The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado, preserves the history of railroading in the Rocky Mountain region through its outdoor railyard, exhibits, and education programs. You can see historic locomotives and rail cars, visit the Depot Museum, and add a train ride when rides are operating.
- Location: 17155 W. 44th Avenue, Golden, CO 80403
- Regular hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; closed Mondays
- General admission: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 60 and older, and $5 for children ages 2–17
- Regular train rides operate on a seasonal schedule
What can you see at the Colorado Railroad Museum?
The Colorado Railroad Museum’s 15-acre outdoor railyard holds more than 100 historic locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses. Opened in 1959, the museum focuses on preserving and conveying Rocky Mountain rail history.
Inside the 1880s-replica Depot Museum, you can see rotating exhibits and an HO model railroad. The Roundhouse gives visitors a view of restoration work, and the Depot Store is also on site. Outside, the Denver Garden Railway Society’s garden railroad sits in the railyard, north of the main Depot building.
The museum grounds are an active railyard, so you may encounter construction, large equipment, and loud sounds such as bells and whistles. Much of the visit is outdoors; wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots.
For more context on the town’s museum options, this guide to museums in Golden can help you decide how to combine a visit.
How much are Colorado Railroad Museum tickets?
General admission costs $12 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 60 and older, and $5 for children ages 2–17. Museum members and children under 2 are admitted free.
Opening hours
- Tuesday to Sunday: 9 AM–5 PM
- Monday: closed
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
A general-admission ticket does not include a train ride. The museum lists separate ride tickets at $5 for adults and seniors and $2 for children.
On selected busy special-event days, combined museum-admission and train-ride tickets may be the only option. Colorado Crossings in mid-May, Dinosaur Express Train in late May, and Harvest Haunt Express in October are among those days.
General admission is unavailable during Day Out With Thomas event dates and during evening performances of THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride. Ticket arrangements can therefore depend on the event schedule. Check the official site before you go.
What are the Colorado Railroad Museum hours and train seasons?
The museum’s regular hours are 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with the museum closed on Mondays. It also closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Regular train rides run on Saturdays from mid-January through mid-May, in late August, and in October. During the summer season, rides operate Thursday through Sunday from mid-May through mid-August. Trains depart every 30 minutes between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; crews take a lunch break at 12:30 p.m.
Train equipment varies by ride. Historic-coach rides pulled by diesel-electric locomotives are wheelchair accessible; the Galloping Goose Motorcar is not. The grounds have paved walkways and ramps for ground-level access to the Main Museum Depot, Library Archives, and Restoration Roundhouse. The Main Depot’s upper and lower galleries do not have elevator access.
How do you get to the museum from downtown Golden?
The museum is at 17155 W. 44th Avenue, Golden, CO 80403. Its published driving directions take you from I-70 via Exit 265 onto Colorado Highway 58, then along the signs to the museum.
From the Silk Pincushion, the museum is about a 6-minute drive or a 47-minute walk. If you are planning a fuller day in town, the one-day Golden itinerary offers a way to put local stops in sequence.
For winter visits during heavy snowfall or just after a large snowfall, the museum advises calling ahead at (303) 279-4591 because conditions may affect safe access.
FAQs
What is the museum’s address?
The Colorado Railroad Museum is at 17155 W. 44th Avenue, Golden, CO 80403.
Are train rides included with admission?
No. General admission and train rides are separate unless a selected busy special-event day requires a combined ticket.
Is the museum accessible by wheelchair?
Paved walkways and ramps provide ground-level access to several main areas, including the Main Museum Depot, Library Archives, and Restoration Roundhouse. The Depot galleries do not have elevator access, and the Galloping Goose Motorcar is not wheelchair accessible.
Is the museum mostly indoors?
No. The railyard and much of the visit are outdoors, so conditions and sounds can vary across the active grounds.