Depot Museum Exhibits
The main Museum building, completed in 1959, resembles an 1880-era small town railroad depot. Typical architectural features include wide eaves to protect waiting passengers from weather, and large bay windows so the station agent can observe activity on the boarding platforms. The yellow and brown paint reflects standard building colors for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.
The Depot Museum houses the museum’s two changing gallery spaces featuring the colorful stories of the railroads serving Colorado for over 125 years. Guests can view introductory videos to the museum in the museum’s upper gallery and enjoy hands-on activities downstairs in the museum’s lower gallery.
Lower Gallery
New Exhibit Now Open!
The Colorado Railroad Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of its newest exhibit, “Hidden from History: A Century of Women in Railroading.” This captivating display explores the invaluable, and often overlooked, contributions of women in the railroad industry over the span of 100 years, showcasing their roles in a field traditionally dominated by men.
Through a rich collection of photographs, artifacts, and personal narratives, the exhibit highlights the perseverance and dedication of women who broke barriers to become telegraphers, engineers, executives, and more. Visitors will gain insight into the adversity these pioneering women faced, as well as their significant impact on the evolution of railroading as well as the pursuit of gender equality.
We invite you to join the Museum in celebrating these incredible stories and honoring the legacy of women in railroading. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about their important yet often overlooked contributions to American history! This exhibit will remain on display through August of 2025.
Denver HO Model Railroad Club Layout
Located in the lower level of the main building, the Denver HO Model Railroad Club is one of the oldest and largest model railroad clubs in the Rocky Mountain region. The Club’s operating layout replicates the various types of Colorado mountain railroading in HO and HOn3.
HO scale is 1/87th of the real size of standard gauge trains and track. HOn3 is the same scale, but designed for narrow gauge trains and track.
Members of the Denver HO Model Railway Club maintain and continue to improve the layout throughout the year. Guests can insert quarters (available in the Depot Store) to make a train operate and also to power the scale amusement park on the layout! For more information, visit DenverHOModelRRClub.org.
Upper Gallery
Center for Railroad Photography & Art Winners
Now Open – Included with admission
Every year, the Center for Railroad Photography & Art holds a contest that attracts some of today’s finest and most creative photographers. Those who placed in this year’s program will have their photographs displayed at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden into 2024. The Museum’s goal is to showcase not only Colorado’s rich railroad history, but also the many creative people—around the world—who keep the spirit of railroading alive and well in the 21st century.
This exhibit of 16 visually engaging works (Judges Also Liked honorees are included along with the winners) is included with regular Museum admission, and located in the main hallway and staircase areas of the Museum Depot. It will continue through summer 2025.
For more information about the contest winners, their photographs visit the Center for Railroad Photography & Art online here.
Without Words
Now Open – Included with admission
Shining a spotlight on how railroaders have communicated over the years using sight, sound and code. Located in the Museum Depot’s Upper Gallery, the exhibit is aimed at engaging all ages, with kid-friendly content included. There’s also a video you can watch online to learn more!
Voltaw Scale Model Trains
Available Year-Round
Herbert W. Voltaw built a series of 1-inch scale locomotive and railroad car models in the 1940s, 50s and 60s using aluminum, steel bar, soft and hard woods, plastic, and glass. The Museum displays a number of these intricate works of art in this gallery.
Telegrapher’s Office
This diorama shows a typical telegraph office that could be found at a train depot in the early 20th century. It comes with a working “sounder” encouraging visitors to decode and send messages coming over the wire.
