Wow, this place is so amazingly cool ~ what a really fun East Bay hidden gem. I never knew this spot existed, yet alone that Point Richmond had anything like this. It looks like currently The Golden State Model Railroad Museum is on winter break and will reopen on April 5th, but def worth the trip if this is something you may be into. This is a 10,000 square foot museum of operating model trains replicating areas of Central and Northern California. Pricing is $10 for families, $5 for Adults and children over 12, $3 for seniors (63+), $3 for children under 11, and free for kiddos under 4. There is a small parking lot and street parking in front/across the street where Miller-Knox trails/park/picnic areas are located. There's a small merch area and just the kindest staff members who are happy to share knowledge of railroad history. The East Bay Model Engineers Society is one of the oldest model railroad clubs in the US! Looking forward to returning with the fam and learning more about the model trains ~ there's just so much to see, so many intricate details! You have to see it to believe it :) read more

This is a great place to see model trains of three different popular scales (O, HO and N scales) in operation rolling through tunnels, across large bridges and into tiny towns and big little cities. It's a wonderful and safe place for kids of all ages as the trains operate right behind the glass just inches from your nose! :). Historians will appreciate the exacting scale reproductions of Santa Fe's Muir Trestle and the ginormous Oakland Mole Train Shed/Station that once stood next to the Bay Bridge until 1960. Lots of other cool things to see too! Not into trains? There's a beautiful park right across the street where you can enjoy a nice trail and picnic area facing San Pablo Bay and watch the tanker ships in port. Pro Tip: VERIFY hours for public visits before coming out. This is a volunteer operation! Pro Tip #2: Lots of cute little restaurants on the other side of the tunnel in Point Richmond for grub before or after your visit! read more

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It has been some 11 years since we last went to the museum with family in tow. It is a fun way to pass a couple of hours and come out of the sun if you are spending the day across the road at Miller Knox Regional Shoreline. You can see the models are fun and a lot of work and detail has gone into creating them. It is even better when the trains are in operation. It was fairly quiet at 1pm so we didn't have to deal with hoards of people. We saw the models and noted the detail of some of the scenes, some of them downright hysterical. There is a carpark but there is plenty of street parking available as well. They charge admission on Sundays when the trains are running, free on Saturdays. $5 for Adults and Children age 12+ $3 for Senior Citizens (63+) $3 for Children (4-11) - free under age 4 $10 for Families April through September, open noon to 5pm. October through December, open noon to 4pm. It appears they are closed during January through March. read more

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We visited the Santa Clara Model Railway AKA South Bay Historical Railroad and they said if we wanted to see a bigger display this was the place to go! It didn't disappoint and was a warehouse-sized setup with three different sizes of models. Really fun place to go and visit, with lots of families and young kids present. There's a small fee for entry and ensure you check their calendar - they are not open often! read more

Fun place to check out on an afternoon in Point Richmond. Nice picnic area across the street!

This was such a cool place. They had 3 different train scales running. It was $10 for 3 of us, 2 adults and 1 kid. The card worker wasn't working, so we had cash. Bring some just in case. My only complaint, and it wasn't on the museum. But more so there were kids running wild unattended; and not even to look at the trains but to use the center as a runway. This created a tad more stressful experience for our child on the spectrum who couldn't really enjoy the full experience. At the front they have a scavenger hunt to keep kids engaged too. Definitely a great stop! read more

Golden State Model Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Point Richmond, California

Great place for all ages. Interesting experience to see a working model train exhibit. Open seasonally so look up the hours.

