Home to some of the most iconic locomotives, trains and railway memorabilia in British history – the National Railway Museum is an amazing immersive experience.
The largest museum of its type in Britain, it houses more than 100 locomotives and rolling stock and is packed full of rail and social, history.
Housed in two buildings – the Great Hall, centred around a classic turntable, and Station Hall, laid out around historic platforms.
National Railway Museum entry & ticket info
How to get to the National Railway Museum
What is there to do at the National Railway Museum?
Great Hall
Part of the ‘original’ Railway Museum, which opened in 1975, things you can see here include:
- Mallard – holder of the World speed record for a steam locomotive
- Shinkansen – one of only two bullet trains to be found outside Japan
- Stephenson’s Rocket replica – one of the first railway engines ever built
Station Hall
Formerly a series of goods sheds, these were added to the museum in the 1990s. They reopened in 2025 after a multi-million pound refurbishment. Historical items on display include:
- Royal Train carriages used by Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria
- Mail train with mobile sorting office
Flying Scotsman VR
£ – extra cost option
Flying Scotsman VR takes you on an immersive journey through time and across the globe, reliving the most iconic moments from the locomotive’s 100-year history.
Step inside a detailed recreation of Edinburgh Waverley station, put on your headset, and be transported into the past.
Wonderlab
£ – extra cost option
Experience the science that powers the railways firsthand. Discover how aerodynamics work, explore different types of fuels and put your engineering skills to the test.
Step into the human wind tunnel, launch a rocket, plan routes to guide balls through the Great Machine and design structures strong enough to withstand an earthquake.