and cleaner version from what I remembered. Walking around the museum with my boys, I was marveling at all the HUGE trains that surround us. While I enjoyed seeing the trains, old memories came back to me from my last visit...myself being a 9 year old child, my brother being 1 year old and my Mom and Dad making sure we didn't run off and cause some chaos and mayhem. :-) Looking at my own two boys, myself now a Daddy, it was great knowing that I was now sharing a special event with my boys...and I smiled a big big smile.
It was a great seeing the B&O museum again and there was plenty for the boys to see and do. I made a mental note to come back another day after the "Thomas" event so the boys, the boss lady and I could all enjoy the museum without the crowds.
Definitely a great job to the B&O museum. I enjoyed my visit and will definitely come back again very soon.
"Choooo chooooooooo!!" -
Review from Taj M.
Denver, CO
9/9/2007 4 photos
I hope you like trains, cos that's what they got here ... lots of 'em.
I'm not a trainspotter or anything, but I enjoyed the Roundhouse museum quite a bit. I love to learn about history in the places it happened. This is the beginning of the B & O Railroad, with the next stop in Ellicott City, MD. During the beginning of the Civil War, Union troops had to fight their way between railroad stations downtown (but not this one) because the trains didn't run all the way through. The troops were met by an angry mob (one of many giving Baltimore the name "Mobtown"), shots were fired, and the first casualty of the Civil War occurred right in Baltimore.
This is a pretty well-run museum, although I thought it could use a little freshening up, curatorially speaking. I hear it's had some renovations since I visited. One thing, though, the train ride is not worth the money. You go out for a ways and then come right back. There's really nothing to see out there you can't see in a car. Skip it.
You will find a huge variety of engines here, and a few other things you wouldn't expect to find on rails, like a stagecoach. Check it out! -
Review from Anna R.
5/2/2009
We just visited for the second time because Thomas the Train was in town and the shine has worn off. Maybe, if I wrote right after the first visit, I would have given four stars, but going back again, I can only give three stars. Why? The Thomas exhibit was run poorly, I thought, and I don't like a museum that relies on train tables, when you've got all these beautiful trains in one's midst. Take the train tables away! Focus on the gifts you have!
Oh and the food is poor. Maybe, it's because there aren't enough visitors, but concessions are important. -
Review from Amanda F.
Baltimore, MD
5/2/2011
This place is wonderful for families. My two year old can be entertained for hours, grandparents like the history, I love all of it. There is a kids area to play, inside and outside attractions depending on weather, and a cute gift shop. Easy parking. I like it so much we got a family membership! A wonderful attraction not to be missed.
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Review from Eric P.
Baltimore, MD
4/1/2008
The B&O Railroad museum is my favorite museum in Baltimore, but I must admit, I am rather partial towards trains! Great for kids, adults, and the like.
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Review from Aaron E.
Asheville, NC
7/24/2010
What they have preserved there is a great collection of historical artifacts that have shaped the history of our nation and the museum does a good job of highlighting their importance. That being said, there is room for great improvement on the collection and its presentantion. I would have expected more interaction throughout the museum. The staff were friendly but were too few and not as vocal as they could have been. The roundhouse was partially destroyed in 2003, but has been refurbished since and is mesmerizing. Great for children in love with trains. An alternative to this museum for the more thrifty is the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC. It has a similar collection but is free and isn't in the birthplace of the American Railroad.
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Review from Stephani K.
Burke, VA
3/14/2008
Who knew? Great place to visit with kids who like trains ... there are a lot. Walk through displays, miniature displays, photos, history, etc. Interesting place.
