Smoky Mountain Trains Museum Reviews

We were in town to ride the polar express and we stopped to check out the museum. This place is great. They have a large collection of trains, patterns and train garden. They offer a scavenger hunt that is very challenging. I was amazed at the size and detail of the train garden. They even had a drive in movie playing the movie The Polar Express. Great place. Must do if you are in the area.

Mostly for train buffs, but a nice display of running trains with over a mile of track. On the way from the train to the parking lot

The views were breathtaking! And we enjoyed being in an open car,however, the ride was a little long since we returned on the same route.

My husband thought this was one orthodox best RR museums he had seen. If you ride the train you get in for free.

We had a fantastic time looking at the displays. Free admission with your train package. Fun for everyone. Tim, the parking attendant was most helpful.

We knew our 5 yo boy would love it, but we all did! It's interactive! A true collectors dream. We will go back and spend more time when next in Bryson City.

The museum was wonderful. Trains of every kind, color and displayed beautifully. They have little villages set up everywhere.

I am a model train buff and really enjoy spending a couple of hours here whenever I have a chance.
We are frequent visitors to Bryson City and have visited the museum several times.

The train museum is located right beside of the Great Smoky Mountain Railway boarding area. Great selection of various model trains w/prices stated showing their value. Several various train layouts. Great for the kids (both old and young). Gift shop in the front portion of the museum.

Went on Labor day. They had a wonderful selection of things. Was able to do some of my Christmas shopping.

We have ridden this train twice - each direction - and have loved it each time. Our second time we paid for the meals, which was a big time saver. We were waited on hand and foot on the train. Those who did not eat on the train had to scramble to find a place to eat quickly during our short lay over.
Beautiful scenery, food is good, service is great... looking forward to riding again on one of the themed rides

This is well worth the visit (free entrance if you take the train ride). Wonderful working models and set-up.
many, many different models to view. Only for the true enthusiast.

enjoyed the train ride. our cabin person was very informative and comical. service was great, food was very good

You can go through and see this after your ride and view some old trains up close. Nice if you have small children.

My husband and I have visited the museum twice and have enjoyed the display and looking for all of the items on the "scavenger hunt" page. It is definitely worth the visit!

This was fun and parts were interactive where you could push the button and make things on the model move. It was enjoyable.

We stopped here after the train which was included in our first class train ticket. Love it - great collection and model railroad.

The impressive thing is the size of the layout, but it is in Lionel O gauge. That it is based on a 3 rail system then it loses authenticity/realism.

For a real enthusiast then there are a number of errors to pick out. Lack of consistency in terms of 1950s stuff and 1990s stuff together. Train signals which were constant and not related to train movement (train going the other way to a green signal). Lack of operational variation with just trains going around on the same loop time after time. No stopping at stations, just running. Lack of detailing and modifications (all locos and carriages were in out of the box condition). Some scale errors.

If you are a model railroader then it probably will leave you with a yeah OK and the huge number of Lionel models is what you would go to see. As a model railroad there are better.

We did this after the Smoky Mountain Train Ride. I just finished my review of the train, let me just say this was by far the high point of our day there. My only concern is that we didn't take a look at our model train before leaving so we could see how ours matches up. They have 2-3 giant model train set ups with a couple of trains running on each. The one also little interactive things for the kids (and the child at heart). Press a button and the crossing gate moves or the workmen build part of the track, probably about 20 of those. They were pretty neat to just hit and then try to find what moved. Overall it was pretty quick, maybe 20 minutes but definitely worth it if you like model trains at all.

Great museum for the model train novice. Brought back memories of my childhood. Heard a 8 to 10 year old speak with authority on what he was seeing. Good to know there are young people still interested.

Well not exactly a great view of the mountains. Followed the river most of trip. First class car was good but not excellent. Train crew very friendly. Museum was great for train buffs. Once and done trip

If you like to see a live train city, this is a must see! The attention to detail is very good.

If you have a ticket for the Smokey Mountain Railroad, the museum is free.

We so enjoyed this experience. The food was great right down to a nice warm Apple Cobbler with a dab of whip cream on top. I was the only one to taste any of the beers and it was a fun experience. Most exciting was walking up and seeing an actual Steam Train! Worth the experience, rinding through the mountains and out onto Fontana Lake Just amazing. It is sure worth it to take the time and experience it.

awesome trains and cars collection, the only thing i didn't see was military. Little trains on tracks inside the building moving around. Buttons to push for anyone to see things light up, like the brush fire on the side of the tracks. check it out!

We enjoyed the ride and views. The side closest to the depot has the best views, but you do change at the top of the line. No coolers are allowed, so purchase the box lunch. You will need to pick up from the food car and should plan to get it after leaving Nantahala. This will allow you to eat while changing directions and give you free time at the break at Nantahala.

Trains, trains and more trains! If you remember any as a kid, it's here. There have. Many on the wall in glass with prices and worth, wish I had kept mine. $$$$$. They have a Hugh display of running trains and a must see.

My family has been involved with the railroads and I have model railroad cars and buildings at home. The displays were great and fun to see.

The person who went on this trip with me loves trains all trains from the big ones to the model ones. So we didnt actually sadly have time to take a train ride but I had found the museum the day before and figured we could do it. Ive never seen someone so excited about getting to see a model train museum. They have two interactive ones and then one that is controlled by someone else that is huge and the detail on it is just impressive. The prices people pay for some of it is crazy but if you like trains its worth the trip. If you do the train ride admission to the museum is included, but if you dont have time for the train ride they have a $9 admission for people who just want to see the museum.

The conductor told us how this place came to be. A gentleman had over 7000 trains stored in his home. He and his wife decided to rent a space and have the trains displayed. They have so many different types. The display was made by a company in Virginia and then brought over to NC. They were able to display all 7000 trains but there's a huge amount shown. The couple ran this museum for about 6 years before selling it to the GSMR company.

It is free with Polar Express tickets, take you 10 minutes and it is great to visit while you wait to board your train, since it is next to the station, it is also next to a descent gift shop.

Really enjoyed the museum. Great displays of trains and cars. One track setup you are able to control the trains and turn on some of the buildings. The main track setup is constantly running and fun to watch. There is someone in the museum if you have any questions. Great for any train enthusiast.

Visited this museum after the train ride, there were lots of small trains to look at. It came with the cost of the train ride, so we walked through it.

My husband loves model trains so this was a great place for him. We just wish the grand kids had been with us.

The only reason I did not give this a five is simply being an experienced train nut and others had much better scenery...that being said I loved this I was truly excited about simply how long the train was it took us 8 minutes just to walk to out car so plan accordingly and each section has a conductor that is awesome for questions and conversation all around awesome day

This was awesome. You can get up close to the engines, and the turntable really works. They have a tour that actually takes you onto the turntable, and the individual hangers have some very old cars to see. If you are a train buff, this would be a must see.

Nice museum and nice store. Had stools for young children. Free with ticket on Great Smoky Mtn RR. Outside one can see the steam engine and get photo on caboose.

If we had paid the full admission price, I would have definitely felt cheated. However, as part of the train ride it was an interesting diversion. If you are a model train fan, there should be plenty to spark your interest. If not, it is cool but nothing I would actually pay to see.

Really great place. Fun for children, great for train enthusiasts. Lots of trains on displays, and train lay-outs, that adults and children and play with, and operate.

My wife and I took the 4 hour ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad during fall foliage and really enjoyed it. At the end of the trip we were routed through the Smoky Mountains Trains Museum(ticket included with the train ride). There is a really good display of Lionel train cars from several eras which I enjoyed because some were like ones I'd had on my own layout which my dad built over many months back in the mid-1950's. There is also a large layout with multiple trains running though it and model houses, factories, and mountains. I enjoyed seeing it but having been to The Choo-Choo Barn in Lancaster, PA and the granddaddy of all model train layouts at Roadside America in Shartlesville, PA, I found the one in Bryson City, NC quite average by comparison. They do have a nice gift shop and the staff was friendly as were all the folks in Bryson City. A nice ending to a good day in the Smoky Mountains but not an attraction I'd drive a long way to visit on its own.

