Places to Go - The B&O Railroad Museum (Baltimore, MD)

If you love trains, you will love the B&O Museum. If you like trains, you will like the museum. And, if trains aren't your thing, then this probably isn't the museum for you. We visited this summer and as my kids are somewhat train neutral, they liked the museum but they didn't love it.

We began our visit in the large roundhouse train platform, which is quite beautiful to look at - especially as the sun filters through the skylights in the ceiling. The platform contains trains of all shapes, ages, and sizes, some of which you can tour and some that are only there for viewing. For young children, the platform houses a small train table, which T could have played at all day. When you tire of visiting these trains, you can cross the courtyard (you have to walk outside) and visit a huge warehouse full of more old trains, some of which are open so that kids can practice "driving" them (the girls loved this part). The museum also contains two decent-sized model railroads (one inside and one outside) with lots of beautiful figurines - P loved this part, she went around making up stories for all the dolls and towns. A reasonably priced cafe is on site. As well as a small outdoor playground for kids (in the summer they have misters). Admission is somewhat pricey - $14 for adults and $8 for children aged 2-12. Visitors who bring a new, unwrapped toy to the museum between now and December 18th received 50% off admission. Train rides are available for an additional price.

Personally, I think the highlight of the museum is the wonderful volunteers, many of whom were versatile enough to entertain my children for ten minutes and then turn to the man behind me and discuss every detail of train history.

If you're interested in visiting the museum this winter on weekends through December 18th the B&O will be offering train rides with Santa & Frosty the Snowman, along with seasonal crafts and other activities. Plus, for the holiday season the museum is hosting a Model Railroad Exhibit, with a changing cast of exhibitors. For more on the festival, click here.
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If Baltimore seems like a long drive, Kid-Friendly DC has the scoop on SIX OTHER model train displays for the holidays (sorry for the rhyme), click here for the info. And for my review of the Botanical Gardens' display, click here and go to #24.