Having a son who is a train fanatic, we had to check this place out! There was plenty of parking and friendly staff. Their admission prices are very reasonable and they even offer family pricing and yearly deals. They have a good selection of train shirts, toys, pins and other random train related items. We loved their displays and tracks and appreciated the variety of train sizes as well. The kids kept going back and forth to catch new details with each go around. My only two small complaints are that I wish they would adjust their hours to make it more napping child friendly 10am-2pm and it would be great if they sold food so that we can make it a longer trip/visit. That said, we made it work by going to a restaurant we love nearby and the exhibit itself is quick to go through so our adventure lasted just over an hour which still allowed us to get back by nap time. Also appreciate both doors being opened to allow ventilation with COVID given visitors are not required to wear masks. We have already have requests to go back more often! read more

We visited with our train obsessed 2yo last weekend for the first time and this has to be one of my favorite museums in the Bay Area. It's a large room with 3 zones representing the different model train scales/sizes. There's basically small-medium-large. Go on a day the trains are actually running. The level of detail and craftsmanship is so cool and I learned a lot about old railroad stations and model trains. These aren't toys at all-the engineering that goes into them is really advanced. There is a little step for kids to stand up on a see the trains more closely. We spent about 90 minutes here and would definitely recommend it for adults and kids alike. The entry fee of $10 for a family was also really reasonable! read more

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I have to add an additional star to my review. Since we live nearby, we came several times over the past six months. Our most recent visit (just before Christmas), we came with my grandparents and mom, as well. So we had four generations who were all admitted under the single "family" pricetag. Score! My grandpa has been a HUGE model train fan for my entire life--growing up, he kept saying how he was going to build a layout for me and my little brother to enjoy.... Then 15 years later (never built), it was going to get done for my little cousin to enjoy.... Now 30 years after I was a child, he's saying he's going to build a layout for my son to enjoy! BUT he is actually working on the layout now! So, out most recent visit, I think my grandpa actually had the most fun. He brought his camera and took so many photos to use as ideas. My son, though, thinks this place is great. He can easily run around for an hour, back and forth, watching everything. Our favorite part is the cutout tunnel track for the biggest train. They had SO MANY trains running on our last visit!!!! We even got to watch one train as some of the cars became uncoupled accidentally, and then the engine derailed! It was a major show for all of us hahaha. The conductor for that train came down and fixed everything. It was really fun to watch. I think they are closing now for the next few months and will reopen in the springtime. This place is so great for a family with little kids!!! read more

This is one of the best Rail Road Model in NorCal. Locate near the beach where you view the model along with enjoying the beach side not very far from the depot. read more

Great educational trip for the little ones. They were fascinated with the different scale models and the detailed layout. We'll worth the minimal entrance fee. read more

What an incredible exhibit! The volunteers there have worked very hard to put together the most amazing, elaborate and humorous scenes. It's easy to spend hours in there examining the incredible detail work out into every aspect of the experience. read more

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This was well worth the visit! We went on Saturday not doing the research beforehand to find that the trains only run Sunday, but honestly it was fine (plus free). There are three different gauges, and all are so highly elaborate and with such detail that we went back and forth through it several times. There is a fun scavenger hunt to help keep up the engagement (e.g. look for lions eating a mad cow, school buses on a flatbed, Mayflower moving trucks). Some of the vignettes are funny, others are morbid, all is done with such care and attention to detail. There are also stacks and stacks of free train magazines, if you have some collage projects in mind. We spent about 45 minutes there and will definitely return on a day when the trains are running. read more

The Museum is CLOSED January, February, and March each year. Don't visit before APRIL 7th!!!!!!! The Museum is CLOSED January, February, and March each year. Don't visit before APRIL 7th!!!!!!! The Museum is CLOSED January, February, and March each year. Don't visit before APRIL 7th!!!!!!! The Museum is CLOSED January, February, and March each year. Don't visit before APRIL 7th!!!!!!! The Museum is CLOSED January, February, and March each year. Don't visit before APRIL 7th!!!!!!! The Museum is CLOSED January, February, and March each year. Don't visit before APRIL 7th!!!!!!! read more

Yay for trains! I am a HUGE fan of all trains. As I have mentioned elsewhere I have a couple of train CD's that I sometimes play at bedtime. Those clicketty clack and chug chug sounds lull me to sleep (more so than those ultra ethereal New Age music). The husb and I went here yesterday and we're pleased to be surrounded by train fans of all ages. They only run the trains on Sundays. The layouts cover different types of terrain and cities. Not sure of the time frame but I recognized the Sacramento station where my Birthday Girls Club arrived/departed a few weeks ago. I felt like squealing with delight and jumping up and down when the trains rolled past us. There were plenty of kids doing just that. But the joy I got from seeing these trains made my eyes glisten for the rest of the day! read more