We stopped here after our trip on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad. The display is huge and has so much detail including a working drive in movie screen. Another interactive display lets you push buttons to turn light on, activate a twister or railroad gate, trains etc. Great gift shop also.

I had seen reviews on TA and knew this would be a great stop for my husband. Those who could care less about trains, save your money. But if you enjoy model trains and appreciate a good layout, make the stop. There are buttons for kids big and small to push and make different parts of the layout move. I thought it was a little pricey ($9) for adults but if you ride the train it is free.

This museum is adjacent to the station for the Great Smoky Mountain RR, and a must-see for model railroad enthusiasts. It features an enormous collection of Lionel trains spanning the entire inside perimeter of the building, with more trains in display cabinets and on dividing walls. Don't miss the side room with vintage toy trains and accessories. The main attraction is a room-filling working layout running multiple trains on multiple levels, and featuring a working waterfall and mill with water wheel, even a drive-in movie! Free admission with a ticket for a GSMR train excursion; nice gift shop for GSMR and railroad souvenirs, too.

When you take the train ride a trip through the museum is included. I was expecting more historical displays to be shown. There were a few pictures but the vast majority of displays were model trains. The biggest problem with the museum was the fact that it closes shortly after the train returns to the station. The duration of the trips does vary, but the closing time of the museum does not. I would not pay for admission to the museum by itself, but as bnbpart of the ride it's worth it.

This place has a couple of big train tracks setup and a series of train replicas on shelves. You can spend a whole 5 min. walking from one end of the “museum” to the other. It might be interested to a train enthusiast but not for me. The good thing is that is free if you took the train ride.

Have been to many model railway shows in UK but this one takes some beating. Superb layouts and collection of locos, stock, vintage posters.

Lots of interactive tracks and great information for model train enthusiasts. There is also a kids track for the future train enthusiast. Admission is free with the train ride and of course you end up in the gift shop. 😁 nice ending to the train ride.

I had a HO scale train set as a kid and it was nostalgic to look at the collection. Many different scales and great working displays.

We will never go again. We were so disappointed this time. We took are Son and girlfriend along this time. Telling them how great this train ride is. (BOY WERE WE WRONG) We took the train ride in May 2019 and it was great. They explain every thing along the route to you. We even had mountain man Jim talking. This time oct 24 2019 all they did was play music and it was so borring. When we stop at the half way coming back, I asked the conductor why aren't they talking. (THE MANAGEMENT STOPPED THEM FROM TALKING) ALL THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO NOW IS PLAY MUSIC) boring,boring. sitting on a train for 4 hours looking at water and rocks. We will never take anyone us on the ride again. Every one on the train was complaining. (they did not care)

This is a train lovers museum extraordinaire! We walked through since the path from exiting the train ride directed us through. The final exit is a gift shop...

The train museum was very fun and part of the whole excursion, there were things for kids to do and things for adults to do in the model trains were fun to watch.

Trains, trains and more trains. My hubby was in heaven! So many trains from years gone by. What a way to end the day, after riding the train.

We loved our experience at the train museum. The collection of trains and the very large model was inspiring and impressive.

This is included with the train ride. They hand out a scavenger list so you can lol for particular elements. A large "toy" train circles miniature villages, towns, etc. Perfect for kids

When we finished the railroad ride we exited through the Railroad Museum. It contains several operating trains with extremely lifelike scenes with tunnels, railroad trestles and extremely detailed decorations. They also have practically every wall organized with a huge collection of railroad cars and engines most of which are antique. There is a large gift shop as you exit.

This is one of the largest and nicest displays of model trains that we have visited, though it is primarily "O" scale Lionel trains. There are a few larger G scale trains in the back room, but we didn't really see much representation of the small scales such as HO and N. The advantage to the O scale and larger layouts is that they are easy for visitors to see, and therefore enjoy. Entrance to the museum is free with your train ticket, so highly recommend all train passengers pop in here for a browse. Kids and model railroaders in particular seemed to enjoy it.

We just took our grandson here and it was simply amazing. He spent almost 2 hours in here just looking at everything.

There are a number of things to see in the museum, but it is dominated by one man's Lionel train collection. As a child of the 40s and 50s this was the holy grail of toys (next to the Red Ryder BB gun), and to see this immense collection of operating trains and accessories was a real thrill.

Participated in both routes on separate trips. Both included an approximate 90 day stop, one in Sylvia and other at Nanatula Adventure Center.

We are model railroaders ourselves and spend a lot of time and energy and the layouts (the scenery and buildings) and so were disappointed in this museum because that is clearly not a priority for them. If you are into seeing hundreds of Lionel engines, it might be your thing. It is free to enter if you take one of the train rides and so is probably worth the visit if it is free. The train rides are definitely worth it.

We stopped in after our train ride. Nice that the museum is included with the train ride tickets but agree with other comments that I wish it were open a little longer. The kids really enjoyed watching the active train displays, especially the ones they could push the buttons and the trains run. Enjoyed seeing the train displays too. It’s more of a model train display than a historical museum but has some older trains on display. It you’re into trains I would recommend this place.

My 3 year old son is obsessed with trains so this museum was a hit. The displays are very intricate and there is so much for children to see. Also, we enjoyed the gift shop attached to the train museum, as it had some unique things for us to purchase.

we went in the train museum after our train ride.. My husband
enjoyed it. It wasn't my thing, but it was a very nice display.

Very nice collection of trains, the layouts operating are very nice. Provided some nice entertainment for children and families waiting on the train.

After the train ride we went into the museum. It is free with your train ride. It has an excellent, well organized and clean display of train engines and cars. It is extensive. There are also train displays with running trains

This model train museum is the best train museum we have ever seen. Tons of model trains running in very detailed and elaborate displays. Well worth the time and money!

Nice place to see a layout. Do a scavenger hunt and see a lot of Lionel toy trains. There are old and newer models on display.

After riding the Smoky Mountain railroad you are funneled into the FREE Train Museum. My wife and I wanted to see it anyway. I think all would be happy going through the museum but those who are just not interested can walk out in one minute via the gift store. The train set up is marvelous. It runs the entire length of one stroe section. It is so long you can't see much from one length alone. You have to walk around to see all the moving trains and details. The amount of historic trains with short written comments will intrigue the train fanatic. While in town the museum should not be missed.

The ticket price here is now $9 per person, which is high given the fairly small size of the museum, but the exhibits are entertaining... especially the scavenger hunt of the large train display, which is quite impressive.

Your GSMR train ticket gets you in the museum for free, and it's well worth stopping in. Skip the touristy gift shop and head on back to the big model train setup in the rear. Three levels, many trains running at once; lots of fun. Ordinary folks can't afford model training any more, so it's especially fun to see a good modeling job like this.

If you are a train fan this is a great place for you. Some of the displays are interactive. A lot of antique trains. Great place for kids.

An added plus to first class on the train was it included the museum ticket also. I love trains so it was a joy to see them running and all different displays of individual cars. Take your time and look, this won't disappoint.

I found the museum to be very interesting. It displayed models of all areas and times. Some displays are interactive and the others were extremely well displayed open air and in glass cases. I recommend the museum to anyone especially model train enthusiast.

If you like trains and model train this is a great place. They have so many trains set up, lots of buttons to push and the staff is super

This is a must see if you love trains!! They have such a nice set up!! They paid attention to details!! Went around 3 times and I still think I missed things..

