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Venue Directory

California State Railroad Museum

Located in Old Sacramento, the California State Railroad Museum is a complex of historic facilities and unique attractions. Widely regarded as North America’s most popular railroad museum, there is something here for everyone. Throughout the year, experience lavishly restored trains, engaging exhibits, and unique special events.

Every weekend April-September, ride behind a real steam locomotive! Rides take off from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot. In 1876 the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot was a major freight station on the transcontinental railroad. It was the focal point for the interchange of all freight arriving or departing Sacramento daily by railroad, riverboat, and wagon. The Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot was reconstructed in 1986, and is presently used as the passenger station for the California State Railroad Museum's excursion Train Rides, operated by the Sacramento Southern Railroad.

At-a-
Glance

Contact Info

California State Railroad Museum

2nd and I Streets
Old Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-6645 | Official Website

Admission:
Adults $9
Youth (Age 6-17) $4
Children (Age 0-5) Free

Hours:
Daily 10am-5pm
*Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day
Map

Full map and directions
Parking Info

A small number of limited term, metered parking spaces are available on the streets of Old Sacramento for up to 90 minutes. All-day parking is available in the large public garage at the I Street entrance to Old Sacramento, for a nominal fee.
Accessibility Services

Current Events

05/25/12- 05/28/12	Jazz-Related Activities at the California State Railroad Museum California State Railroad Museum Jazz-Related Activities at the California State Railroad Museum Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum May 25-May 28, 2012 Coinciding with the 39th Annual Sacramento Music Festival happening over Memorial Day weekend in Old Sacramento, the California State Railroad Museum will offer jazz musicians performing inside the Museum, aboard popular weekend excursion train rides and even complimentary admission to event badge holders. With several music venues located in close proximity to the Railroad Museum and a special free Children’s Stage and activity area just outside the Museum in the “1849...
05/25/12- 05/28/12	California State Railroad Museum: Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee California State Railroad Museum California State Railroad Museum: Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum May 25-May 28, 2012 The 39th annual Sacramento Jazz Festival takes place throughout Sacramento. The California State Railroad Museum will be open daily during the Festival, with jazz musicians performing inside the Museum and complimentary admission offered to Jazz Festival badge holders. Special Free Children’s Stage and activity area located just outside Museum (on adjacent “1849 Scene”) during Jazz Festival, and several event music venues are located in close proximity to the Railroad...
04/10/12- 10/31/13	Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & The California Dream: Phase 2 California State Railroad Museum Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & The California Dream: Phase 2 Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum April 10, 2012-October 31, 2013 Phase two of a visually-powerful exhibit titled Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & the California Dream features a whole new crop of more than 100 fruit crate art labels from the 1880s through the early 1950s. This vibrant exhibit is located inside the Museum's restored 1924 Fruit Growers Express Refrigerator Car and along a re-created loading dock/icing station. Chosen from the Museum's collection, and on loan from the California State Library and private lenders, the evocative...
03/31/12- 09/30/12	Weekend Excursion Train Rides California State Railroad Museum Weekend Excursion Train Rides Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum March 31-September 30, 2012 The California State Railroad Museum’s popular excursion railroad--the Sacramento Southern Railroad--officially returns to operation for the 29th consecutive season, and continues on weekends through September. Guests are treated to a six-mile, 40-minute roundtrip excursion along the picturesque levees of the Sacramento River while enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of authentic locomotives rolling down the tracks. The train features a combination of vintage closed coaches...
03/09/12- 07/29/12	Steam: An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photographs of Joel Jensen California State Railroad Museum Steam: An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photographs of Joel Jensen Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum March 9-July 29, 2012 The California State Railroad Museum, in collaboration with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art, present a visually-enticing new photo exhibit titled Steam: An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photographs of Joel Jensen. Showcasing 50 dramatic black-and-white images, the exhibit features a selection of railroad photographs taken and published in a new book of the same name by the famed railroad photographer. Visitors to the Railroad Museum will see how Joel Jensen...
11/03/11- 09/14/12	Common Diversions: Toy Trains and Scale Model Railroads California State Railroad Museum Common Diversions: Toy Trains and Scale Model Railroads Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum November 3, 2011-September 14, 2012 While small in size, miniature trains are always a big attraction for guests who visit the California State Railroad Museum! Visitors to the Museum will delight in learning more about the distinguishing factors between scale model railroads and toy trains with the introduction of the exhibit titled Common Diversions: Toy Trains and Scale Model Railroads. As many guests will learn, the primary difference between model trains and toy trains has to do with scale--but that’s just...
08/26/11- 06/30/12	Award-Winning Photography Exhibit: A Story in Three Photographs California State Railroad Museum Award-Winning Photography Exhibit: A Story in Three Photographs Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum August 26, 2011-June 30, 2012 Visitors of the California State Railroad Museum will be delighted to feast their eyes on award-winning photographs from all over the world honored in the 2011 Creative Photography Awards Program, coordinated by the prestigious Center for Railroad Photography & Art. The theme of the competition was "A Story in Three Photographs." Visitors will see powerful sets of images that tell a story through compelling visuals that demonstrate an event or day unfolding, a span of time, or...