Very nice model railroad museum in Richmond. Boy are those volunteers and staff extremely passionate about their hobby. There's a lot of tracks and miniature buildings/structures to look at while you are in the building. Typically, the trains only run on most Sundays from 12-5 PM. It's $4 for adults but you can save $2 through your local library system's "Discover and Go" program. My only complaint is that I really wish parents would learn to control their kids! Goodness, they kept getting in my way! read more

Who knew tiny trains can be this fun!? This is an extensive collection of small trains and railroads designed to replicate different places like Sacramento and Oakland with a vast backdrop of tiny trees and mountains. Take a picture in front of the tiny trains and feel like Godzilla! What a funny and charming place. Definitely come here on a sunny day. Quirky and charming! read more

Golden State Model Railroad Museum - Miniature train world - Museums Near Me - Point Richmond, California

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If your kid (or inner child) likes trains, this is the place to go. There are lots of elaborate tracks set up for different gauge trains. It seems a lot more built up than the last time I was here about 6 or 7 years ago and the building of new "mountainous layouts" is continuing. A glass (is it plexi-glass) separates you from the trains. Lots of cool attention to detail. It appears you can join and get to go behind the scenes. This place is typically closed January to March. I have only come on a Sunday, so I don't know if there are regular hours on different days. read more

Golden State Model Railroad Museum - One of the railroad scenes. - Museums Near Me - Point Richmond, California

This place is a fun little hidden treasure. My partner and I went on a Sunday when the trains were running and we loved it! All of the little details were amazing. We really liked seeing parts of Oakland that showed how it looked back in time. We are planning on going back and doing the "scavenger hunt" next time. We missed it this time until we were on our way out. read more

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Great little museum. Worth a trip to the Richmond Annex. Add a picnic in the park by the bay, and you have a first class Bay Area afternoon with the family. read more

The trains were not running during our visit so we have to go back when they are. They have a huge layout and a very friendly assistant told us much about the railroad. read more

This place was really cool! Everything was so detailed from the mountains, to the cities, and even the bridges! $10 for a whole family to get in. My only small complaint is I wish there was air conditioning inside. We didn't get to stay as long as we wanted, because it was stuffy inside even though they had a few fans blowing. The actual toy trains run on Sunday, so make sure that's the day that you plan on going. read more

I understand that niche hobbies like this seem like an ideal passion to some and an expensive waste of time to others. I'm not passionate about model trains myself, but if you grew up around them (say, because your dad had a large collection and only refrained from spreading them out because he sacrificed his perfect railroad basement to become your childhood playroom *cough cough*), coming here would be a nice way to show love to the train connoisseur in your life. The club members staffing this warehouse-sized exhibit were welcoming, though preoccupied testing the trains when I visited. In fairness, I wandered in through an open door after they'd officially closed. The trains only run on Sundays, which is also the only day they charge admission. ($4 adults, $2 kids/seniors) The scope and detail in the scenes is impressive; however, nothing is interactive. Still, it's cool to see scale models of actual, historical California train routes. The museum makes a great add-on to a day at Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline (park) across the street. (There's much more parking at the park, but it's all free.) I felt satisfied after about 20 minutes, but for train buffs, kids, or anyone who actively chats with the staff, I'm sure it could be fun much longer. read more

Holy moley.....there sure are some cool hobbies out there! The time and patience to put together these scenes left me blown away. I am not the biggest train fanatic, but I could not resist watching all the action as kids and adults alike oooh-ed and aaah-ed with excitment. Inexpensive but tons of fun, quite a bay area find! read more

