Collections

Online exhibitions

Welcome to online exhibitions which use the museum's collections, to describe important events, discoveries and personalities in science and technology.

Black and white photograph of a railway worker The History of Railway Photography

Explore the history of railway pictures, from the dawn of photography to the present day, taken from the National Railway Museum's collection of negatives.

Detail from a drawing by John Cooke Bourne John Cooke Bourne

John Cooke Bourne was a prolific artist and illustrator who pioneered the realistic depiction of the construction of railways in Britain. This online exhibition explores his work and discusses research undertaken by the National Railway Museum.

Detail from a Railway Poster The Railway Poster in Britain

Discover the history of the railway poster through images from the National Railway Museum's collection in York.

Shinkansen with Mount Fuji in the background Shinkansen

Japan's "Bullet Train" shaped the future of high speed rail transport. This is the story behind the epic journey of Car No. 22-141 from Japan to the National Railway Museum.

Black and white photo of a loco Eric Treacy - Master Railway Photographer

Illustrating the photographic genius of Eric Treacy, in pictures taken from the National Railway Museum Collection.

Detail from a Railway Poster South for Sunshine

A celebration of the golden age of graphic design and the art of the Southern Railway's publicity department.

More online exhibitions can be found on the Science Museum's pages