Upcoming Events

05/31/12- 03/31/13	Ticket to Ride: 150 Years Passenger Comfort & Style Exhibit California State Railroad Museum Ticket to Ride: 150 Years Passenger Comfort & Style Exhibit Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum May 31, 2012-March 31, 2013 The California State Railroad Museum is proud to debut a new exhibit titled Ticket to Ride: 150 Years of Passenger Comfort & Style. Located in the Mezzanine Gallery near the entrance to the Theater, the exciting and highly visual exhibit showcases American railroad-related artifacts that chronicle how the on-board experience has been enhanced over time through innovations in comfort, design, service, and technology that have helped to meet ever-changing consumer...
08/01/12- 12/31/12	Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images In Ink California State Railroad Museum Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images In Ink Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum August 1-December 31, 2012 The California State Railroad Museum is proud to present a fascinating, two-part exhibit titled Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images in Ink that features 52 sketches of California’s heritage depots drawn by Walter J. Wedlock. In the 1970s, and after realizing the many of the historic railroad depots were in danger of being demolished, Wedlock went on a quest to sketch the depots in a race against time and the wrecking ball. Wedlock sketched the...
09/14/12- 09/15/12	Trains and Tripods California State Railroad Museum Trains and Tripods Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum September 14-September 15, 2012 Join amateur photographers of all skill levels as cameras and tripods are welcomed into the Museum (prior to opening hours). This unique opportunity will allow you to create photographs without worrying about people tripping over your tripod or unexpectedly entering your scene. There will be an optional seminar on museum photography led by former Sacramento Bee photographer and Canon USA consultant Dave Henry.

NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate. However, it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.