The Miller/Knox regional area is across the street from the Richmond Ramblers Motorcycle Club. The park had been our original destination, but we couldn't find parking, and most of the people we saw had tattoos on their faces. I'm not hating. I like a good face tattoo as much as the next person, but since we didn't know what sort of area it was in this part of Richmond, we decided just to keep driving. So we drove across the street!! Not to the MC club, to the museum next door! Sweet baby Jesus! This place is just as cool as the model railroad museum at Larkey Park in Walnut Creek, but bigger!! And with better labeling of the region they're modeling. Not everyone is going to get really excited about checking out a model railroad museum. You can't play with the trains or build your own track. It's a hands-free place meant for observing others having fun. But its still neat to check out! Unfortunately, we went on Labor Day and everyone was BBQing out front, so no trains were running. But we did get free admission, which was awesome. There's a gift shop too, but it wasn't open. read more

It is a nice place if you like model railroads Summary of visit: Large room with different trains Run by volunteers Trains run on Sundays ample free parking $10 for entire family $5 for adult read more

Do you have a model train fetish? Not just a hobby but a sick and dirty all-consuming model train obsession? Do you know the schedules of all the trains in the area to the exact second? Welcome home train geek, come on in. A place where young train geeks can hang out with some grandpa-type guys who also love trains and become best buddies. Gay sex optional. My friend used to volunteer there. My friend who has never gone on a date in his life and who's only sexual outlet is model trains. Don't ask me how. He is young and always hangs out with elderly male train buffs and they go to this place together. It's innocent I guess. Or maybe my friend has a fetish for old men, I don't know and I don't wanna know. Model train dork heaven. read more

On our trip to San Francisco I thought it would be fun to check out this model train museum. I found a deal on groupon and bought a family pass. We planned a weekend to go and decided to go on a Sunday. The only day it's open (at least that's what Yelp says) We drive 30 minutes from our hotel to arrive at a closed museum. Apparently they are closed December through April. Which was not on the groupon website or the Yelp website. Needless to say my family is bummed and I don't know if we can come back to use our groupon before it expires. I know this isn't yelps fault but rather the person in charge of this listing. I just hope this review will let interested people know to fully check there hours, and not rely on Yelp. That was my mistake. read more

Place is the best for anyone under 10 and over 70, and anyone else who needs a quiet moment... Check the website, trains run on Sundays, and they don't run trains from Jan though March, though they are busy working on the sets. Opening day is the first Sunday in April, see you there! Get a family pass if you have kids that are 2 and up, you will be here once a month for the next few years for sure if you live anywhere in the East Bay. Plus, there are two great parks nearby, a spot of beach and a cool old train-loading pier, perfect for an afternoon picnic. If you want to go for a full-bore Pt Richmond experience come early and go for a swim in the Natatorium before hand (http://www.yelp.com/biz/richmond-plunge-richmond), then get some burger's at the greasy spoon across the street from the pool; you will be all fueled up for some choo-choo action! Now if only they could do a section with trucks.... read more

Biggest model train place I've been. Though I haven't been to many. Kinda hot in there on a hot day and it doesn't take much time to see everything. Still fun and interesting though. read more

Golden State Model Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Point Richmond, California

You guys are a bunch of A**holes Firstly, it said on the web that you were open especially on the 4th of July. It also said so on your gate ! So for me, driving the distance to you with a stary eyed 5-year old was more than crushing. More so, lets ponder some thought here -we arrived early 30 minutes before you were due to open. So we wondered around the park. A group of latino gentlemen engaged my son in soccer, further along a group of african-americans invited us over for dinner after my son said their BBQ smelled good. You, a bunch of old white guys not only humilated us but refused to amuse my bewildered 5 year old who kept asking me "why are the men being so mean" You could have shown him for a few minutes but instead you dismissed us and send us packing. I guess you're the epitome of the state of this country, happy 4th gentlemen. read more

Wonderful layout with lots of action and knowledgable people. I love the family price of $10 so that we aren't tempted to leave one parent outside while the other tours the place with our 3.5-year-old. Sadly the hours of 12-4 really ruin lunch and naptime, but we are glad we went. If he is still obsessed with trains when he is done with naps, we will definitely be back. Make time to walk around on the trails to see the old ferry landing, old tracks, and the tunnel. It's a great complement for train afficionados. read more

