We had the best day at the NC Transportation Museum!!! We took the Amtrak from Charlotte to visit for the day (only wish there was some kind of shuttle from the Salisbury train station since the Amtrak doesn't stop in Spencer, but it was an inexpensive Uber). We started our visit with the train ride experience -- it took us all through the Spencer Shops property and they were playing a history explainer of the speakers (was a bit hard to hear with people talking but still interesting). Our two favorite parts of the property were the Roundhouse, which is filled with all kinds of different trains and train-related exhibits (like a real switchboard and a U.S. Army Hospital Car) and the Back Shop (literally has just about every kind of mode of transit you can think of on display, from bicycles to dugout canoes to fire trucks to boats and so much more). All the staff we met were so friendly and welcoming, too -- we had the best day! This would be the perfect place to take kids who are old enough to enjoy museums (especially those who are into planes, trains and automobiles)!!! read more

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The North Carolina Transportation Museum has been on my list to visit for a while now, and I finally made it to Spencer, NC, to check it out. I love museums and have been to a lot of them, and some are better than others. This one felt disjointed and not cohesive. It could be improved. Tickets are purchased near the building near the train tracks. You get a wristband and a map to go on your way. The museum is on 60 acres, so there is a lot of walking. The Southern Railway Spencer Shops were once located here. 3000 people worked at Spencer Shops to keep the steam engines working properly. Spencer was halfway between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA, and the steam engines needed to be serviced about every 150 miles. They could run for about two hours, but then needed an hour of service to keep everything operating properly. I started in the Back Shop (look for the BE CAREFUL sign), which was built in 1905 for steam locomotives that required more extensive maintenance. The building is the size of two football fields. The building now shows all forms of transportation, from bicycles to fire trucks to cars to airplanes to rail cars to boats and canoes. This was a large building, and it wasn't clear which path we were to walk through it, as there were two aisles with items on both sides, along with empty areas. Building F housed the Roundhouse, which was the best of the buildings. It is the largest remaining roundhouse in the country. This was like a garage with 37 stalls to repair the steam engines. Now, inside it, you will find steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars, and a full-size replica of the Wright Flyer. There is an area where you can see people working on the cars, and at the end of the building, there are some train cars that you can enter. The exhibits in this building are well done, and you can read the storyboards about the exhibits. I started in the orientation room to watch the video about the site's history, but it wasn't available to me. I was just handed another map. I'm not sure if he didn't want to start it for just one person, but I would have liked to see it as it would have provided background on the complex. The staff member wasn't friendly and didn't seem like he wanted to answer questions. Building G was the wheel balancing exhibit in a shed. The scales made sure the weight was correct for being on the train tracks. Buildings C, D and E felt like a waste. C was decorated for the Easter events, so it didn't seem the building was being properly utilized. There were some dining car exhibits in there. Building D had a model train layout and is used for storage. Building E had more classic cars. More signage would help to get from the buildings, if they made a path to follow. I didn't see any signage for getting from building G to E, so I had to backtrack through buildings F and B to get there, as I wasn't sure where I was allowed to walk on the gravel and tracks. This is where a guide would have been helpful to direct guests. Then, the inside buildings could use better descriptions, like those used in building F. It would have been nice to have helpful, friendly guides to better understand the complex. The trains weren't running on the day of my visit, so that may have provided the background information that was lacking during my visit. I'd remove buildings D and E from the tour and relocate the exhibits to fit everything into two main buildings for better flow. If I returned, I would just focus on building F and spend my time in the building, better curated. read more

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This was such a fun place for all ages and such a fun day trip. We took the self guided tour which was only $10 per adult. We saw so many neat things from old cars, trains and planes, we even saw the Oscar Meyer mobile!! read more

North Carolina Transportation Museum - Museums Near Me - Spencer, North Carolina

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We arrived an hour early for our Polar express event. They had a place for s'mores, there was a bubble show, there were at least 4 food trucks. They did multiple scenes from the polar express movie. We rode the train, received hot chocolate and a goodie bag. We got off at the "North Pole" and saw Santa. It was a great time for the kids. The gift shop was reminiscent of cracker barrel. So many things to see or purchase. read more

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What an excellent display. Thank u for persevering history. The outside display during polar express was impressive Loved polar express show read more

had a wonderful time at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. The exhibits are engaging, the staff is friendly, and there's so much fascinating history packed into every corner. The train ride was especially fun -- a great way to experience a bit of the past in motion. Whether you're a transportation buff or just looking for a memorable outing, this museum is absolutely worth the visit. read more

