South Bay Historical Railroad - Museum in Santa Clara - 1005 Railroad Ave, USA

A great time for family fun. They have two working model train layouts, a museum, and real trains passing by on the back side of the building. It's all free but donations are welcome. I was there for about three hours and enjoyed every second.

This place is incredible. Two layouts - HO and N scale. Our 7 year old wants to live here. Seriously. We come here twice a week. Always a great company of people who are into trains and model railroad. Highly recommend, especially if you have kids. Most incredible train experience.

The museum is so cool and the staff are the nicest ever. I was trying to get pictures of models for my kid and maybe learn a bit about them too… but I came away with a deep appreciation for the art as well as so many launch points for helping my kid start his own journey with model trains. The staff love what they do and are fonts of inspiration and knowledge!!!

We went here for the yearly model train exhibit and it was super fun. On top of the model trains running, the actual history of the station is fascinating and there are really passionate guides there that love talking about the history. It's a historical gem hidden in a built up area right next to Santa Clara University.

Marvelous place! There are a few parking spots marked with Museum Visitors only but apparently not the case. The train parking lot is $5.50 per day. The museum is not big but has a cozy feeling. Very impressive train model.

Tucked away in the Santa Clara Caltrain station, this museum has some amazing artifacts from the last 100 years. Its all about trains: the equipment, the routes, the engines. Some great old photos and a replica waiting room. The real treasure in my opinion is the full room miniature city with model trains running throughout. Scenes are set up showing a lot of American history and how trains helped build this country. So fun seeing all this. They are only open 2 days a week, but i think its worth the trip.

Tranquil and calm little historical remnant next to SCPD and a Caltrain station. Can explore this museum whilst waiting for your train to arrive, or just if you're into history. Wholesome spot and I'd want to come here more often; just can't fully appreciate it in only one visit!

A small but fun place for the whole family. We went around 12:30 on a rainy Saturday, and the Northern California Bluegrass Society was having a jam session (2nd Saturdays noon to 3pm), which made it all the more special! While the building wasn't crowded when we arrived, it felt pretty cozy and warm/stuffy by the time we left around 2pm. There isn't a lot of space to move around the model trains, so I wouldn't recommend it if you think the museum will be crowded and you're claustrophobic. Otherwise, I would recommend it to everyone.