Amazing place. Cheap, fun, easy to get to. My kids always want to stay longer. My father-in-law wanted to stay longer. I always want to stay longer. etc. Honestly, it is amazing to see what they have built - the details, the scope, the accuracy of CA train history, etc. Great for rainy Sunday. Or sunny Sunday when you bring lunch and enjoy the big park across the street or beach just down the way. Some might argue that since they only run on Sundays (and they take Jan - April off) that 5 stars isn't warrented. I shalln't split hairs on that point since it is volunteer run. Choo - Chooo!!! read more

Fun for the tot set! Tracks are arrayed in a chute, with a ledge at the perfect height, so they can race around trying to catch a glimpse of the moving train. read more

Not really a museum, but a model railroad club. This wasn't a problem as the N, HO, and O scale layouts are large and definitely not like wandering into somebody's hobby room. Another big plus was that the model buildings weren't current retail kits. The trains are guaranteed to run only one day of the week - Sunday from 12P to 5P. This is the only time the club charges the $5 admission fee. To see the trains run requires patience (something that many of the children visitors understandably don't have) because few trains were operating. The hobbyists were more concerned with what they wanted to do rather than put on a show for the visitors. Located at the Miller Knox Regional Park, their parking lot easily gets full, but there was plenty of additional parking on Dornan Drive. We stayed 40 minutes. read more

My granddaughter, husband and I spent a very fun afternoon at the model train museum. There were very large platforms for O, HO, and N gage trains. We spent a good two hours completing the scavenger hunt forms which required a thorough look at each layout. Completing the hunt enhanced our appreciation of the detail incorporated in each platform. The volunteer staff were happy to share their enthusiasm for their hobby with visitors young and old. Definitely worth the trip. read more

I have always loved trains, as has Alan, and this museum has been on my mental list for years. But an article in Thursday's Chronicle 96 Hours section announcing Wreck Day today pushed us out of our inertia and over to the museum. Trouble is, the museum folks had no idea what we were talking about. We weren't the first to come looking for wrecks today and the man at the front desk patiently explained that they didn't wreck them on purpose because it was too much work to put them all back on the tracks. There is one permanently staged wreck aftermath visible. There are three different setups in three different sizes from smallest to largest, N, HO and O. The N trains were the most active at first, but I found them hardest to relate to because they're so small. The displays were intricately detailed, much too much to take in in just one viewing. The HO seemed to be the least active, at least while we were there. One train went into a tunnel and never reappeared. The O line was most active, w/ 3 freight trains and one Amtrak running at one point. In one of the corners of this setup was the site of the wreck. The museum was crowded w/ families. Lots of kids were running around, excited by the sights and it was fun listening to parents and grandparents explaining and engaging w/ them. I enjoyed the mountains and towns, the people in the stations and towns and the signs. There was even a Sherwin Williams 'cover the world' paint sign that moved. It was on top of a building, although my memory of it in the 60s was down by the Emeryville mudflats. (My friend Terry T, whose memory of that sign goes back to childhood while mine goes back to college tells me that the sign was on the east side of the freeway and she's probably right.) There were beautifully built trestles and mountain bridges of many types. Alan pointed out sharks in what was probably Eureka harbor. There was a little bit of informational signage but mostly the displays were to be "read" as you walked through. Places were generally identified and there were several volunteers working amidst the models who could answer questions if asked. Alan found the space dusty enough to kick up his asthma, so we didn't stay longer than a half an hour or so. This is obviously a labor of love and at least half a star is for the enthusiasm of the members. We enjoyed it, but I wasn't completely enthralled as I was by the train setup in the basement at the Museum of Science and Industry, which held me captive for hours. read more

Know a train lover? If so, this place has a pretty impressive model train collection. Although you could look at all of the tiny details for hours (with or without the trains running;) I'd highly recommend you go when the trains ARE running! It's plenty of fun at any age; however, my 2 year old sure enjoyed watching the many trains whiz by, especially through the tunnels. There's also a small gift shop, and plenty of friendly people to answer any questions you may have. read more

Everybody loves trains. It's not just for kids, you can take someone on a first date here, then go to the Hotel Mac for a drink. It's probably the best good clean fun you can have with your clothes on. read more