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Only 40 miles from Charlotte, the NC Transportation Museum is a treasure. It is truly "transportation" and not just trains though the trains are the highlight and the majority of the memorabilia on display. The museum property is the former Southern Railway's repair facility. It includes the steam locomotive repair shop, a relocated rail depot, the massive roundhouse and other buildings that are now stuffed with classic automobiles and air travel memorabilia and a model railroad club setup. The "bumper to bumper" display includes a Studebaker Farm Wagon, 1960 Chrysler 300F, 1938 Packard Super 8, 1933 Rolls Royce 20/25, 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside Pickup, 1959 Edsel Corsair, 1960 DeSoto Fireflite and more. You can expect to spend a full day here, especially if you upgrade your visit to include a ride on the train (not available every day - check the schedule). I skipped the train but watching the kids and parents disembark with big smiles, I have some regrets. Many of the trains and some of the classic vehicles are open to be walked through. Nearly all of it is handicapped accessible and there are restrooms throughout and a couple of vending machines. [Review 1786 of 2024 - 3705 in North Carolina - 22809 overall] read more

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Good family experience for Easter train ride. Older train slowly moves back and forth on property lines. Gift shop and museum.. read more

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Super fun place to ride on the Polar Express! We had a wonderful time. All of the staff was over the top friendly and helpful. Plenty of food and shopping opportunities. Also able to visit with Santa!! read more

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This was my first visit in a few years. It was the first time I had gone on a Saturday, which meant train rides were available. I enjoyed the ride experience. The main difference I noticed from previous visits was in the largest building, which is much more organized and cleaner. I was there for around three hours and enjoyed exploring the museum. read more

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Always a great experience whether its the polar express, the museum or wine and dine. Great for families and couples.

If you like trains, machinery and automobiles, this is the place for you. I see many families bring their younglings there to explore. Admission is only $6 and you have so much to see and explore. Even snacks and gifts are cheaper than most museums I've been to. They have steam engines, diesel engines, old cars and trucks. I think you can ride on one of the train too. It is an old train railyard so all the area doesn't have AC. It does have fans to move air but it can get hot walking on the rails and sidewalk during summer. read more

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We enjoyed a fun stop at the NC Transportation Museum yesterday as part of a day trip to Rowan County! I didn't realize how big the campus was! We enjoyed the train ride around the area, but the air-conditioned car got full before we boarded, so we rode in the other car with the windows down, old school. Lots of interesting demos and displays. We were surprised there weren't more concessions, and think the large parking lot could handle a food truck or two, especially on weekends. read more

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What a great day of fun for our grandson & the family!! The grounds were very well kept. There was not enough Paved parking spaces, no worries there was plenty of grass to park on; no issues. There was plenty of workers walking about greeting everyone. As the trains drive passed us employees were all waving at the children on the grounds! So cute!!We showed our tickets, received a wristband. Photo opts all about the ground. Thomas and Percy trains were running the tracks the entire time blow up Thomas the train characters were placed about the grounds, great food & dessert vendors, gift stores, games, mini sized corn maze, history walks with vintage cars, scooters, motorcycles, large trucks, planes and yes trains!! If you have a little one that enjoys Thomas the train, they will get a kick out of this wonderful and very reasonable outing!! Our family very much enjoyed this wonderful family oriented, fun and informative outing. Love it!!! read more

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The kids loved it so that's what matters. I don't know why in my head all I could think of is how do these kids work aka child labor laws! Lol I get that the trains are old but there could be better care to keeping them clean and updated. Our seat has rolling and peeling wallpaper and questionable mold. Couldn't tell. Floor and seats was dirty. For the Polar Express experience you get a show and dancing, silver bell from Santa (he was funny), cookie and hot chocolate. As you upgrade, more things come into play like a book and pictures with Santa. I saw a few ppl with mobility issues have some trouble managing. And keep in mind you have some walking at the end of the show. Again the kids loved it and they had a good time! read more

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We went here for their Polar Express Train ride and we had a great time! We got our tickets and they served hot chocolate, and chocolate chip cookies. After visiting the North Pole you get a gift bag from Santa's Elves. We got to meet Santa and take pictures with him aswell!! I would recommend getting here about an hour before your scheduled time so you can enjoy some of the food vendors and get your prepaid items before boarding the train. read more

I would recommend a more cohesive floor plan for the exhibits. Having to walk from one building to the next is hard to hold the interest of a 5 year old. read more