I am a model train guy with many years of experience collecting and running model trains and this is a great display of trains from several different eras. I highly recommend it.

This would be great for kids and/or people who were really into trains. We went through after we had a train ride...it was a quick walk-thru for us.

Went on the train tour and finished by walking the the museum, very charming. The model railroads that rode around the tables were very impressive. The miniature recreations of the people and houses were done very well. I'm not a train enthusiast, but I enjoyed going thru here

This was included with our Great Smoky Mountains Train ride. It is actually nicely done -- they've a LOT of trains covering a lot of years and brands. We were expecting to breeze right through on our way to the exit, but our 2 year old was intrigued by lots of the interactive exhibits. One has to like model trains a lot to like this place, but our kid likes trains a lot!

Very good display of model trains and the different styles used over the ages and admission was include in the Polar Express tickets -

Geez! I never saw as many model trains in all my life! Considerable collection, well displayed. The museum is adjacent to the Train Depot and admission included in the train ticket or $9 otherwise.

The train museum is very nice. It brings out the child in me wanting to crab the controls. They have a lot of interactive train sets for the kids. My grandson really enjoyed himself.

Entry is included with tickets to ride the train. We spent maybe 15 minutes in the museum, as my 6 year old pushed all the buttons to activate the first of two very large rail setups. The second one runs itself, and it’s fun to look at all the details. Not sure it’s worth $9 as a stand along attraction unless you are a big fan of model trains.

We received a ticket to the museum as part of the GSMR excursion. The museum is a large facility adjacent to the depot. There is a small gift shop at the entrance. There are an amazing number of train engines of almost every gauge displayed in the museum. There are a number of layouts with trains running. The museum is nicely done. We spent about an hour looking and taking pictures. It is well worth the time.

If you love model trains, you will really enjoy this museum. I have never seen such a large collection of model trains. Entrance was included as part of train ride on Great Smokey Mountain Railway. Would not have paid $9 admission fee. Caveat... gift shop is price!

Great model railroad museum with both rolling stock as well as cabinet displays. Includes all scales (N, HO, O and G). Lots of very old trains that I would think are very rare considering the condition that they’re in. And the best part, it’s free when you’re returning from your ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.

This model train museum was complementary with our GSMRR ticket. There are thousands of models on display. I enjoyed the push button exhibits which activated the trains on tracks. I am not a model train enthusiast, but still found the displays very intertaining.

We had a great time seeing all the Lionel and other model trains. Running models we're fun and very well done. Entry included with your train ride.

We enjoyed the model train exhibit very much. Great displays. The museum is adjacent to the entry/exit points for the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, so plan to visit before or after a ride on GSMR.

The collection of model trains is amazing, must be seen. Trains from very early years up to the present line the walls. Displays of operating trains are fun. Staff is friendly and informative.

Enjoyed our visit at the train Museum and Gift shop after our train ride! Lots of history and learned allot. Gift shop was really nice...

What an amazing arrangement of miniature working trains... enormous! This is ONE MAN's collection donated to the Smoky Mountain RR. .... with many details and other pieces to see as well. Buttons all around the arrangement allow children to manipulate action in the Railroad scenery. Don't miss this after your extraordinary train ride!!!

Even if you aren't an enormous train fan, you will enjoy this museum. It has one of the biggest setup that I have ever seen! Worth a little time for a lot of enjoyment!

This museum is pretty cool. They have some trains set up running inside and several Lionel train parts for sale.

My husband and I are probably two big kids. We found the train museum interesting. Not so sure if it will keep small kids entertained, but we enjoyed it.

I have already included some information on the review on Smokey Mountain Railroad! The museum is clean and all employees were very friendly! A definite must do if you ride the train since it is included! Scavenger hunt was fun and made you pay close attention! I think it would be great to give a prize related to the museum like a sticker since it takes time and those not riding the train have to pay admission! The display was interesting and detailed. I think including more history of the railroad and building of the railroad would be an excellent addition!

If you ever had a train set as a child or dreamed of having a complete village surrounded by various trains passing through the village and countryside, this is the place to visit. It is very kid friendly and the displays are awesome! There was even a drive-in with an old Western movie playing, along with the tiny speakers on each car!

If you love trains this place has it all. Would be great for kids. We enjoyed it greatly. The train layouts were wonderful it was fun watching the trains run.

This was a part of our train ride and we didn't think there would be much to it, but it is really a neat place. The model towns are amazing!

I didn't know what to expect at this museum. It had tons of model trains and what year they were produced. Anyone who had model trains as a kid would love this place. The best part was the train layout that took up a whole room. It had little towns, people, cars and trucks and even had different terrain. The trains were all different gauges and ran all through the display and through tunnels and little towns. It was so well done that anyone would need at least a half hour to see it all. This museum had a gift shop with all train related items that would be perfect for the trainiac in your life.

We all went prior to our train ride and it was very informative. The gift shop was better seen prior to the ride, too.

I have to say this was better than the train ride itself. When we picked up our train tickets, they gave us a ticket to get in free to the museum. It is a very neat little museum, the models are awesome to see. If you are into this sort of thing, you can spend a while in here looking at every little detail. There are even little buttons to push throughout, I enjoyed the museum better than the ride, see my review on the train ride.

Nice cool place to check out while waiting to board the train! Free if you ride the train!! Beautiful train models throughout the whole museum and little buttons you can press to activate different things in the models.

A lot of trains to see! If you are a train enthusiast, this is a must for you. It is free with your Great Smokey Mountain Train Ride - so interesting to see since you are that close by. Not sure it would be worth the admission price unless you really liked model trains.

Unbeknownst to us, admission to this train museum was included with our Polar Express tickets so that was a nice bonus. There are some VERY impressive displays and models in here even if trains aren't your thing. We were all impressed and definitely could have spent longer looking around.

After our train ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railway, we strolled through the museum. The displays of the trains were very cool to see. There were interactive areas as well. I think all ages were intrigued by the displays.

Our son celebrated his 6th birthday on the Polar Express. After our 5pm train ride we had a great time with the boys spending at least an hour amazed by the wonderful interactive train display. Very friendly and helpful staff that allowed the boys to ask questions and able to honor requests for select trains to run. Highly recommend that you make this part of your Polar Express experience as it is free if you have tickets for Polar Express.

Love walking around pushing all the buttons to see what they do. Lots of trains, some I have never saw before! Fun little thing to do before you get on the train!

This is one of the most comprehensive displays I have ever seen! It appeared to represent every US railroad.

The trains were running and the towns/decorations were great. Cute Drive in Movie scene. Other cute scenes too. Attention to detail so look close. Like feed sacks in pick up truck by store. We were told the trees were made by local high school students. Thought that was special. We really enjoyed after our train ride.

This museum is a great place for train lovers. The walls are covered with showcases filled with mostly
O-gauge trains and accessories. It's also interesting to see the estimated value of each piece, includedwith the display. I wondered how up-to-date the prices are. We did not do the scavenger hunt, but I believe we as adults would have enjoyed that as much as the kids. Admission is included with the train tickets.

We stopped in after our ride on the GSMR. We were blown away by how many model trains they had! The staff was incredibly knowledgeable. We had recently seen the UP Big Boy and wondered if they had a model of it so we asked the man working in the museum. He knew exactly where it was, walked us over to it, and then shared some interesting facts about it. You could tell he was a real "train guy".

