San Diego Model Railroad Museum (SDMRM)

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum sits steps from the San Diego Natural History Museum and the Fleet Science Center—if you’re making a family day of it, know that kids under 12 get in free. Visitors of all ages can find something to marvel at here, be it the power of locomotives or the timelessness of train travel.

There’s also plenty to learn: you’ll see scale models of the Tehachapi Pass, the Cabrillo Southwestern line, the San Diego and Arizona Eastern line, and Pacific Desert Lines, a rail route that was surveyed but never got that golden spike.

• Temporary exhibits pop up twice a year, keeping things fresh.

• Discounted tickets are available for seniors, students, and active military.

• San Diego County residents get free admission on the first Tuesday of every month.

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is located in Balboa Park—where all parking is free and public. If you’re driving, the museum shares a lot with the next-door Fleet Science Center. If you’re on foot, the major cross street is Park Blvd and Space Theater Way. Beyond those two options, you can also take a taxi, bus, or rideshare to the museum.

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is typically open year-round and every day of the week except Mondays and holidays; there are slightly extended hours come summer. It tends to be most crowded on weekends and in the early afternoons—come earlier in the morning to get the most elbow room.

The Spanish Renaissance-style Casa de Balboa Building, which houses the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, was built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Though it burned down in 1978, it was rebuilt in 1982 to mirror its original opulence. With a scenic courtyard and surrounding gardens and trails, allot extra time in your schedule to explore outside the museum, too.