National Toy Train Museum - Strasburg, Pennsylvania - tourist attraction featuring toy train displays and history

Located in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, the National Toy Train Museum features exhibits for visitors of all ages and serves as the headquarters for the Train Collectors Association. These have toy trains on display that date back to the 1800s, as well as a number of interactive exhibits where guests can run the trains themselves.

The building that houses the National Toy Train Museum is made to look like a Victorian era train station, and inside there are a number of exhibits. Some of the most popular exhibits are those which guests can control. Currently, there are five such exhibits, along with a number that are museum-controlled for tourists to watch. The trains are arranged in exhibits according to gauge, with the museum having displays for O Gauge, S Gauge, Standard Gauge, HO Gauge, and G Gauge trains. Within the G Gauge exhibit, they also have a very small Z Gauge set-up.

The train displays aren't the only things to see at the National Toy Train Museum. Guests can look into the Harry's Hardware window to see a display that shows how shop owners once set up toy trains to attract customers. They also have a 1928 Dealer Exhibit as well as Historical Hall. In this area, guests can see very old toy trains, as well as unique trains that aren't found anywhere else in the country. Some of these trains are exact scale replicas of real trains. In addition, there is a display that shows how controls for toy trains work, as well as exhibits that change throughout the year.

Toy trains are often associated with Christmas, so during the holiday season, the museum is decorated extensively to celebrate. Many of the displays are transformed into winter wonderlands, and the museum store has a number of gifts for train lovers of all ages. Many of the items available in the store as also found on the museum shop's online store for fans who aren't able to make the trip to Strasburg to see the museum.

The National Toy Train Museum is closed during January, February, and March so that the displays can be repaired, maintained and changed - new scenes and trains are added annually, so there's something new to see every year, even for guests who have visited this location in the past. The Museum is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with the last admission at 4:30 PM. During April, November, and December, the museum is open Saturdays and Sundays, and from May 1 to October 31, they're open Friday through Monday every week. They also have special holiday hours, as well as a research library that is open throughout the year for those doing personal or academic research. Admission is free for children ages five and under, and is just $2.50 for older children and $5 for adults. There are also discounts for families visiting the museum together, senior citizens, and groups, along with a season pass for $15 for people who intend to visit the museum a few times during the year.