My 5 year old daughter managed to knock a shelf loose on a display in the gift shop, sending a few ceramic items straight to the floor. Unfortunately, one item broke. I held the shelf and one of the ceramic items until an employee arrived to help. He was very kind and I apologized and offered to pay for the broken item. the gentleman told me it wasn't necessary. I started to continue browsing but turned around just as a women arrived to clean up the mess we made. I caught her taking badly about me and my daughter to another employee... so I AGAIN said "I'm sorry I'm happy to pay for it". She refused to turn and look at me and snapped "no it's fine". I knew it obviously wasnt fine because I SAW and HEARD how she talked about us. I decided it was time to leave, as I was now not only embarrassed at our accident, but angry at how rude this employee was. THe same nice gentleman was at the counter where I went to pay for a pair of shoes and I again insisted on paying for the broken ceramic item, he again refused saying it was ok and an accident. I'm thankful for the kind attitude of the gentleman, but unfortunately, your rude, red-head, female employee has made us feel awful. I've never been so embarrassed and angry as a customer in my life. We're local, from Cherokee, and I've always been raised to SHOP LOCAL and support local business. Shame on your employee for making a customer feel so small.

This museum was very interesting, all the trains running were realistic. Lots of interactives for both adults and kids.

Very nice place to visit child or adult especially if you love trains. They also have train models for sale.

This is a place for people who are really into trains or who are kids at heart (like me). I'm not interested in trains all that much, but I loved the two model train sets in the back. I could have looked at the biggest display all day long as it was full of surprises.

The Smoky Mountain Trains Museum is an average model train exhibit when stacked up with others. There are three sections of the museum: an interactive train area, a static train display area, and a large working train display. The interactive space is currently deactivated because of the pandemic. So this section is mainly just a miniature display with nothing moving. There is a whole room of various train models, along with train models in the other rooms. This probably won't be too interesting unless you are really into model trains. Most of the interest for these attractions, for me, is the moving exhibits. The one section that does have working trains is fairly large with several trains circling. The display has detail but lacks the intricate detail I have seen in other model train attractions. This is a nice attraction, but perhaps a little overpriced ($9) for what it delivers.

It was very enjoyable and relaxing we also had a good time with are Crown car host Alex B. he was a great attendent and kept us informed on the area through out the ride.

Lots of model railroad stuff. A couple of operating layouts with multiple trains operating at the same time. A great exhibition of various model railroads in display cases.

This is included with your Polar Express tickets! We heard someone say that when we were about to leave. They do not have signs that we have seen and did not realize this was the place that was incududed. We had a 5 and 6 years old that lost interest fast. The scavenger hunt was difficult as it is not alphabetized and it is REALLY had to see a lot of the things. More for teens or adults! Lots of neat items like a stock certificate in the Hasbro Train (if I remember). plus the train companies and each of the trains they built. The entire floor is built with the train display. Very neat!

Great for train enthusiasists! Amazing array of trains and train cars. Definitely a must for those who love trains!

If you are a train buff this is a decent place to visit. If not don't bother! all in all it is a decent train nut place to visit!

What a pleasant surprise. Free with Polar Express ticket. Will take about 10 minutes but it was awesome to see all the trains displayed. They have hundreds of trains in cases with descriptions of year built and collectors pricing. Three large rooms full and a few large tracks set up with trains going. Make sure you speak to the historian on site.

Our 4 YO LOVED this museum, he would have stayed in there all day watching the model trains run! If your kiddos love trains then this is a must see, entrance is free with your train ticket.

One of the largest and most detailed model railroad setups I have ever seen, right at the train depot. Good gift shop and a neat town to wander around in.

We had no idea what to expect when we entered the museum. There are floor to ceiling walls covered with train models of varying sizes small to very large. There is a huge display with tunnels, mountains and towns with multiple trains running along the tracks. Kids of any age would like the museum.

Went with family to the Polar Express in Bryce City. Was a weekend trip. Quaint little town. Very friendly people. Lots of gift shops . The only thing was it would have been nice to have a family Resturaunt close by. Lots of sandwiches shops. Stayed in a very cozy cabin with wood burning fireplace & they even furnished the wood.

If you like trains this is a must see, clean. Nice and friendly tons of working trains encased in glass, it was cool also had a gift shop.

Scavenger hunt was awesome at the train museum! Adults were just as excited as the kids!! Great train displays. Give yourself a couple hours for this outing to really be able to enjoy it!!

The museum is such fun and it's amazing to see the model train exhibit! Definitely check out the museum!

Very cool especially for my 4 year old son. Trains every where. Nice display. All three kids could have watched the big display for a long time.

We really enjoyed this breath takingly beautiful train ride...we rode the nantahala gorge-steam first class - harper ... it lasted about 5 hours total, there and back, with an hour lay over at nanatahala activity center......the train staff were kind friendly and funny especially the story teller though he never got around to telling us any stories mainly spoke with individuals at their tables and spent very little time in our car...the waiter was delightful helpful and really fun...the food was 5 star.. we had the scrimp and grits and oh my it was to die for...sorry the quantity didn't match the quality ....the cab decor was really nice and clean as well... the day of our trip it was cold rainy day and the heat in cabin harper was NOT functioning at all ...I suggest that if you ride in the harper cabin you dressed in warm layers like we did......we walked through the other cabins and they were warm and toasty just not the harper cabin... each cabin was decorated differently and really nice....all the first class cabins are decorated with dinning table & chairs... in the harper cabin the chairs are hard back with good padding on the back but little to no padding on the wooden bottom making them really uncomfortable ......the longer you sit on those hard bottom wooden chairs the more uncomfortable they get.... my legs went to sleep so i suggest if you are ridding in the harper cabin that you bring good thick cushions to put in the bottom of your chairs for added comfort.... we did check out other 1st class cabins and the seating in those were what you would expect in a first class coach, so I can't understand why the harper cabin doesn't carry the same first class high standard even coach was more comfortable and padded than the harper 1st class cabin with a significant price difference ......we especially enjoying 3 girls in kayaks doing flips in the water at nantahala gorge...it was worth the trip and the price just to watch these 3 amazing talented girls ...they really made our trip ..thank you 3 girls for the privilege of watching and enjoying you.... you are fantastic...I assume you are on an Olympic team...if not you should be.....other than the seating discomfort the ride was enjoyable ... would highly recommend this trip

This is a great place to see after you finish riding the train, I loved the miniature train city and details.

Visiting this museum is part of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad experience. You will not want to spend hours in the museum, but it is worth the time, especially if you have children with you. Cost of the train ride includes the cost of the museum.

Great exhibit, especially for train lovers. Would recommend this to kill time while waiting on your train ride!!

When we were done with the train ride we came over to the museum. Awesome. Couldn't stop looking and staring at all the amazing displays. Just a little bit of heaven on earth.

Grandson & I went through museum after steam train ride, admission was included with ride. We have been to several very good train museums, but this one had the largest display by far. There are 2 big miniature scene setups and couple of smaller ones. One of them is interactive, can go around entire display pushing buttons to activate various parts. It was fairly crowded, but that was due in part to all of the people (including us) who had just disembarked from the train. The attached gift shop is nice, but still the typical gift shop. Would recommend a visit by train fans.

we rode the train down the Nantahala river to to see the leaf changes and back, stopped at the outdoor center. then through the museum. very interesting as they set up the different city scenes and trains.

Museum has moving trains that are fun to watch. But overall seemed dated and not much else to see but rooms full of train cars of all sizes and shapes and prices.

Purchased a wooden train Christmas ornament in the shop.

This is a neat place if you love trains. There are several layouts and lots of old trains to look at. For the kids, there are layouts with pushbuttons to make things work. The folks there are friendly.

An interesting place to visit either before or after the train ride. Walls lined with model trains and several miniature landscapes to view.

The staff was very kind. We brought our 4 year old and enjoyed our tour through the museum and the two gift shops (and I enjoyed the attached coffee shop). The collection of trains, tracks, and displays was extensive and impressive.

The giant working train models were very interesting to our son but also to us. He loved pushing the buttons to make the trains go and running around to push the next button to make things light up or make train whistles sound, etc. They had a kid's train table in the gift shop and in the museum portion for kids to play with.