Bottom Line: An enormous museum covering all things transportation including special exhibits and activities. On my first trip to the North Carolina Museum of Transportation, aka Spencer Shops, I missed the Norfolk & Western J-611 because it was tucked away in a dark maintenance bay. So when I found out the J-611 was going to be fired up in May I booked another trip to the area including a cab ride on the historic streamlined, coal burning locomotive. Making another trip from Annapolis to Spencer was absolutely worth it! The museum was running a bit behind schedule for this special event but the management staff on the front lines was so kind and clearly working so hard! Aside from a once (or twice or thrice) chance of a lifetime to ride on the J-611 here are some of the other things I really appreciate about this museum: 1. The size of the museum! Train museums and transportation museums are inherently large but the North Carolina Transportation Museum is massive! The size of the back shop alone is impressive. There is plenty of opportunity to employ the oldest form of transportation - walking. 2. The nearly 100 year old, 37-stall roundhouse which is the largest remaining in North America is neat. The accompanying turntable is still in use and visitors might get a chance to see it in use. At the very least you can pay $1 to ride it and to get a little bit of history of the turntable and Spencer Shops. 3. A brief ride on a train pulled by a circa 1950s Southern Railway diesel locomotive that departs from the historic and relocated Barber Junction train station. The rolling stock is also historic but older than the loco. The ride isn't very scenic but hey, it is a train ride. 4. The refurbished Railway Post Office car. I am always a sucker for RPOs and the one at Spencer is particularly well done with a refurbished interior and TVs that play some of my all time favorite train documentaries about how the RPO worked. A few areas that I think could be improved are (1) the signage explaining artifacts (especially in the back shop) (2) the lighting in the roundhouse and (3) not being able to hear the narration on the train ride. Overall, I really appreciate this museum and if I lived close I am sure I would be a member. My recommendation for visitors is to be prepared for a good bit of walking and to consider a picnic lunch as they have some spots for that. read more

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My train loving toddler had so much fun! He loved running around and riding the train!

Visited with my nine grandchildren and everyone had a great time. Overall the cost for 12 people was reasonable plus there was also aircraft displays. Not only was this entertaining, it is also very educational. read more

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This is a fantastic place for families, but for us old fogies who can spend all day looking at and reading everything there is, well... We found several vehicles of interest with no interpretative signage. Chairs there were aplenty, but none where it would have been nice to sit and look upon interesting things, like the TVs they had here and there with historical programs on autoplay. There was a nice bench in the flue building though, for those who enjoy looking at the Model T collection. We really got a kick out of the locomotive and cars we could walk through or peer into. We should have planned a whole day and packed a picnic! There was that much to see. There were no train rides on a Tuesday, but they have an upcoming event this weekend, so maybe we will brave the crowds and return to explore a bit more! read more

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This is a great museum. You can ride a train, see lots of cars, trucks, even some airplanes here. Learn about the history of North Carolina railroads. Also, it is very affordable. Note, this place is huge and there is a lot to see so plan accordingly. Kids will love this place. Adults too. I can't recommend this place enough. Note, you can order your tickets online from their website. They will just scan your phone. read more

This museum hosted Day Out with Thomas! It was such a fun experience. I think I enjoyed seeing a real life Thomas more than my little. Nevertheless, it was such a fun outing and definitely worth the trip down. This location even had Percy! Percy and Thomas made this experience wonderful. Highly recommend this for ALL train lovers, young and old. read more

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We were looking for a day out of Charlotte and the NC Transportation Museum fit the bill. The museum is located in Spencer, NC and is about a 1 hour drive outside of Charlotte just up highway 85 heading towards Greensboro. We really enjoyed this museum! We came during their 'Celebrity Car Weekend' and saw cars from the movies- Toy Story and Jurassic Park. The museum itself is large with multiple rooms, a gift shop, and plenty of walking through the exhibits and learning about the history of transportation in the area. We booked our tickets online in advance to do their short train ride up and down the track. When we arrived, it was packed in the ticket office. FYI- Even when you book online for museum admission with train ride, you still need to go to the ticket office to get your paper ticket for the train. They are known for their Polar Express Christmas Special train ride/experience that is a highly visited experience so advanced tickets are mandatory and they sell out for dates month in advance. With better planning, we can do it next year! read more

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My family and I had a fantastic time aboard the Polar Express! This was the best experience! My granddaughter was so excited and she wasn't disappointed. The staff was so nice and helpful. Everyone was so nice. If you weren't in the Christmas spirit, you were by the time you arrived back from the North Pole. The hot chocolate and cookies were delicious, the candy bags from the elves were a surprise treat for the kids, and the Christmas bells given Santa was an unexpected surprise. They truly brought the Polar Express to life!! read more

