San Diego Model Railroad Museum

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum comprises 27,000 square feet of scale-model trestles, tracks, and trains among indoor and outdoor displays. The mission of this unique nonprofit museum is to retain and preserve the rich heritage of American railroad traditions, making it both an educational and a cultural attraction.

Visitors might spend anywhere from an hour to several hours browsing the model train displays, depending on their interest level. The exhibits are suitable for any age, from toddlers through adults, making it a great stop in Balboa Park for families with kids.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum - one of the highlights of 10 Best Museums in San Diego (Read all about San Diego here)

photo by vxla (CC BY 2.0) modified

Model Railroad Museum highlights

A highlight for kids visiting the Model Railroad Museum is the Toy Train Gallery, which features Lionel-type toy trains rolling along the tracks. One of the trains is outfitted with a “Choo-Choo cam,” so guests can get a first-person view of the track.

The Centennial Railway Garden, added in 2015 to honor Balboa Park's 100th anniversary, is a solar-powered scale model of the park's original layout. You'll also find a scale model of the Tehachapi Pass Layout, as well as the San Diego and Arizona Eastern HO Layout, which includes a superb recreation of a drive-in movie theater.

photo by Captmondo (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

Good to know when visiting Model Railroad Museum

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is found in the Casa de Balboa Building in Balboa Park. Parking is available in the Fleet Science Center lot. The facility is accessible for wheelchairs and other mobility aids, and trained service animals are permitted.

The museum does charge an admission fee for guests over the age of 3, but discounts are available for seniors, military, students aged 12-18, and children aged 4-11. Be sure to include a few other stops in Balboa Park while you're here, such as the Balboa Park Carousel and the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

photo by Bill Morrow (CC BY 2.0) modified

Location: 1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

Open: Friday–Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm (closed Monday–Thursday)

Phone: +1 619-696-0199

This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.