This would be great if you're in Bryson City with little ones, especially when it's rainy or bad weather. We probably spent 90 minutes here, which is decent for an energetic 4 year old.

Do not miss the Smoky Mountain Trains Museum. This is a must see! This is the largest collection of model mechanical and electric trains we have ever seen. This will bring back memories of your childhood

Loved walking into this after the train ride! It is magical!! Could've stayed longer but there were a ton of kids and not enough parents.

If you book a ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad you get free tickets to tour the museum. Great miniature trains for kids to look at, great gift shop, very helpful empoyee's.

What a cool place, plenty to see and an awesome collection of trains and such. What an incredible display they have at the back of the museum too; it will blow your mind. Whoever put this together did an amazing job at making it look like a real town.

This museum must have EVERY model railroad car ever made...!! I mean they have them everywhere ! But the neatest part of the museum to me was the model railroad trains running on tracks with landscapes, cars, tunnels, drive-in theater, waterfalls, etc., etc., etc.. !! Very cool...!!

My grandson loves visiting this place. If we could afford it, we would visit weekly. There should be an annual pass available for those who want to visit more than once.

fantastic display of multiple model trains running, and the other cars n engines along all the walls

This was included in our train tickets and it was setup so nice. Kinda wished the whole family was with but this was for our anniversary so my husband and I spent quite a bit of time looking around. Glad we took the time.

You could stay there for hours looking at all of the models. Probably 400 square feet of working models on hundreds of feet of track, plus a huge static display. Save time for all of the goodies in the story.

Very good museum. It is free with a train ticket.. Has 2 displays of running model trains and more models around the wall than I have ever seen before in one place..

We came down to ride the train for my sons birthday in November. We've been here once before and remembered that we got in free to the museum if we had tickets for the train so we stopped in. There was so much to really see that we went two days. Both kids loved the scavenger hunt and it was a great way to get kids who aren't in love with trains to not blow through the museum. The staff in the connecting store who let us in, was very nice and helpful.

The huge train setup took me back to my younger days. The ones on display made we long for my old train set.

My kids and I are not into trains so much. But this was very interesting to see, even if you don't like trains. Also, you have to do the scavenge hunt, it made us work and have fun together as a family. So if you are ever in Bryson City this is a must see.

Nice assortment. Definitely for model railroading enthusiasts. Good explanation/samples of scaling. Amazing replica town complete with multiple railroads and trains. Definitely recommend combining with a rail trip to avoid paying the separate entry fee.

I loved taking my time walking through this museum. The model trains and train layouts are amazing. They have an incredible collection with some really interesting Railroad history interspersed. It's a must see if you are in Bryson City!

The attendant lady was very friendly. I asked what was the oldest one and she knew and told me which room it was in. There are large working and running miniature theme displays which look like they took a long time to build. Much bigger inside than expected.

Pretty cool train setups and lots of interesting antique trains. The people working the souvenir shop there greeted us upon entering that "we close in an hour", and "he" might close sooner (I assume the guy running the train museum). Tried to look around the souvenir shop after we left the train museum part and the lady out there kept telling us "We are closing soon". So we just left.

After the train ride, we entered the combination museum and gift shop. It has several working toy trains, elaborately set up and fascinating to watch. The collection is quite large and the museum entrance is free for those who rode the train.

I walked into the museum and was immediately mesmerized at what I saw. The walls were literally lined with trains of all types from early steam to some of the latest diesel. Plus all the rolling stock that goes with it. Each piece is listed as to what it is, a little description, year it was built and a price. In the middle of the room is a working layout with great detail from a scratch built, curved trestle, towns and industries and even a working drive-in theater. It was showing a western. Got a chance to speak with the operator and he said this was a private collection if I'm not mistaken. The train ride was nice but this was the highlight of my trip.

We had an amazing time in the train museum. Mike, who has been working with the model railroad for over 50 years was a wealth of history and knowledge. Thanks for inspiring me to finally start model railroading. I’d visit you again but I’ve spent all our money on trains!

The Museum was a fantastic conclusion to a fun train ride. As a kid, Lionel Trains were a huge part of my life courtesy of my Dad, and it was great to see such a complete collection of Lionel engines, cars and accessories.

More model trains than you can count are on display. The model train set up is very nicely done and very impressive. The kids will love it and the place is set up to let them roam free to a degree. The gift shop is nice and has something for any age.

Excellent train museum . They have several train layouts and a couple the kids can operate. Lots of trains lining the walls to view opens to the gift shop.

If you’re into Lionel trains, you must check out their train collection.
They have a lot and they are all displayed on sections of track, all in cases.
Each one shows when the actual train car was put into service and when it was retired from service.
They also list the value of the particular model train on display.

The trains in this place are amazing. It was a lot of fun to watch them run. The man running them was fun to talk to as well.

This was neat to see. There is so much detail in the little village. It’s amazing to see the work that was put into this

We visited after a ride on the Great Smoky Mtn Railway with our 7 yr old grandson. There are tons of trains with little towns and you can interact by controlling several of them.

We did not go into the museum, but rather stopped by for some souvenirs. Great for train and area type gifts. I believe the managers name was Kevin, and he was over the top helpful and friendly. Great stop in a great little town.

There are two nice train setups to interact with and watch. There is also a great display of trains, well-organized by date and style as well as a good-sized shop with a variety of good to select from

If the great smoky mountain railroad train trip was the cake ,then the train museum is definitely the icing. Don't go in this place unless you are ready to be transported back to your childhood love of trains . This place is amazing , just the thought of the complexity of the layouts in it's self is a testimony to the love that these train enthusiasts went to ,so people like me will stand there hours watching this amazing sight. They had little sections where we "kids" can mash buttons and watch swings move, logs unload, and some trains to move and there is the fellow at the controls who wants you to ask him questions about the layout an can answer all your questions. The have the different scaled tracks and the trains and if your pockets are big enough you can call them yours. I had to settle for photos. The store also has great stuff as well.

The place is filled with model trains the work was neatly done and walking in the gift shop and looking at the trains was heaven love Andy highly reccomend it!

Great museum, the kids loved it and there's a lot to see. Our admission was free with our train tickets. Grown ups can have a lot of fun here too.
The gift shop is excellent and has unique gifts for all train lovers.

Fun place to visit if you have any interest in trains! Great exhibits!! If you ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, admission is included in the price!

This is huge! More model trains than I can count rolling thru the huge set up in the middle, and even more on every wall. First class set up, and free with your Smokie Mountain Train tickets. Quite a collection.

We completed the wine tasting trip on Saturday evening. Lois, Marion and Rodney were perfect hosts for the 4.5 hour train trip. 5 wines to taste, correct serving size of salmon and roast beef, mashed potatoes and mashed carrots. Dessert wine excellent, dessert of canna cotta with blackberry sauce. Perfect weather, perfect evening 4 thumbs up from our family. Visit the model railroad museum included in train ride price and do the scavenger hunt.

We decided to take a ride on the Smokey Mountain Train. It wasn't what we had anticipated. We have visited this area a few times and wanted to try something different. It would have been good for those who have not visited this area before. We basically have seen 95% of what we seen on the train ride from what we have seen by our vehicle.
The staff on and off the train were very informative, nice and entertaining. The Train Museum was quite nice.

Very interesting collection. I was too tired after the train trip to spend the amount of time needed to get the most out of it. I was told that they would allow Me to visit the next day if I wanted. So plan for two days if you ride the train. The museum is included in the price of the train ride.

We went with out two girls (7 and 9). We got free tickets with our train ride. They thought it was neat - we stayed about 20 minutes. I wouldn't pay separately to go in but if you are going on the train ride and get the free tickets it is definitely a fun stop.

