General Information

Home to 225,000 square-feet of exhibits and beautifully restored railroad cars and locomotives which illustrate railroad history in California and the West.
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Hours

The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last admission at 4:30 p.m.
(except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day)

Admission

Cash, personal checks, travelers’ checks, Visa and Mastercard are accepted for payment. (Prices are subject to change without notice.)

Reciprocal Admission

The California State Railroad Museum is proud to offer reciprocal admission benefits to members of museums that participate in the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM) program. Some restrictions may apply.

Location

111 I Street, Sacramento, California, 95814

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Contact Us

Parking

Short-term Parking

A small number of limited-term, metered parking spaces are available on the streets of the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Street parking is metered from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. However, these spaces are not suitable for guests visiting longer than 90 minutes.

Long-term Parking

All-day parking is available at two parking garages located at both ends of the Old Sacramento Waterfront:

  1. Old Sacramento Garage – Entrance at I Street between 3rd and 2nd St.
  2. Tower Bridge Garage – Entrance on Capitol Blvd. and Neasham Circle near the Tower Bridge.
Bus Parking

Free bus parking is available behind the museum. The signs will direct you from I Street to the gated lot behind the museum for easy passenger drop off.

For more information on parking, visit SacPark.org.

Directions

Take Interstate Highway 80-East to West Sacramento. At the I-80/Business 80 split, follow Business 80 to Downtown Sacramento, then as the freeway climbs up over the Sacramento River, take the Interstate Highway 5-North exit. Exit at "J" Street (a one-way, eastbound street) and go two blocks to Fifth Street. Turn left, then turn left again at "I" Street. Follow the large overhead signs to "Old Sacramento/Railroad Museum."
Take Highway 99-North to Sacramento. Follow Highway 99 through two freeway intersections in Sacramento (Highway 99/Highway 50/Business 80, then Business 80/Highway 99/Interstate Highway 5). You will end up headed north on Interstate Highway 5/Highway 99 in downtown Sacramento. Exit at "J" Street (a one-way, eastbound street) and go two blocks to Fifth Street. Turn left, then turn left again at "I" Street. Follow the large overhead signs to "Old Sacramento/Railroad Museum."
Take Interstate Highway 80-West to Interstate Highway 5-South. Follow I-5 south to downtown Sacramento. Exit at "J" Street (a one-way, eastbound stree t) and go two blocks to Fifth Street. Turn left, then turn left again at "I" Street. Follow the large overhead signs to "Old Sacramento/Railroad Museum."
Take Highway 50-West to Sacramento. Continue west on Highway 50/Business 80 to Interstate Highway 5-North and downtown Sacramento. Almost as soon as you join I-5, you will be exiting. Exit at "J" Street (a one-way, eastbound street) and go two blocks to Fifth Street. Turn left, then turn left again at "I" Street. Follow the large overhead signs to "Old Sacramento/Railroad Museum."
Head south on Highway 99 or Interstate Highway 5 to Sacramento. The two highways join together just a few miles north of Sacramento, near Sacramento International Airport. Continue south to downtown Sacramento. Exit at "J" Street (a one-way, eastbound street) and go two blocks to Fifth Street. Turn left, then turn left again at "I" Street. Follow the large overhead signs to "Old Sacramento/Railroad Museum."
Coming from outside Sacramento? Take the Capitol Corridor train to the Sacramento Valley Amtrak Station, which is a short and easy walk to the California State Railroad Museum. Up to 30 trains a day serve the station – enjoy on board wi-fi, Café Car service, spacious seating, and beautiful views while you ride. For more info and to book, visit www.capitolcorridor.org.

Guided Tours

Guided tours are available. Check with the front desk upon arrival to find out that day’s tour schedule. These tours are led by docents and cover the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in about 30 minutes.

Group Tours

Group tours with or without a guide may be reserved in advance.

Museum admission group rate is $11 per adult and $5 for ages 6-17. Groups are self-guided unless a guide is reserved.

Additional fees for a guided tour:

  • $50 for up to 30 persons with 1 guide
  • $100 for 31-50 persons with 2 guides

Due to the large volume of schools visiting the museum, we are unable to offer docent guided tours to school groups. Click here for information about school programs and other teacher resources.

To book a group tour:

Please contact our Group Desk at [email protected] or (916) 323-9274. Guided tour reservations must be made at least one week in advance.

Story Time on Mondays

Families with children are invited to join our weekly Story Time program. It is FREE with admission and takes placed inside the Museum every Monday at 11am. For more information, click here.

Photography

We welcome photography for personal use. Handheld flash is allowed.

Tripods and freestanding flash are not permitted for safety reasons. Commercial photography is allowed on a case-by-case basis by advance arrangement. Click here for more information.

Accessibility

The California State Railroad Museum is fully accessible to persons with disabilities. Wherever possible, access to exhibits are facilitated by wheelchair lifts with the assistance of our friendly staff. Certain exhibits and programs have limited accessibility, due to factors such as narrow, historic stairways and door openings on railroad passenger cars. For additional details, please contact us.

Sensory Inclusion

RR Sensory Zone Signage in Museum Pic

The Museum has achieved sensory-inclusive certification from KultureCity® as part of our ongoing efforts to be a more welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for visitors. Many staff and volunteers at the California State Railroad Museum and California State Railroad Museum Foundation have been trained on how to recognize those visitors with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation.

Sensory bags (with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, and more) are available at both the Museum front desk and the Passenger Station ticketing office. You’ll also find sensory signage throughout our spaces, identifying headphone zones and quiet areas for sensory breaks.

Social Stories

Prior to visiting, individuals or families can view our entries on the KultureCity® app or website, which includes social stories for your visit.

Visiting the Museum

Taking an Excursion Train Ride

DINING
The Old Sacramento Waterfront and the surrounding streets offer countless options for dining – from casual to formal, from quick bites to feats of culinary flair. Located in the heart of the Farm-to-Fork Capital, Sacramento offers the breadth of quality and variety to satisfy every palate and meet any budget.
LODGING
There are numerous hotels within walking distance of the Old Sacramento Waterfront and the California State Railroad Museum. Visit Sacramento can recommend a number of hotels and attractions in the area, and will be happy to mail you a complete Sacramento Visitors Guide upon request. Click here or call (916) 808-7777, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. PT.

Links

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