National Railroad Museum

The museum was founded to preserve the heritage of American railroading, and over the decades it has assembled a wide-ranging collection of locomotives, passenger and freight cars, and railroad artifacts. Housed in large exhibit halls and spread across grounds beside the Fox River, it lets visitors walk among the machines that built and connected the country.

The scale of the collection is part of its power. Railroads were the great engine of American growth for generations, and seeing the equipment up close, the engines, the coaches, the cabooses, conveys the sheer physical reality of that era in a way no photograph can.

The museum's most awe-inspiring resident is a Union Pacific Big Boy, one of a small class of articulated steam locomotives that rank among the largest and most powerful ever built. These engines were designed to haul heavy freight over mountain grades in the American West, and their size has to be seen to be believed.

Standing beside the Big Boy, visitors crane their necks at wheels taller than a person and a boiler that stretches on and on. It is a machine that embodies the ambition of mid-century American engineering, and it anchors the museum as one of the great locomotives on public display anywhere.

Among the museum's most historically important holdings is the train that served General Dwight Eisenhower as a mobile command post in Europe during the Second World War. Rather than a fixed headquarters, the Allied commander could travel and direct operations from the rails, and this preserved train carries that history with it.

Touring it offers a rare, intimate glimpse into how the war was managed on the ground, a working command post on wheels. Alongside the giant locomotives, it broadens the museum's story from the machinery of railroading to the pivotal roles trains have played in the great events of history.

The museum sits in Ashwaubenon, part of the greater Green Bay area at the mouth of the Fox River on the bay of Lake Michigan. Green Bay is one of Wisconsin's oldest settlements, a working port and paper town with a long history, and the river waterfront is being reinvented for walking and gathering.

The area's most famous landmark is Lambeau Field, the storied home of the Green Bay Packers, which sits close to the museum in Ashwaubenon. A day here can easily combine the railroad museum with the football shrine and a stroll along the reviving Green Bay riverfront.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The National Railroad Museum, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is one of the oldest and largest institutions in the country dedicated to preserving the history of American railroading. The museum houses an impressive collection of historic locomotives and rail cars, including massive steam engines and famous locomotives, along with exhibits on railroad history, a railyard of preserved equipment, and, in season, train rides around the grounds. A treat for train enthusiasts and families, it celebrates the trains that helped build the nation and captures the romance and power of the rails. With its historic locomotives and exhibits, the National Railroad Museum offers a fascinating destination in Wisconsin.

You can see a large collection of historic locomotives and rail cars, from mighty steam engines to famous and record-setting locomotives, explore exhibits on the history and impact of American railroading, walk the railyard of preserved equipment, and, in season, enjoy a train ride around the grounds. The enormous historic locomotives, the railroad-history exhibits, and the seasonal train rides are the highlights, offering a memorable experience for train lovers and families alike. Special events add to the appeal. With its locomotives and rides, the National Railroad Museum offers an engaging visit in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Yes, the National Railroad Museum is a great family destination, with towering historic locomotives that awe children and adults, hands-on and educational exhibits, seasonal train rides around the grounds, and special themed events that are especially fun for families. Kids love climbing aboard and seeing the giant engines up close, while the railroad history engages all ages. Checking current hours, ride availability, and any special events before you go is wise. With its locomotives, train rides, and exhibits, the National Railroad Museum makes a wonderful family destination in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The museum's indoor exhibits and locomotive collection can be enjoyed year-round, while the warmer months of spring through fall are best for the outdoor railyard and the seasonal train rides, which run on a schedule, and special seasonal and holiday events are popular. Because rides and events are seasonal, checking the current schedule before you go is wise. Summer and holiday events are busiest. For the full experience with train rides and the outdoor railyard, aim for spring through fall at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The National Railroad Museum is in Green Bay, within reach of Lambeau Field and downtown Green Bay, Bay Beach Amusement Park and the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Fox Valley attractions to the south including the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh. That makes the National Railroad Museum a fascinating stop to combine with Bay Beach Amusement Park, downtown Green Bay, and the other attractions of the Fox Valley on a visit to Wisconsin.