Incredible active train displays, an amazing array of cars, both modern and classic..... Definitely something to behold!!

We really enjoyed the train museum, the boys loved doing the game of hunting for the items on the list to find inside the museum. I was surprised to see all the variety of trains there. Worth the money, $6.00 each.

It was a nice stop through after our ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Free with a train ticket, otherwise there is a fee to get in. Quite a bit to see but still didn't take much time to go through. I especially enjoyed the miniature model with the working tornado. I know it isn't easy to clean, but the whole place just felt dusty.

This museum features an extensive collection of mostly Lionel trains. The display cases are ordered by rail lines and show models that were used on a particular service. The working display features multiple tracks with trains running through tunnels, up a mountain and through town-all made to resemble the local area (right down to the mudslide on the mountain!). The price of admission is included with your train ticket and there is time before boarding and after the train returns to tour here. A very FUN exhibit that brings out the little kid in all of us!

one of the best model railroad exhibits I have ever visited. Could have been better with more narration about the various exhibits

We walked through after getting off of the Polar Express. The museum is very cool and has a lot of trains on display and several different models set up. This is a must if you are interested in trains or model trains!

Visited after existing the train ride. Could have spent hours inside. They have a massive working model train display with lots of detail and several smaller sets too. Plenty of models to look at from all years of manufacturer. Definitely worth the visit. Plan to spend at a minimum of 30 minutes here if your are traveling fast. There is so much to see! Great for all ages.

Wonderful little train museum. Great models and the displays so fun and creative. Could've spent more time looking at all the details!

The museum is located inside the gift shop and has no cost. However, donations are appreciated. Lots of different trains to see and the two displays are interactive for all. Your inner child comes out watching the different locomotives move through the displays tunnels, trestles and stations. Take a few moments before or after riding the train to see the museum.

We toured the museum upon exiting our train excursion. It was nicely done and would have been highly entertaining some years ago when our son was younger and enthused about trains. We would not have paid to tour this museum but appreciated it being part of our train excusrion.

Stopped in after our train ride, the cost of admission was included in the train ride ticket. An amazing model train layout - was not expecting this at all. All ages will enjoy seeing this.

Great shop and the museum is a real delight. Model trains from all eras and quite a few running the layout. Air conditioned, free if you ride the train.

This is a small museum. Admission was included in the train ticket. The museum reminded me of my grandfather!

This place is phenomenal! They have the largest collection of primarily O Gauge model trains I’ve ever seen. There are a few Standard Gauge and American Flyers thrown in for good measure. The working layout is also the largest I’ve ever seen.

Everyone can appreciate the display for a short time, but if you are a train buff you will want to allow a few hours to look at everything.

Very Family Friendly. Price is fair. Staff is great. Place is clean. Take a walk through time it is great.

….don't know if I would pay $9 for entrance by itself. great place for model train enthusiasts. Lots of active sets and displays of pieces. there was a little bit of info and about actual trains. which there had been more of that.

The museum staff was informative and the museum was free with the railroad train ride. One of the largest working train displays I have ever seen, cool.

The largest collection of trains I've ever seen. 2 large interactive set-ups plus many more displays. Entrance free with a train trip.

I went into the Smoky Mountains Trains Museum which was included free with the Smoky Mountains Railroad train ride I took and I was inspired. The model train layouts were pristine and beautiful and there was a lot of interactive exhibits. It seems like they had every model train ever made but the collection was impressive nonetheless. There's also a gift shop attached to the museum so it was a very cool experience to say the least.

this is so intersting you just look and look and still see something new every time you turn your head

Great museum for train lovers of all ages and most of the cars on display are for sale. A very large working train set takes up most of the middles of the building and is fascinating to watch. Model cars from most US railroads from steam to electric line the walls. There are also smaller train set ups with buttons to push for children to make gates go up and down or trains to move. Fun for all ages.

Our family of 7 really enjoyed this train museum. The scavenger hunt really brought us together as a family and produced many giggles and fun memories. I highly recommend this museum.

My husband is a train enthusiast, he was in total awe as we walked around the museum. He pushed every button, watched every train and enjoyed every whistle and horn. Definitely worth time.

If you love model trains then this is the place to go.. They have a wide variety of toy trains on display. My kids loved it. If your in Bryson City swing by and check this out.. Awesome

If you want to see miniature trains this is the place to come. The trains here are well done along with the landscaping. There are also smaller setups of train towns and trains along the walls. If you get a bag from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad you will get free admission to the museum.

We saw the museum as part of our ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The museum has a lot of model trains on display as well as several working train village displays with working features and trains. Really cool for kids and anyone who loves trains.

If you love Lionel Trains, you will love this place. Tour is self guided and due to Covid not all the train sets were operational. Admission was included as part of Smokey Mount Train ride. It brought back memories of when I was a kid. My friend has Lionel Trains and always got a new train car for Christmas. I enjoyed being invited to his home to play with the trains. He had a smoking steam locomotive and many cars that carried logs and loaded cattle into the cattle car. What memories! I was astounded at the price some of the trains cost today remembering that they are antiques..

My 6 year old loved pressing every button on the model trains. We bought a puzzle of one of the trains, and had to run back to the hotel to start right away!

There was no charge as this was included in the price for the train ride. I was amazed at the number of train models and the tracks that they had. Very impressive. I noticed they also had areas for the children to play and interactive buttons. It was fun watching the children.

There are other train museums that out due this one but this one has some pride to it that makes it worth seeing. Its fun with some interactive things for kids. Its worth the look when you have the time.

Just to be transparent - we had tickets for the Freedom Train, so the Train Museum was free. My 11-year old son and my husband zipped through this museum in less than 30 minutes. They stated that it was "cool" and "interesting". Not really worth the $9 ticket price for non-train riders, but worth the time if you are a ticket holder waiting for the train.

We are Lionel train enthusiasts and so enjoyed the collection of trains as well as the hugh layout in this museum. We enjoyed searching for the cars that we own as well as seeing all the many train cars. So glad we were able to visit this museum as an extra special part of our GSMR package.

My 3-year old son loves trains. This was a perfect way to spend the morning before our ride on the "Polar Express." They have quite an impressive display of trains with a few being interactive for kids and adults. They have a scavenger hunt for you and the kids to do (although hunt is probably best for age 5 and older). My husband and I did the scavenger hunt while our son played on the train table. The scavenger hunt really helped you appreciate all of the detail and creativity that went into the display. Friendly staff and reasonably priced toys/gifts available.

The museum is a nice perk if you happen to take a ride on the Smokey Mountain RR. We happened to wander in about half an hour before our departure. We only stayed about twenty minutes for fear of not getting to our seats, but we could have walked around in here for an hour. At least if you are a model train lover you could. Highly recommend.

Visit train musuem before the train trip and to be honest it was my favorite part of the whole trip. So much detail to all the exhibits. Really enjoyed looking at all the model trains. It's free if you buy train tickets. Don't miss this.

Nice way to end the night after riding the train. Definitely worth taking a few minutes to check out the mode train set in the back. The big one is fabulous. I could look at it for hours.

Main feature is the model train setup that will keep you entertained for however long you like to stand and watch all the trains make their way along their rails. Many types of model railroad cars to exam and give special attention. A full shop of railroad stuff is available for purchase.

Tripadvisor reviews go from "Average" to "Very good" but if I could, I'd rank this attraction just as "Good." I think the name is a little misleading. The name should say something about model trains because this is a museum of model trains, not about the local railroad. Admission came with our Great Smoky Mountain Railroad ride ticket so we stopped in before our train ride on a Saturday morning. It's fun to see the trains and push some of the buttons for some interactivity, but you probably only need to spend 30 minutes or so here. There is a gift shop as well.

