Museum of Transportation, Saint Louis

The National Museum of Transportation preserves the history of railroads, automobiles, aircraft, and other forms of transportation that have shaped American travel and industry. Established in 1944, the museum occupies a 42-acre campus in St. Louis County, Missouri, and is widely recognized for housing one of the largest collections of historic transportation vehicles in the world.

Its exhibits trace the technological development of transportation from the 19th century through the modern era, offering visitors an opportunity to explore how mobility transformed everyday life and commerce. The museum is best known for its extensive railroad collection, which includes more than 70 locomotives and hundreds of railcars, among them some of the largest and most historically significant steam locomotives ever built, such as the Union Pacific "Big Boy". Visitors can also explore vintage automobiles, streetcars, buses, trucks, aircraft, riverboats, horse-drawn vehicles, and maintenance equipment displayed throughout the grounds. Many exhibits are arranged outdoors, allowing visitors to walk alongside full-size locomotives and railcars, while a miniature train offers rides through portions of the museum during the operating season.

Beyond its collections, the National Museum of Transportation hosts educational programs, guided tours, restoration projects, and special events for visitors of all ages. Ongoing preservation work allows guests to observe the care required to maintain historic vehicles, while interpretive displays explain the engineering and historical importance of many exhibits. By combining large-scale artifacts with hands-on experiences and historical interpretation, the museum provides a broad introduction to the evolution of transportation in the United States.