16 Transportation Museums You Must Visit
If you are interested in discovering museums with must see transportation exhibits, we have compiled quite the collection for you. If you're interested in the history of railroading, or just want to see antique cars, trucks, and other vehicles then these are some of the best destinations around. Information about each transportation museum can be shown below as well as informative walk-through videos that depict how each museum is different. Come along with us and check out these amazing transportation museums you have to visit. You might be tempted to book your next trip after watching these videos. Comment to let us know what transportation museums you love and we might update this list to include them too.
Here at Gardian Angel, LLC we curated this list of Transportation Museums You Must Visit as a reference guide for some great destinations to visit. We have served the school bus industry for about a decade and our staff has been involved with school buses for 35+ years. At the risk of aging ourselves, we are surprised we aren't put into a transportation museum ourselves (just kidding). Interesting when you consider we have altered the history of the school bus with our amazing Gardian Angel school bus pedestrian safety lighting system. Learn more about this amazing technology at GardianAngelLLC.com, and then head over to one of these amazing transportation museums. We like #15 on this list. What's your favorite?
#1
The National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis
Address:
2933 Barrett Station Road
Saint Louis, Missouri 63122
Phone:
1-314-965-6212
Hours:
Sun: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wed - Sat: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Admission:
Adults: $12
Military: $10
Seniors (65+): $10
Kids (3-12): $5
Optional Entry Fees
$5.00 Unlimited Train & Handcar Rides
$2.00 Creation Station. First-come, first-served.
About:
Visit one of the largest and most diverse collections of transportation vehicles in the world! Trace the history of American railroading, see antique cars and trucks, tour train cars, visit a trolley and a towboat, and more.The National Museum of Transportation (NMOT) is a private, 42-acre transportation museum in Kirkwood, Missouri, outside St. Louis. Founded in 1944, it restores, preserves, and displays a wide variety of vehicles spanning 15 decades of American history: cars, boats, aircraft, and in particular, locomotives and railroad equipment from around the United States. The museum is also home to a research library of transportation-related memorabilia and documents. At the southwest corner of the property is West Barretts Tunnel. Built in 1853, it is one of a pair of tunnels that were the first to operate west of the Mississippi River. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The museum has its own railway spur to an active main line formerly owned by the Missouri Pacific Railroad, now by the Union Pacific Railroad. This has allowed the museum to take possession of large and unusual pieces of railroad equipment. A miniature railroad operates around a loop of track near the parking lot and a full-sized restored trolley operates Thursday–Sunday from April through October. The National Museum of Transportation 'houses one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world' according to the Smithsonian.
Length of Visit:
People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.
#2
Virginia Transportation Museum
Address:
303 Norfolk Ave SW
Roanoke, VA 24016
Phone:
1-540-342-5670
Hours:
Mon - Sat: 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun: 1:00PM - 5:00PM
Admission:
$10.00 adults (19-59)
$8.00 seniors (age 60+)
$8.00 students with student ID (19-25)
$8.00 youth (13-18)
$6.00 children (ages 3-12) Members and Kids under 3 visit for free!
About:
The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a museum devoted to the topic of transportation located in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It covers all modes of transportation. It has a nice vintage automobile collection. It also has small exhibits on planes and buses, but the train exhibits are outstanding!
Length of Visit:
People typically spend up to 2 hours here
#3
N.C. Transportation Museum
Address:
1 Samuel Spencer Dr.
Spencer, NC 28159
Phone:
1-704-636-2889
Admission:
Adults: $6
Seniors/Military: $5
Children (Ages 3-12): $4
Admission With Onsite Train Ride
Adults: $12
Seniors/Military: $10
Children (Ages 3-12): $8
About:
The North Carolina Transportation Museum is a museum in Spencer, North Carolina. It is a collection of automobiles, aircraft, and railway vehicles. The museum is located at the former Southern Railway's 1896-era Spencer Shops and devotes much of its space to the state's railroad history. The museum has the largest collection of rail relics in the Carolina's. Its Back Shop building of nearly three stories high is most notable for its size of two football fields long.
Length of Visit:
People typically spend up to 3 hours here.
#4
Transportation Museum London
Address:
39 Wellington Street
Covent Garden Piazza
London WC2E 7BB, England
Phone:
+44 (0) 343-222-5000
Hours:
Sun - Sat: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Admission:
Child Ticket FREE
Concession Ticket £15.50 to £17.00 per ticket
Adult Ticket £16.50 to £18.00 per ticket
About:
Explore London Transport Museum in the heart of Covent Garden. The Museum explores the powerful link between transport and the growth of modern London, culture and society since 1800. Historic vehicles, world-famous posters and the very best objects from the Museum’s extraordinary collection are brought together to tell the story of London’s development and the part transport played in defining the unique identity of the city.The London Transport Museum boasts history of London transport from horse power onward, with loads of contraptions to clamber aboard including real buses and trains. Highlights of the museum include the iconic red London bus, the world’s first Underground steam train and the padded cell – a train carriage dating back to the 1890s.
Length of Visit:
People typically spend 2-3 hours here.
#5
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Address:
117 Museum Street
Owls Head, ME 04854
Phone:
1-207-594-4415
Hours:
Sun - Sat: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Admission:
Under 18 years old: Free
Members: Free
Adults: $14
Seniors 65+: $10
Active or retired military with 20+ service years & USID: Free
Groups of 20+: $9
About:
Featuring a world-class, operating collection of antique ground vehicles, engines and aircraft the Owls Head Transportation Museum is open seven days a week, year-round. Exhibits include "Faster: The Quest for Speed" featuring racing vehicles from some of New England's premiere collections.
Length of Visit:
People typically spend 1-2 hours here.
#6
Forney Transportation Museum
Address:
4303 Brighton Blvd
Denver, CO 80216-3702
Phone:
1-303-297-1113
Hours:
Sun: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Mon - Sat: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Admission:
Adults: $12
Seniors 65+: $10
Children 3-12: $6
Children under 3: FREE
About:
The Forney Transportation Museum is a transport museum located in Denver, Colorado. It is named after the founder, J.D. Forney, who started Forney Industries, Inc., in Fort Collins.