Definitely a must when visiting. We took the railroad, which we loved, and then looked at the museum and store.

I have never been on a train before so this was the best thing to do we did the open air cart it was kinda cold but I put on a hoodie and was fine with that. Its a must do

An excellent collection of model trains, with some running exhibits. Some historical information but not as much as expected. Worth a few minutes of your time before or after riding the GSMR but would not go out of my way to re-visit just the museum.

The museum is included in the price of your train ride so check it out if you ride the train but do this before the ride or you will be too tired afterward!

This museum was much more than we expected. Two rooms with models set up with really neat settings....such as, an outdoor movie theater, and a policeman with lights on stopping a vehicle. Children and adults both enjoyed the interactive buttons to push that make certain trains go and lights and sounds come on. We would recommend.

After riding the train this was a great museum to look at and see all the trains and cars from alot of rail lines. The scavenger hunt in the back room was by far fun and interesting as it makes you really enjoy the models and area. The staff are friendly as well.

This is a really nice model train museum. Hundreds of train cars and locomotives. They have a huge running realistic setup where you can see several trains running through little towns, tunnels and bridges. A child’s dream come true. They also have a great gift shop. The Museum is free with your ticket for the Great Smoky Mountain RailRoad.

Stopped in after riding the GSMR what a interesting way to cap off the day by seeing all the train exhibits and model train layouts

Small town museum in the middle of Bryson City conveniently located next to the Smoky Mountain Railroad. Lots of souvenirs and interesting facts. Employees are nice and friendly.

People are very friendly, and extremely helpful. They love what they do.... always nice to take a souvenir for yourself or a loved one. We just had the best time!!!!

Went after after the train trip, perhaps not in the right mood, our grandsons would have loved it and you have to admire the hours of work that must have gone into setting it up

If you ride the train, the entrance to the museum is free. Be sure you spend time in the museum, either before or after the train ride. It's good for all ages. Very interesting. Lots to see. Don't miss it.

Went there after a great trip on the Smokey Mountain Railroad ( admission free with ticket). I enjoyed it, especially the large miniature display. But you could see all the men's eyes light up as they walked in.. lol. Must stir a lot of childhood memories for them. There were walls packed with trains. I would recommend it to all.

If you ride the railroad, you can tour for free. We spent about 45 minutes admiring the train collection as well as doing the scavenger hunt on the big layout. Not just for train buffs

You need to be a train enthusiast to appreciate all the wonderful displays! Could have spent hours in there! Some of the hands on unavailable due to COVID. Loved the different trains running on the display!! Out ticket was included with the GDMR ride ! Go see it!!

The super detailed displays are amazing. Hundreds of hours of two men's time to complete but it is worth the price of admission to see!

Never saw a better display than this of scaled model trains. It is a must see in Bryson City. Relived some of my past seeing rail cars that I have not seen in decades.

This is a great museum for Lionel trains. It is a simply amazing collection of Lionel train cars. And they have a train layout that is fabulous. If you love model trains, you cannot miss seeing this place.

displays are breathtaking and they have every kind of train imaginable there and a very good sized gift shop!

We visited as part of our ride on the railroad and we are glad that we did. They have an amazing collection of trains. Lots of nostalgia and really well displayed.

We purchased a Great Smoky Mt railroad ticket and received admission to the train museum. It was interesting although it was a miniature train setup with elaborate displays. We had thought it would be more info a actual trains. We did enjoy the displays.

We visited this museum before our adventure onboard the GSMR & we loved it! We wanted to go back as soon as we got off the train tour.

The museum was free since we rode the train. They have a ton of models showing the history of railroad cars. We’re just not that into it, but it was neat.

We enjoyed looking at the trains museum after our Polar Express experience. It is a must see if you are in the area.

I'm not sure what it costs to purchase tickets to the museum, but it's included with your Great Smoky Mountain Railroad ticket and is a fascinating place.

It was neat seeing all the trains and displays. The children enjoyed watching them. Stopped in while waiting to board the Polar Express.

Very nice, huge collection, amazing miniature village. Staff was very pleasant and informative. Make sure you have a little extra time, it's well worth it.

This might be of interest if your hobby is electric model trains. I expected more on the history of train travel. There seemed to be quite a few trains for sale. Children will like the displays that are interactive.

Being in our 70's and still enjoying Nature we decided to take a mountain excursion.
Like most men I usually do all the driving and really can't take in the things around me. Loving the lakes, mountain streams and mountains the train ride would encompass everything that I never usually see.
My wife and I took the Nantahala train and chose the first class package. Not that much difference in cost for the first class ride.
You get personalized service plus extra perks==Banjo entertainment, mountain story teller and wait staff that attends
to all your needs.
Lunch comes with the package and I had the BBQ plate.
Would rate it fair-good. Meat tasted a little old.
Very enjoyable and would do it again.

My husband and I had a wonderful time at the museum and I thoroughly enjoyed the 35 item scavenger hunt which was not easy! We enjoyed speaking with Michael and learning all about the trains on display and the room-size model that he and another gentlemen created a lot from scratch. Truly inspiring and perfect for the kid still within all adults!

Fun to see the trains and the detail in the exhibits - kids will love it! It comes with your train trip or you can pay just to enter on your own without taking a train ride.

Hadn't planned on touring this little museum, but since it was free with my Ploar Express train ride I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised. It's a low budget little local place, but has a really comprehensive collection of trains. I enjoyed the main display in the center and found the surrounding displays interesting. A little more historical notes or more detailed explanations of the trains on display would be a nice touch, but overall I thought it was a good way to spend an hour and my grandaughter really liked it. If you're a train buff this place is a dream, and if not you might become one!

You can walk through the train museum before and after your train ride. There are lots of displays for train enthusiasts and just a tourist along for a train ride. It was interesting, so you can make it as short or as long a look as you want. It was a good way to end a day devoted to the train trip and a fun time.

We were riding the train and had some time to kill so we visited the museum.

Disclaimer: I am far from a train enthusiast.

Our children were offered a scavenger hunt and we worked HARD on that thing. We were unable to compete it before boarding time and were told we could come back after the train ride. AS SOON AS the ride was iced our kids asked if we could go back!

It was a challenging scavenger hunt but we finished! My 6 year old was especially proud to have found the tiny little squirrel 😉. The man operating the display was very interesting and the display itself was intricately phenomenal!

Great museum and shop for souvenirs. They have a lot of older scale trains and large scale trains. They have an awesome train layout which is the high point I think.

We went through the museum as part of our Polar Express train ride. The museum is quaint and has interactive models that can be viewed through a display case. There were also a couple of children's interactive tables with train tracks. My grandchildren enjoyed it. It would be nice visit for anyone who loves trains.

And the reason this is not billed as the toy train museum? Be advised. And beware of the attack of the gift shop before you even get in.

We took our son's family and the grandkids to see the train museum. They were so excited. The staff was really nice, obviously lots of dealing with youngsters. The adults also had fun looking at all the exhibits. It made for a fun activity we could all do together.

I am not a avid model train person, but this place was very interesting. Now I really didn't closely look at all the trains thru the years around the walls. But I was amazed at the HUGE model train display in the middle of the room. Seeing the different trains going in each direction and on each level was something neat to look at. Be sure to see yourself on the monitor from the train with the camera on it. And also notice all the detail made of the towns the forest and country side. on the display table.

When you purchase a train ticket, you receive complimentary entry into the museum. At the conclusion of your train ride and as you exit the train, you are given information about and guided to the entryway of the museum.

The first and main exhibition is a scale model of an NC “train town”. As you walk around the perimeter of this model, there are several informational sheets about the particular section you are viewing. I found them to be very interesting. All along the outer perimeter walls of the museum are displays of partial train sets and or pieces. There are several interactive displays for young and old alike.