Current &
Upcoming Events

Current Events

05/25/12- 05/28/12	Jazz-Related Activities at the California State Railroad Museum California State Railroad Museum Jazz-Related Activities at the California State Railroad Museum Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum May 25-May 28, 2012 Coinciding with the 39th Annual Sacramento Music Festival happening over Memorial Day weekend in Old Sacramento, the California State Railroad Museum will offer jazz musicians performing inside the Museum, aboard popular weekend excursion train rides and even complimentary admission to event badge holders. With several music venues located in close proximity to the Railroad Museum and a special free Children’s Stage and activity area just outside the Museum in the “1849...
05/25/12- 05/28/12	California State Railroad Museum: Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee California State Railroad Museum California State Railroad Museum: Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum May 25-May 28, 2012 The 39th annual Sacramento Jazz Festival takes place throughout Sacramento. The California State Railroad Museum will be open daily during the Festival, with jazz musicians performing inside the Museum and complimentary admission offered to Jazz Festival badge holders. Special Free Children’s Stage and activity area located just outside Museum (on adjacent “1849 Scene”) during Jazz Festival, and several event music venues are located in close proximity to the Railroad...
04/10/12- 10/31/13	Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & The California Dream: Phase 2 California State Railroad Museum Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & The California Dream: Phase 2 Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum April 10, 2012-October 31, 2013 Phase two of a visually-powerful exhibit titled Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & the California Dream features a whole new crop of more than 100 fruit crate art labels from the 1880s through the early 1950s. This vibrant exhibit is located inside the Museum's restored 1924 Fruit Growers Express Refrigerator Car and along a re-created loading dock/icing station. Chosen from the Museum's collection, and on loan from the California State Library and private lenders, the evocative...
03/31/12- 09/30/12	Weekend Excursion Train Rides California State Railroad Museum Weekend Excursion Train Rides Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum March 31-September 30, 2012 The California State Railroad Museum’s popular excursion railroad--the Sacramento Southern Railroad--officially returns to operation for the 29th consecutive season, and continues on weekends through September. Guests are treated to a six-mile, 40-minute roundtrip excursion along the picturesque levees of the Sacramento River while enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of authentic locomotives rolling down the tracks. The train features a combination of vintage closed coaches...
03/09/12- 07/29/12	Steam: An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photographs of Joel Jensen California State Railroad Museum Steam: An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photographs of Joel Jensen Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum March 9-July 29, 2012 The California State Railroad Museum, in collaboration with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art, present a visually-enticing new photo exhibit titled Steam: An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photographs of Joel Jensen. Showcasing 50 dramatic black-and-white images, the exhibit features a selection of railroad photographs taken and published in a new book of the same name by the famed railroad photographer. Visitors to the Railroad Museum will see how Joel Jensen...
11/03/11- 09/14/12	Common Diversions: Toy Trains and Scale Model Railroads California State Railroad Museum Common Diversions: Toy Trains and Scale Model Railroads Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum November 3, 2011-September 14, 2012 While small in size, miniature trains are always a big attraction for guests who visit the California State Railroad Museum! Visitors to the Museum will delight in learning more about the distinguishing factors between scale model railroads and toy trains with the introduction of the exhibit titled Common Diversions: Toy Trains and Scale Model Railroads. As many guests will learn, the primary difference between model trains and toy trains has to do with scale--but that’s just...
08/26/11- 06/30/12	Award-Winning Photography Exhibit: A Story in Three Photographs California State Railroad Museum Award-Winning Photography Exhibit: A Story in Three Photographs Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum August 26, 2011-June 30, 2012 Visitors of the California State Railroad Museum will be delighted to feast their eyes on award-winning photographs from all over the world honored in the 2011 Creative Photography Awards Program, coordinated by the prestigious Center for Railroad Photography & Art. The theme of the competition was "A Story in Three Photographs." Visitors will see powerful sets of images that tell a story through compelling visuals that demonstrate an event or day unfolding, a span of time, or...

Upcoming Events

05/31/12- 03/31/13	Ticket to Ride: 150 Years Passenger Comfort & Style Exhibit California State Railroad Museum Ticket to Ride: 150 Years Passenger Comfort & Style Exhibit Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum May 31, 2012-March 31, 2013 The California State Railroad Museum is proud to debut a new exhibit titled Ticket to Ride: 150 Years of Passenger Comfort & Style. Located in the Mezzanine Gallery near the entrance to the Theater, the exciting and highly visual exhibit showcases American railroad-related artifacts that chronicle how the on-board experience has been enhanced over time through innovations in comfort, design, service, and technology that have helped to meet ever-changing consumer...
08/01/12- 12/31/12	Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images In Ink California State Railroad Museum Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images In Ink Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum August 1-December 31, 2012 The California State Railroad Museum is proud to present a fascinating, two-part exhibit titled Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images in Ink that features 52 sketches of California’s heritage depots drawn by Walter J. Wedlock. In the 1970s, and after realizing the many of the historic railroad depots were in danger of being demolished, Wedlock went on a quest to sketch the depots in a race against time and the wrecking ball. Wedlock sketched the...
09/14/12- 09/15/12	Trains and Tripods California State Railroad Museum Trains and Tripods Presented by California State Railroad Museum at California State Railroad Museum September 14-September 15, 2012 Join amateur photographers of all skill levels as cameras and tripods are welcomed into the Museum (prior to opening hours). This unique opportunity will allow you to create photographs without worrying about people tripping over your tripod or unexpectedly entering your scene. There will be an optional seminar on museum photography led by former Sacramento Bee photographer and Canon USA consultant Dave Henry.

