One of Saint Paul’s hidden gems, the Minnesota Transportation Museum, Historic Jackson Street Roundhouse, is a train-lovers dream come true and an entertaining place for whole family. Full of old train cars, the kids can explore from one car to the next, pretending to be passengers, engineers and conductors and maybe take their first train ride. Train enthusiasts of all ages who like history, are interested in transportation and trains, or who want to experience something very unique and kid-friendly will enjoy the Jackson Street Roundhouse. The museum is run by volunteer staff and therefore is only open Wednesdays and Saturdays. It’s in original location and is still a functional and operational roundhouse. On Saturdays they give caboose rides approximately every 1/2 hour, which is why tickets are a couple of dollars more than on Wednesdays. My boys and I LOVED this museum.  We spent all day, and when we left, we felt there was still more to see. It is an amazing museum dedicated to preserving and honoring the history of Saint Paul railroad heritage. What makes it even more worth it is the fact that the glue that holds it together and preserves the museum is that it’s run by volunteers. I highly recommend it–2 thumbs up and 5 stars This is a good starter museum for family memberships. We recommend a MTM membership if your children are young and you can visit with a 1:1 parent child ratio. This membership will pay for itself if you regularly attend on Wednesday and/or Saturdays. On the other hand, we have found that older grade school, tweens and teens become bored with this museum after a visit or two as it is pretty much the same thing every time. Therefore, this may not be an ideal place to spend your membership dollars as your children grow. Learn more about this and other awesome local memberships here. On Saturdays guests can ride a real vintage caboose as part of their admission. Rides last 15 minutes and operate all day between 10-4. No need to book, just come visit the museum, and line up for a ride! The Blacksmith Shop is also open on Saturdays. The museum staff is mostly made up of highly knowledgeable volunteer train enthusiasts. Ask them anything. I challenge you to stump them. Saturday admission*: $16/adult; $13/Seniors; $11 Kids ages 5-15; $8/Toddlers ages 2-4; Free for Infants under 2. A family package, which admits 2 adults and 2-4 children, is $50.00. *These prices were last verified in February 2023. The video below shows scenes from a Saturday caboose ride I took with my small boys. The boys and I sat in the cupola part of the caboose. Let me tell you, if you are sitting in the seat, it probably is an awesome view. As a mom, up there just to make sure her boys don’t fall off, you are wedged into a small space so all you can do is watch the boys or the people on the other side of the aisle. But apparently the view was great. The locomotive was not designed for seating lots of people.  For the boys to be able to see out the front, I had to hold them above all the mechanics. This particular Saturday, the Jackson Street Roundhouse was also offering a Classic Bus Tour of St. Paul. Classic bus tours are only offered at special times, but this day they were. I convinced my boys that they would love it. We had a beautiful ride, saw attractions and some of the buildings that were important during the railway era in St. Paul.
On select Wednesdays, the Minnesota Transportation Museum hosts Tots & Trains from 10am – 12pm. Tots and Trains includes a train-themed story time, a craft and tot-friendly open play areas. Parents can relax with coffee and treats and there is sometimes a food truck available with a special Tots & Trains lunch deal. There are no train rides on Wednesdays, but the Blacksmith Shop is open and the price of admission is less on Wednesdays. The museum remains open until 4pm. See our Family Fun Calendar or MTM’s website for dates. *These prices were last verified in February 2023. Have a train fan in your family? Host your birthday party at the Jackson Street Roundhouse! Families can rent the Birthday Party Car for birthday party guests and family. Admission includes admission for up to 25 people, 2 hours in the party car set with tableware, dessert plates & napkins, a caboose ride, party favors and a gift for the birthday child. Find more ideas for birthday parties in our Guide to Birthday Parties for Twin Cities Kids.
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Museum Features Families Will Love:
Membership to Minnesota Transportation Museum
Saturdays at Jackson Street Roundhouse
Real Train Rides in a Vintage Caboose
Classic Bus Tours
Tots & Trains
Minnesota Transportation Museum Birthday Reservations
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