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This was not the first time that we visited the transportation museum as a school field trip with my four children, but it was the first time we have been able to go back since Covid. We always enjoy walking around and looking at the old trains and cars and learning about the history of those things. The staff and volunteers were very friendly in directing us around the campus. All of them were masked for our protection. Our tickets included a 30 minute train ride that was so special for us. I also noticed that they have introduced quite a few extra exhibits since the last time we were there, including a bicycle exhibit which was really cool to see a lot of old bicycles. The campus was very clean and the lawn will maintained. If you have not been able to go, take an opportunity and make the trip. I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

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Polar Express was just amazing! A must do whether you're a child or an adult! BELIEVE!!!

We had concerns upon arrival as there are a ton of people at this event. Don't worry - they have 2 full trains going - parking is a problem if you have a later ticket - huge lot but full and cars parked in every nook and cranny by end. The train spends first 30 minutes backing up - then drives into a magical station just like the movie. They have several live action portrayals of the movie throughout the event that are done really well. We paid extra for a table in the Cupid car and enjoyed the privacy. Vaccine card required or proof of negative test to get on train - they band you to make sure. Masks required until cocoa is served. Staff is seasoned and seem passionate about the event - everyone in character. Gift shop is large and priced to actually sell things - lots of legitimate Polar Express gifts you can buy. There was a sit in Santa opportunity after the train but we skipped it - was early November. We briefly watched the bubble show and walked past the food trucks - they had 5 that day but they weren't busy and I wasn't convinced the food would be fresh - the one exception was the funnel cake truck was bumping but line was too long - we went to the Cracker Barrel in Salisbury after as only ten minutes away. This is probably a 1 time or once every few years experience because it's expensive- but definitely worth doing. read more

North Carolina Transportation Museum - Just a photo opp train - Museums Near Me - Spencer, North Carolina

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Absolutely great polar express experience. We lived in different states and did a lot of exciting holiday experiences, but this was our first Polar Express one and our family absolutely loved it. Everyone enjoyed everything. Unfortunately, it was a bit late for our little one so we didn't check out everything around the museum, but the actual ride was a lot of fun. We purchased coach tickets, and got our hot chocolate, a cookie and a bell. The kids were super excited when seeing the conductor and Santa walking through the train. Highly recommend. read more

What a fantastic museum full of rich history! Being able to walk the grounds here really gets your juices flowing. Lots a of cool artifacts and exhibits for the whole family. Great special events including Day with Thomas! Can not wait to come back. read more

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Love the events the Transportation museum host through the year! We got a chance to experience Thomas and friends. Boarding each train was very organized. Staff members are everywhere in site, so it's easy to find someone to assist when needed; very friendly and great with the children! Would love to come back for another event! read more

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If you like Trains or really most any more of transportation then this is the place for you. It has great exhibits and every-time I've been there is something new. My favorite part is the trains and of course the round house. read more

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So I must admit my expectations going into this were not high. I expected a train ride that was themed like The Polar Express and that's it. What my family and I got was not only a train ride but a production and show that was very well put together and acted out by everyone involved! Seriously they appeared to put a lot of time and effort into this and it shows. If you're like me and are deciding between this or The Polar Express ride in Bryson City, NC (which costs more) this one in Spencer takes the cake unfortunately (I'll explain). We can start just strictly on the train itself. They went above and beyond with the decorations on our train car inside and out. The inside was decked out with lights, garland, and ribbons. The Polar Express ride in Bryson City does not do this. The actors dressed up did an outstanding job with the singing and acting just like the movie. And the thing the ride in Spencer let's you do that they don't in Bryson City is you actually disembark the train once you reach the North Pole. You get off for approx 10 mins and actually walk very close to the played out scene with Santa and the first gift of Christmas. They you get back on the train and take pictures with Santa on your way back to the station. While at the station there's light shows, and other activities to enjoy. Again this one is cheaper than the Bryson City, NC ride and in my opinion you get a lot more for your money. read more

Fun for younger kids - they do fun things like polar express and meet Thomas the train

