National Toy Train Museum
National Toy Train Museum, Strasburg: Address, Phone Number, National Toy Train Museum Reviews: 4.5/5
National Toy Train Museum
National Toy Train Museum
4.5
About
Museum featuring hundreds of model trains, some specimens dating back to the 1800s.
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Best nearby
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30 within 3 miles
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
229 reviews
Excellent
133
Very good
70
Average
19
Poor
4
Terrible
3
Justamomx3
Pennsylvania31 contributions
Aug 2021
This was the first time visiting the National Toy Train Museum, and my family and I were greatly impressed. The museum features collector trains and train layouts, superbly done and laid out for all to see. If you are a train enthusiast or just like trains, you will not be disappointed. The collections varied according to the different gauges, and even featured a layout made of Legos. Well worth a stop when in the Strasburg/Lancaster area.
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
BillGoeltz
Rusk, TX4 contributions
May 2022
If you like trains this is the place to go. Lots of model train history is contained within these walls. Some which may even surprise you. Covers all scales and history of long forgotten makers of toy trains over the years.
Written May 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Brian M
Laurel, MD101 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Great tour thru history of toy trains, beautiful displays of everything from wooden to tinplate to cast iron to more current. Plus interactive displays in all the major gauges and LEGO. Highly recommend a visit, about an hour
Written September 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
FlipFlopsR4Me
Jersey Shore, NJ518 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
I was pretty surprised at how much this place kept our son entertained. I thought we'd spend maybe an hour here, but there was so much to see we stayed looking & interacting with some of the train displays for hours. Had to finally pull my little guy out of here to eat lunch. The displays are wonderfully put together & it was surprisingly clean. We entered at opening (1000) and were the only family there for about the first 45 minutes which allowed my son to enjoy the displays pretty much to himself for that time. It never really did get crowded at all. The woman who we encountered that worked there was truly the most friendliest we came across while visiting. She was very informative & just so pleasant to talk to. Would've liked to say about the older gentleman at the entrance collecting admission. I kind of felt he was a bit rude especially when my son asked him if there was a bathroom and he answered as if he was bothered by my son asking him a question. This is the reason for the 4 star rating. Would have rated it 5 stars had it not been for the lack of customer service by this one person :(
There wasn't much in terms of souvenirs. We were able to purchase an awesome battery powered toy train for less than $10 & a color changing t-shirt for $12 which we thought was reasonably priced considering some of the prices we've come across in other places in Strasburg. In closing I would say this is a pretty cool place to visit of course if you or your family members are toy train lovers this would be on my list of places to see while visiting Strasburg.
There wasn't much in terms of souvenirs. We were able to purchase an awesome battery powered toy train for less than $10 & a color changing t-shirt for $12 which we thought was reasonably priced considering some of the prices we've come across in other places in Strasburg. In closing I would say this is a pretty cool place to visit of course if you or your family members are toy train lovers this would be on my list of places to see while visiting Strasburg.
Written July 31, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Boris Scharinger
Fuerth, Germany176 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
It's for toy train lovers. I went there with my daughter (4) and my son (almost 7) and they got bored fairly soon. Yes, there are several beautiful tracks and pushing buttons would make trains move - but kind of that's it
I suggest to add some more elements of interactivity that encourages kids to build something or truly steer something. (I know, it's not very concrete)
I suggest to add some more elements of interactivity that encourages kids to build something or truly steer something. (I know, it's not very concrete)
Written October 22, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kerra B
17 contributions
You will be bored out of your mind and your kids will be interested for ten min max UNLESS you are a serious train person. It is a very nice place with a great collection if you're a train collector!
Written May 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lefty33
West Conshohocken, PA304 contributions
Sep 2010
I took my daughters here about a year and half ago and came away slightly underwhelmed by what was offered.
We went during an off time during the fall and the thing that surprised us the most was that while there was a fair amount of people riding that day at the Strasburg Railroad and over at the Choo Choo Barn there was nobody here at all for the first 45 minutes that we were here.
The first thing to note is that they are closed January, February, and March. Even during the "busy season" of May-October they are still closed Tuesday-Thursday.
The exhibits offer toy trains at all of the various sizes of O, S, G, and HO gauges. And while that is nice the big problem is that way too much of their collection is stuffed and mounted to look at behind glass and hardly anything there actually is moving or running.
So while it may be nice for historians, train buffs, and cerebral adults to look at room after room of static displays kids for the most part could care less.
Even at a place like Roadside America there is an interactive factor.
The admission price of $15 dollars for a family of four is not bad but the problem is just that NTTM is just not that interesting to really be there for more than an hour and for fifteen dollars there is far better and far more interesting things to see and do in Lancaster County.
