Reading Railroad Heritage Museum
Location:
500 South 3rd Street, Hamburg, PA
in Berks CountyWebsite:
www.readingrailroad.orgEmail:
info@readingrailroad.orgPhone:
610-263-5513Hours:
Hours: Saturdays 10 AM to 4 PM (closed Jan. 16 through Feb)
Special Events:
Exhibit: “The Unseen Engineers of the Reading: the architects and engineers of the Reading Railroad”; now through Jan. 15; features drawings recently acquired from the Smithsonian.
Holiday exhibit: “Nostalgic Christmas Trains”; Thanksgiving weekend through JaCosts:
Costs: Adults $7; Seniors 65+ $6; Children (ages 5-12) $3; under 5 free.
ADA Accessible:
YesPublic Restroom:
YesCategories:
ADA Accessible, Museums, Tours
Description:
The Reading Railroad Heritage Museum is the educational and interpretive center for the extensive collections of the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society. Displays, video, hands-on experiences, and events illustrate the impact of the Reading Railroad on southeastern Pennsylvania and beyond from its beginning in 1833 until the end of its era in 1976. The Museum is operated entirely by the RCT&HS, an all-volunteer non-profit corporation, whose efforts have assembled the collections and built the museum.
Museum visitors can go outdoors to see over 70 pieces of historic Reading Railroad locomotives, freight and passenger cars, one of the largest collections in the U.S. pertaining to a single railroad. The exhibit building features tools, machines, documents, uniforms, and many other items used by Reading Railroad workers. Model trains and a re-created station agent’s office are popular attractions. Exhibits on a variety of railroad subjects change seasonally. A 15-minute video, “The Reading Railroad Shaped Communities”, is shown in the Museum theater. Books, clothing, model trains, children’s toys, and treasures for rail enthusiasts of all ages are available at the Museum store