Past
Events

Past Events

05/13/12	Mother’s Day Excursion Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
05/12/12	National Train Day California State Railroad Museum
05/04/12- 05/05/12	Trains and Tripods California State Railroad Museum
02/18/12	Exploring the Role of Railroads in African American History California State Railroad Museum
11/25/11- 11/26/11	Small Train Holiday California State Railroad Museum
11/25/11- 12/18/11	Polar Express Train Rides (SOLD OUT) California State Railroad Museum
11/05/11- 11/06/11	Amtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train & Special Activities California State Railroad Museum
10/15/11- 10/30/11	Spookomotive Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
09/16/11- 09/17/11	Trains and Tripods California State Railroad Museum
09/01/11- 02/29/12	Wedlock’s Gift: California Railroad Depot Images In Ink California State Railroad Museum
05/27/11- 05/30/11	Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee at the Railroad Museum California State Railroad Museum
05/15/11	The Pixar Collection California State Railroad Museum
05/06/11- 05/07/11	Trains and Tripods California State Railroad Museum
04/02/11- 09/25/11	Excursion Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
04/02/11	Pick Me! Family Fun Day California State Railroad Museum
03/04/11- 03/20/12	Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & The California Dream California State Railroad Museum
12/06/10	Day of Inclusion Celebration California State Railroad Museum
11/26/10- 12/19/10	Polar Express Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
11/26/10- 11/27/10	Small Train Holiday! California State Railroad Museum
11/05/10- 11/06/10	Trains & Tripods California State Railroad Museum
10/16/10- 10/31/10	Spookomotive Train Excursions California State Railroad Museum
10/01/10- 01/06/11	Requiem for Steam: The Railroad Photographs of David Plowden California State Railroad Museum
09/24/10- 02/06/11	Honorable Mention: Favorites from the 2010 Worldwide Photo Walk California State Railroad Museum
07/08/10- 06/30/11	Beyond the Locomotive: Award Winning Photographs California State Railroad Museum
07/02/10- 05/31/11	Rails and Reels: Hollywood, Trains and the Making of Motion Pictures California State Railroad Museum
05/28/10- 05/31/10	Get into the Jazzy Spirit with Music Aboard Trains California State Railroad Museum
05/08/10	Celebrate Railroading at Third Annual “National Train Day” California State Railroad Museum
04/23/10- 04/24/10	Lights, Camera, Action! Special “Trains & Tripods” Photo Opportunity California State Railroad Museum
04/18/10	Native American Film Program California State Railroad Museum
04/03/10- 09/25/10	Excursion Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
03/03/10- 06/21/10	Photo-Documentary Exhibit: "The Migrant Project" Debut California State Railroad Museum
11/27/09- 11/29/09	Train Time for Santa California State Railroad Museum
11/16/09- 02/20/10	Some Assembly Required California State Railroad Museum
10/23/09- 10/24/09	“Trains & Tripods” Photo Opportunity & Lighting Seminar California State Railroad Museum
10/17/09- 11/01/09	Halloween-themed 'Spookomotive' trains California State Railroad Museum
09/26/09	Smithsonian Magazine’s 5th Annual Museum Day California State Railroad Museum
09/16/09- 11/06/09	Worldwide Photo Walk Exhibit California State Railroad Museum
06/19/09- 06/21/09	Disney Train Comes to Sacramento! California State Railroad Museum
05/09/09- 02/15/10	The Rail Splitter & The Railroads: Lincoln, the Union and the Golden State California State Railroad Museum
05/09/09- 05/10/09	Railroad Museum Special Activities! California State Railroad Museum
04/25/09- 09/27/09	Sacramento Southern Railroad California State Railroad Museum
03/15/09	Richard Luckins' 'America and the Passenger Train' California State Railroad Museum
03/15/09	Presentation and book signing by Jim Shaughnessy California State Railroad Museum
03/07/09- 05/17/09	The Way We Worked: Photographs from the National Archives California State Railroad Museum
02/06/09- 08/16/09	The Call of Trains: Railroad Photographs by Jim Shaughnessy California State Railroad Museum
01/31/09	California Gold Rush: What We Ate California State Railroad Museum
01/23/09- 05/31/09	2008 Winners from the Center for Railroad Photography & Art California State Railroad Museum
12/04/08- 12/21/08	The Polar Express Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
11/25/08- 12/31/09	California State Railroad Museum California State Railroad Museum
11/08/08	Grace Hudson to Present an Illustrated Program California State Railroad Museum
10/11/08- 10/26/08	Spookomotive Train Rides California State Railroad Museum
07/30/08- 02/08/09	Road of a Thousand Wonders: Promotional Photography of the Southern Pacific Railroad, 1890-1910 California State Railroad Museum
07/30/08- 01/25/09	Aurelius O. Carpenter: Photographer of the Mendocino Frontier California State Railroad Museum
04/05/08- 09/28/08	Train Rides California State Railroad Museum