Our Public Programs
Wednesday-Saturday @ 11am# & 1pm
Additional walking tour times will be available around the holidays. To see times, click on “Get Tickets.”
Please note, outdoor tours are available only at the times above and all tours are guided at this time. Self-guided tours of the outdoor train collection are not available.
Tours cover approximately a mile and take place outdoors over uneven surfaces with no cover from the sun. Please dress for the terrain, heat, and bring plenty of fluids. Hiking shoes strongly recommended.
Take part in a guided walking tour of select pieces in the Museum’s rolling stock collection! All available tours are guided and take place outdoors. Attendees must stay with the tour group at all times. Please dress according to outdoor conditions and bring bottled water for hydration - especially during summer months. Hiking shoes strongly recommended.
Our knowledgeable staff & volunteers love sharing the history & technology of railroading. The Museum’s collection represents over 100 years of America’s rail history.
But our best assets are always our people! Enjoy interacting with our experts and feel free to ask questions and share your stories as you take a trip through history.
#Please Note: The Museum is hosting field trips on the days listed below and public walking tours will not take place in the mornings. The public tour on that day will be held at 1pm.
January: 9, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 28.
February: 11, 12, 13, 25, 26.
March: 7, 12, 13,14, 28.
April: 4, 11, 24.
May: 7, 8, 9.
Note: This does not include TrainTopia. This is for the outdoor tour only. Please see TrainTopia tickets for the model exhibit or Combo Tickets to do both.
Wednesday - Saturday: 10am* - 5pm
Sundays: 1pm - 5pm.
Experience the excitement of being immersed in a miniature world of trains and scenery from across the United States. The TrainTopia exhibit features topography from Arizona to Texas, New Mexico, and Northeast Texas in the 1960s. Among its many features are an animated downtown Dallas street scene and the famed Palo Duro drive-in theater with a real movie playing! All aboard! TrainTopia is located inside the Frisco Discovery Center 8004 N. Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034.
TrainTopia is a gift of the Sanders Family of Dallas and is presented by Amanda and Brint Ryan of Dallas. Proceeds from TrainTopia benefit the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas. TrainTopia's year-round, air-conditioned space is provided by the City of Frisco's Community Development Corporation.
*Note: This does not include a walking tour of the rolling stock. Please see Combo Ticket or Walking Tour times. Times and capacity are limited. The site is under construction and accessible only through the tours at the set times.
Wednesday-Saturday @ 11am# & 1pm
Additional walking tour times will be available around the holidays. To see times, click on “Get Tickets.”
Please note, outdoor tours are available only at the times above and all tours are guided at this time. Self-guided tours of the outdoor train collection are not available.
Tours cover approximately a mile and take place outdoors over uneven surfaces with no cover from the sun. Please dress for the terrain, heat, and bring plenty of fluids. Hiking shoes strongly recommended.
Indulge in the best of both worlds! Participate in the Museum’s guided outdoor walking tour of its rolling stock collection and take part in a self-guided tour of TrainTopia inside the Frisco Discovery Center.
Our knowledgeable tour guides share the history & technology of the American Railroad, as well as personal anecdotes as they guide you through select historical pieces of the Museum’s priceless collection of real life-sized locomotives and cars.
#Please Note: The Museum is hosting field trips on the days listed below and public walking tours will not take place in the mornings. The public tour on that day will be held at 1pm.
January: 9, 16, 17, 22, 23, 28.
February: 11, 12, 13, 25, 26.
March: 7, 12, 13,14, 28.
April: 4, 11, 24.
May: 7, 8, 9.
Please note that guided walking tours take place entirely outdoors, so please dress according to outdoor conditions and bring bottled water for hydration - especially during summer months. Hiking shoes strongly recommended.
Things to Know before Purchasing Walking Tour Tickets:
Duration & Distance: The tour is up to a mile round-trip and lasts approximately 1 hour.
Tour Content: Content includes history of the Museum, construction plans, and highlights of select pieces of the historic rolling stock collection, including a brief walk-through of select pieces of equipment. Climbing on the exterior of equipment is not permitted.
Terrain: Uneven surfaces and slight elevation changes are involved.
Age: The tour is best for ages 8 and up! The tour is led by our in-house historians, so be ready to listen for great history and anecdotes throughout the 1 hour program.
Dress: Flat close-toed, thick soled shoes are best suited for the tour (it’s like an outdoor hike). Traversing uneven terrain and concrete platforms are involved. Be sure to dress for sun protection in summer and warmer months, coats & hats for winter. Surface temperatures in summer can exceed 100 degrees. The railyard can add 10-20 degrees to the feels like temperatures. Come hydrated and water is required for safety. Wear sunscreen/hat, sunglasses, etc. for summer tours & warmer months. Thanks!
Our School Programs
Students learn about the railroad industry’s key role in building communities across North Texas and the nation while aboard STREAMLINER classrooms in the Museum’s Metra Highliner Commuter Cars
Book your educational program now! The Museum of the American Railroad offers TEKS-based distance e-learning programs as well as onsite guided educational tours for elementary and middle school grades. Contact us to answer your questions and to book your program. Check out our Educator Guide with program offerings. Email kmurphy@historictrains.org or phone us at 214-428-0101.
We are here to serve your educational outreach needs in support of core TEKS curriculum. Let us take your students on a tour of the past, present, and future of railroading and cutting edge rail technologies. All aboard!
Affiliations
Time Travelers is a reciprocal membership network for historical sites and museums throughout the United States. The Missouri History Museum created the program in 1998 so that members of historical institutions could receive exclusive benefits and privileges at participating museums and historical sites nationwide. The Museum of the American Railroad is a proud participant.
A combination of historic preservation and tourism, this economic development initiative encourages communities to partner to promote Texas’ historic and cultural resources. The Lakes Trail Region features over 100 historic destinations in North Central Texas including the Museum of the American Railroad.
HeritageRail Alliance is moving railroad preservation into the 21st Century by developing and supporting the best practices and brightest minds in conservation, operation, exhibition and interpretation.
The World Alliance of Tourist Trams & Trains (WATTRAIN)
The World Alliance of Tourist Trams & Trains was founded in 2010. The organization promotes the interests of the owners and operators of heritage and tourist trains and trams.
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America's diverse historic places and revitalize our communities. The Museum is a long-time member of the National Trust and supports its advocacy, initiatives, and preservation efforts throughout the United States, including significant railroad subjects.
Created by an act of Congress in 1971, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (known as Amtrak) operates the nation’s network of intercity, regional, and Northeast Corridor passenger trains. The quasi-government corporation operates passenger service on 21,000 miles of track in 46 states in cooperation with the nation’s private freight railroad companies, providing a clean, fuel efficient transportation alternative.
National Endowment for the Arts & Blue Star Museums
The Blue Star Museums initiative is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 1,000 museums across America.
The Museum, along with the Grapevine Vintage Railroad, contracts with Mattel® & Thomas Licensing, LLC to bring Day Out with Thomas to North Texas each spring.
Operation Lifesaver is a nationwide initiative to promote safety awareness around railroad tracks and highway grade crossings. Texas Operation Lifesaver is a partnership between the railroad industry, the State, and local agencies that provides a network of certified volunteer speakers and trained instructors offering free rail safety education programs.
The American Alliance of Museums brings museums together helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. AAM represents over 18,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, 3,000 institutions, and 250 corporate members.
Get Involved
Join our stellar volunteer team!