BF, the kids, and I came here to do the Polar Express for the first time. I had always wanted to do this because I had heard such great things about it. This site was closer to where I live compared to Bryson City and a friend suggested this one. We came to the matinee show (4pm) and if I had to do this again, I would totally pick this time again. The sun was setting at the perfect time and I think that had we gone to a later show, it would have been so dark that we would not have been able to see much by the time we got to the "North Pole." My daughter is getting a little older so I was starting to wonder how she would react to this show, but she liked it and said she would go again next year (we'll see if that's true next year). I did notice some teens on the train who seemed to be enjoying themselves. All the adults also looked like they were enjoying the show. The little ones enjoyed dancing in the aisles during the show. The show started with introductions of who was on our train and then some singing and dancing as the train pulled away from the station. We were informed we were headed to the North Pole. The story of The Polar Express was read to us a big story book was walked around so we could look at the pictures in the book. We even got to turn the pages in the book a few times. We got keepsake mugs with hot cocoa and a chocolate chip cookie. Some of the cookies were soft and chewy and some of them were a bit hard (mine was hard, but the kids had soft and chewy cookies). When we got back on the train after stopping at the North Pole, we found a small tote bag at our table and each of us got a small goodie bag with candy in it, too. The kids loved this. Once we got back to the train station, we realized we were actually in a different area than where we started and had to take a trolley for a short ride. But really, we could have walked back to where the trolley was going to since the ride really was so short. Since it was so dark, we couldn't tell where anything was and since we were not from the area, we really didn't know how far we were from our car. We walked around to some food trucks and got more hot cocoa, some nachos, and gyro (not a true gyro, but it still tasted good). We even made S'mores at a fire pit. But it was so smoky at the fire pit that it was hard to see at times and our eyes felt like they were burning. At one point, we had to leave that area because it was hard to breathe. Overall, this Polar Express experience was fun for our first time. I only wish the characters on the train were more animated and didn't just move along to the music and mouth the words. I think they could have gotten into the show more. Next year, we might try Bryson City because the scenery will be different. But I will definitely go for a matinee show if that time is available. read more

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We just moved down here to North Carolina this past June; the train museum was one of the first places we visited. My 3 year old son as well as my husband both LOVE trains so it only made sense to purchase the annual family membership considering we knew we would come here all the time. We do and we love it! We visit on average about once a month, usually on the weekends; we walk around, pack lunch, eat under the picnic shelter, then ride the train. It's always a very nice family afternoon. We also drove down once to Christmas shop in their gift shop and once again with my entire family who came to visit us during Thanksgiving weekend. Everyone had a blast! The staff is helpful & friendly, they really treat their members very well. The gift shop is fabulous! Nicely laid out, clean and so many fun souvenirs for kids & adults. They offer train related clothing (mainly tee shirts & sweatshirts), hats, mugs, cups, sippy cups, model trains & airplanes, games, books, Thomas the Tank Engine toys and novelties...they also carry Cackalacky sauces, spiced nuts and tee shirts. They have ice cream & popcorn for a small fee...coffee also. The popcorn is SO good! We've been very pleased with all of our experiences at the transportation museum; we're extremely happy we took advantage of the family membership and will most definitely renew that next year! read more

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This is a great asset to North Carolina. I visit, take historic train rides, attend car shows, bring picnic lunches to the shelter, and tour the grounds often. It is simply great for families and for elders. read more

Who knew we had such an amazing museum right here in North Carolina? Okay, apparently quite a few people. Our afternoon began on the 1:30 train ride which took us through the old workshops and sand loaders that used to be fully active 50 years ago. We ventured past and onto the Norfolk Southern tracks and then headed back. The coach was a delightfully kept NS railcar and dated to the 1940s or 1950s. We took the option of exiting at the Roundhouse and Turntable. Now the day really took off! Off we went to visit every single locomotive and railcar in the roundhouse. Next we went from building to building checking out trains, locomotives in restoration, planes, and automobiles. The museum is huge and you should plan a 3-hour visit with the train ride if you are fast, and plan for 5 hours with younger children. read more

This has become a holiday tradition. They begin the ride with reenactments from the movie. Then the conductor explains, 'All aboard' as the families load the train. They serve hot chocolate and cookies aboard the ride while singing Christmas favorites and reading from The Polar Express book. Once we arrived at the North Pole, we witnessed Santa giving out the first gift of Christmas. Then we board the train again and are visited by a special visitor who gives each child their very own first gift of Christmas. After you exit the train, there are opportunities to take pictures with Santa and buy novelties to take home. We use this time to get ourselves in the Christmas Spirit. If you can, be sure to get a table as it provides a relaxing experience and you get to keep your souvenir mugs. They also pass out a bag with special treats! read more

Excellent place to take the family. Kids of all ages will have a great time! There is much to see, and the history lesson