Skip to main content

We're open seven days a week. Book your free admission ticket now to visit the museum. 

Schools and groups can book free tickets here.

Please note the museum will close at 15.00 on Monday 18 March.

Station Hall and other parts of our museum are closed, please check the Visit page for the latest info about closures.

Objects and stories

Immerse yourself in stories from centuries of railway history and discover unexpected objects from the world's largest railway collection.

Looking for our archive catalogues? You'll find all our online resources and more information about visiting Search Engine in the Research and Archive section.

These incredible inventions underpin our collection of over a million railway-related objects. Among them are the world's fastest steam engine Mallard, the exquisitely streamlined Duchess of Hamilton, a replica of George Stephenson's pioneering Rocket and the only bullet train to be found outside of Japan.

From the original drawings of game-changing locomotives to a 'no spitting' sign, our collection of railway objects reaches far and wide.

You can see more of these objects in Highlights, our newest exhibition which puts some of our most interesting non-locomotive collection items under the spotlight on the Search Engine balcony in Great Hall.

See what life was like in the large-scale workshops that powered a railway revolution and delve into the history of an era of engineering might with our photographic collections dating back to the 1800s.

Railway companies have designed some brilliant posters over the years. Take a look at these eye-catching examples from our extensive collection.

Our collection is home to over 1000 model engines, carriages and other rail vehicles and equipment, many of which are on display for you to discover in the Collections Store.

Dining cars: Eating in luxury and travelling at speed

In 1879 Britain's first dining car service was introduced. How did these restaurants on rails fare against the challenges of the 1900s?