We went during an off time during the fall and the thing that surprised us the most was that while there was a fair amount of people riding that day at the Strasburg Railroad and over at the Choo Choo Barn there was nobody here at all for the first 45 minutes that we were here.
The first thing to note is that they are closed January, February, and March. Even during the "busy season" of May-October they are still closed Tuesday-Thursday.
The exhibits offer toy trains at all of the various sizes of O, S, G, and HO gauges. And while that is nice the big problem is that way too much of their collection is stuffed and mounted to look at behind glass and hardly anything there actually is moving or running.
So while it may be nice for historians, train buffs, and cerebral adults to look at room after room of static displays kids for the most part could care less.
Even at a place like Roadside America there is an interactive factor.
The admission price of $15 dollars for a family of four is not bad but the problem is just that NTTM is just not that interesting to really be there for more than an hour and for fifteen dollars there is far better and far more interesting things to see and do in Lancaster County.
Written April 22, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GoPlaces35005
Shady Spring, WV1 contribution
The Toy Train Museum in Strasburg, PA was the highlight of my son's trip to the area. In the museum was an unbelievable collection of electric trains, both on diplay as visual exhibits and also on display as hands-on exhibits. My 4 year old could visit each layout, operate the train and the accessories without any danger of destroying anything. He was enchanted for hours! Thats what I call a success! Please take my advice, if your child is a train fan, you must take them to this museum. The caretakers are helpful and fun and again, your child can't break anything!
Written May 16, 2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
bassjwp
Princeton, NJ477 contributions
Nov 2018 • Family
This is a nice little stop if you're in the area with your kids to see the steam engines at Strasburg. While it lacks the impressive single-display setup that the Choo Choo Barn has right down the road, it has six or seven smaller displays of various gauges, and those displays are very interactive with lots of buttons for little ones to push. Beyond the active displays, there are a huge number of classic toy trains of various sizes displayed all throughout the place. When we were there, they were also doing activities in the lobby, where an extra $1 got you a bag full of National Toy Train Museum goodies, including a cup, a snack and a wooden train to decorate and assemble. There were paint pens and adults to help at a table to help the kids, and a toy train table and a TV playing The Polar Express for younger ones or siblings who finished faster than their brothers or sisters. Finally, there are discount coupons for this place all OVER Lancaster and Strasburg, so you don't even have to pay the (extremely reasonable) full price. By the time it was all said and done, we managed to keep the kids entertained for about 2 hours on a cold and rainy day. We'll most likely be back.
Written December 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mdicam
Philadelphia, PA18 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
My daughter and I love toy train museums, and this was the best one we have been to. All train exhibits were working, and each exhibit featured different types of trains. There were plenty of buttons to push and animate objects. The coolest feature was that the lights in the museum would periodically fade to create “nightime” in the train worlds, so you could see the world lit at night. Finally, the museum floor had a train track carpet which my daughter used to pretend that she was a train as she walked from exhibit to exhibit. Great visit!
Written October 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cmorrison33
Steelton, PA
Does the museum have strollers and electric scooters for the disabled to rent.
Michael - Dene R
Salem, WV86 contributions
I saw several people with wheelchairs and strollers.
Deborah S
Altoona, PA120 contributions
How much time should I allow my cub scout pack to visit
callcri
Weeki Wachee, FL155 contributions
You should allow at least two to three hours to see all the display trains. It’s an overwhelming experience especially if you are a model train fan, possibly longer if you are going to tie it into a railroad merit badge. There are so many railroad attractions as the Pennsylvania State Railroad Museum, Choo Choo Barn, the Caboose Motel and the Steam Train ride at the Strasburg Railroad the amount of time at each site will have to be adjusted by how much time you have in the area. Everyone will love the museum and remember it for many years. Carl
Deborah S
Altoona, PA120 contributions
How much time should I allow my cub scout pack to visit this museum
barbzie444
Doylestown, PA16 contributions
At least 2-3 hours
Frequently Asked Questions about National Toy Train Museum
- Hotels near National Toy Train Museum:
- (0.15 mi) Red Caboose Motel, Restaurant & Gift Shop
- (0.40 mi) Verdant View Farm Bed and Breakfast
- (1.13 mi) The Carriage House at Strasburg
- (1.33 mi) 1786 The Limestone Inn B&B
- (1.81 mi) After Eight Bed & Breakfast
- Restaurants near National Toy Train Museum:
- (0.12 mi) Casey Jones' Restaurant
- (1.12 mi) Speckled Hen
- (1.21 mi) Fireside Tavern
- (0.85 mi) Isaac's Restaurant - Strasburg
- (1.40 mi) Strasburg Creamery