The museum exits into one of the gift shops. My husband and I collect pressed pennies from the places we travel to. We were able to obtain 2 pressed pennies, one for the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, and one for Bryson City.

I highly recommend visiting it since if you already paid for it.

This is probably the best train museum I’ve seen. All Lionel trains. Some of the oldest trains ever assembled. Great displays.

This is a small museum with lots of historic information and really cool model trains.
The entrance fee seems a little steep for the small self guided museum. We did expect a larger venue, this museum is located in the back of a gift store, but the intricate model trains were very interesting.

Our son, age 7, loves toy/model trains. He was completely enthralled with the exhibits. We completed the scavenger hunt activity, which helped us slow down and enjoy looking at all the unique finds in the exhibit. Admission was included in the Polar Express train ticket (otherwise is $9).

If you enjoy trains do not miss this museum. Great layouts. Fun for all ages. Trains for sale. Wander at own time frame. Free admission if train ride is taken

Guess I'm too old but have seen plenty of this kind of display thru time. Am sure much effort was put into the display.

We were able to spend time walking around while waiting for our train ride. Very nice displays. A lot of work and a lot of collectible pieces. Some interactive (push button and things move) for children but mostly for those that really enjoy looking at the history of trains and seeing all the different ones.

My adult daughter and I spent a good 30 minutes doing the scavenger hunt on a big train display. Hundreds of train models on display. Honestly, unless you road the train, I wouldn't waste money to go there. But because we rode the GSMR, admission is free. Would be great for kids.

For 9 dollars, you can enter and see all the trains and history you would like there. It's a decent small museum and the staff is friendly and informative

Enjoyed the museum and the train displays. Must have taken thousands of hours to erect village and scenes and lay the track. Had that WOW factor for Kids and Adults!

My Christmas Train was in the museum
I was So excited love trains. I love the large lay out of trains and the history's
Kids as well adults will be fascinated

Maybe good if you are a train buff. Not really exciting, at least to me. Entrance was included in our train ride package. Lots of Little model train cars to see if that interests you.

Great museum with loads of train cars and related items under glass but the dioramas were great! Detailed, interactive buttons to turn on items in the dioramas were cool; drive-in, waterfalls, train engine turn-around replica and more! Scavenger hunt sheets for the kids too! Museum is part of gift shop so everyone has activities. We arrived early enough to get our train tickets, then visited the museum and gift shop before the train ride. Also had time to visit other nearby shops.

Ticket was included in our train ride. A lot of neat history to see and the trains setup to see was pretty cool. We enjoyed looking at all of the trains moving around in the displays.

Several layouts and tons of stock Worth a visit if you love model trains. Stop in and visit after your trip on the GSMR

We don’t have kids but needed something to do. We visited the train museum and enjoyed our time at the museum.
Lots of model trains under lock and key- which I can understand because the prices of some of the trains were very high.
We liked seeing the model trains moving around. The people are very talented.
Would have liked to have learned more about trains through pictures or more hands on experiences.
Overall, a good time and well worth the money.

This museum was included in the price of our GSMRR ride. It was very well done. The displays were over the top. The layou was excellent and vert realistic. The individual button pushed operating accessories were great. Recommend any Lionel model railroader visit this museum.

We enjoyed viewing the train sets and pressing the buttons for the interactive displays. Each train display is elaberate. They even have a wooden train set for the toddler to play with. Benches available for tired travels.

It was cool, had a huge working train display set up. and several interactive train setups. plus model train displays set up

Great museum. Fantastic pieces. More than I have ever seen in one place before. Lots of antique trains and cars. Great layout, great displays.

One of the best model train exhibitions anywhere. We spent over an hour exploring the various cases. The rolling stock exhibit was awesome.

The models set up were great to watch. There were so many trains on display. This would be a train enthusiasts dream. You get a free pass to go thru if you ride the GSMR train. The whole thing was fun.

The museum is nice and clean with loads of trains! I love the display of running trains in the center with the man talking with everyone. Very cool. Loved it.

Amazing model train display. If not for covid would have been nice to spent more time in there but moved through on the quick side so others could could visit it.

If you like model trains and train memorabilia this is the place to visit! Model train village is one of the largest I've seen!

Really great model train museum.the layouts are amazing as are all the different displays.the museum was much more than I expected.I would definitely recommend it to any train enthusiast.

very complete collection of trains of the past ,good education experience for a younger generation of things of the fathers and grandfathers time of how this country was dependent on the rail system

We had a 2 and a 6 year old with us to do the Polar Express, weather turned very cold and this was a great activity for adults to do scavenger hunt and kids to play with model trains and out of the cold and hotel. interactive train models were phoenominal

If you love model trains this is the museum for you. Huge multi-train display plus some smaller ones. Lots of engines and cars on display.

While there is not an overwhelming display of working trains, there is a large and beautiful display. There were a lot of different trains on different tracks. While I enjoyed watching them, taking a close look at the different pieces added so much to the experience. From the fire department tending a brush fire to the police stopping a vehicle to the drive in theater...the more I looked the more I saw. I ended up spending more time than planned. There is a amazing display of many different trains behind glas to protect them.
And! Admission is free if you ride the train

An amazing place to see a HUGE collection of model trains. It is a self guided tour and you can even control a few of the scenes. My grandson was as wide eyed as I was!

This was part of the package for our train ride on the Nantahala Excursion. What a collection! I think anyone that ever played with trains as a kid would love this place…remember back before they had ipads, cellphones and computers and kids actually played with toys?! It was quite nostalgic!

This train museum was amazing. The train layouts were wonderful. The different train collections were quite extensive Amazing collection of all gage rail trains. Enjoyable for adults as well as children. By going on a train ride you get tickets for the museum

Took my children to view the museum. All the train displays are very nice and informational. But we all enjoyed the scavenger hunt on the big model. It was nice to have one activity that was engaging all 3 of my children at the same time, as well as myself. It's truly a labor of love and it shows! Please take the time to inspect the display and even do the scavenger hunt!!

The train layouts are really nice, but the collection of train cars and locomotives is unbelievable. There are thousands of cars and hundreds of locomotives. This well worth the visit.

This train museum is great for all those who are train enthusiasts and also for those who are not. The displays are totally awesome and you can get lost in the display it is done so realistically and with such fine detail.

My son loves trains so this museum was perfect for him. It was very affordable for us. He really enjoyed pushing all the bottons that made each train go.

We visited after the train ride. we stayed for an hour but could have stayed longer. It had 3 layouts, and the main layout was massive. It was so big that they offered a scavenger hunt to find many of the small details, and it was fun.

We thought it was nicely displayed and set up but it wasn't really out cup of tea. Staff were friendly

Nice museum with lots of model trains. The four of us enjoyed watching the children look in awe at the trains!

Got a free entrance with the Smokey Mountains Train ride. Museum is filled with displays that locomotive fans will enjoy. Personally not into trains but really amazed with the attention to details on all exhibits and decoration. Thay have interactive train sets that you can control with a push of a button.
Very educational for kids, brings out memories to all of us who had a train set in our younger years....

Free with Great Smoky Mountains Railroad ticket. The museum is next to the train siding and as I recall, wheel chair accessible. Nice museum, but not worth the trip along.

The train ride was very interesting, our guide was very informative, the meal was very good. I had a wonderful time on this ride. Our guide was the best.

It is deceiving from looking at the front of the museum/store. It appears to be very small, but the building is very deep and full of model trains. The displays kept me attracted even though model trains are not really my thing. Surely it would be Mecca for an enthusiast. It is free to visit and a great way to keep the kids (of all ages) entertained while they might otherwise be making the parents crazy waiting for the train's departure time. It is just a few steps away from the train boarding area.