This is a great museum for history buffs and train enthusiasts. The center piece is the Ferdinand Magellan presidential armored train. I highly recommend taking the tour inside for an additional $10/pp. Don’t forget to visit the model trains all the way in the back building outside! Also, as soon as you walk in the gift shop make a left as there’s a small museum on the history of the land the museum occupies. It used to be Naval Air Station Richmond, an airship base during WWII. They do a great job showing old photographs. You can even see remnants of the hanger outside the museum. Staff is great as was the person who gave our tour inside the presidential car.

We had a great time at the museum. We held my son 4th birthday party here and it was a great setup. He loves trains and was fascinated with seeing the real thing, and even got ride on a smaller train. I highly recommend visiting.

Staff is outstanding. Pretty cool train museum. It would be nice if they had some signs telling you move of the history. It’s a bit difficult to know what you are looking at. But it has appeal for adults and children. They also have the train that President Rosevelt used. One of the trains is pretty musty and has mildew. But we’ll worth a visit and right next to the zoo so you can do both.

Great experience! This is an authentic small treasure, not a lot of people know this museum and I think that is a very interesting and fun place. They have many trains from different years and with different histories, including the President of the United States train to military hospitals… all of them with a unique concept and history. This is an inexpensive attraction with to much to offer, it is just next to the Zoo and the entire family will enjoy it.

Great place to take the family. A lot of history to read and enjoy. They have small train ride for kids and a building with toy and model trains for kids to play with. Looking forward to going back again.

TL;DR — if you’re expecting a Smithsonian experience, your expectations are too high. My 4 and 6 year old had fun — and I do anticipate we’ll be back. This museum is funded and maintained locally — with this in mind, what they’ve achieved is nothing short of astounding. And if you’re zoo members, come support this place. Having been to several community-funded museums in the past, I knew what to expect and I was truly impressed. It takes a lot of work and funding to open a museum, let alone maintain it. Are the trains old? Yes. Would they benefit from restoration? Absolutely. But they need funding. Reading through some of the negative reviews, I could see how someone expecting to be wowed (without a genuine interest or knowledge base in trains or history) would be disappointed. But if you love engineering, or have a passion for history, there’s lots to love and discover. In fact, I highly encourage you bring that one nerdy friend who grew up with Thomas with you. You know the one. Half the fun will be seeing the light in their eyes!

I visited on October 26th. Early afternoon. Admission for military ID holders is free. Thank you so much! There were several track lines of nicely placarded train cars and engines. They were setting up for Halloween so that was fun too. I spent maybe an hour here and enjoyed my visit. It was very informative and lots of history comes from here. I recommend it.

If you're fascinated by American history on trains and old cars from the early 1900's this place would be perfect for you to visit. There's a Presidential train, US army hospital car, a California Zephyr (this was my favorite actually) and also an Atlantic coast caboose to the back. Inside the trains there's some of the equipment that was used back then on display and from the lounge cars, the bathrooms to the dining area everything looks and feels like the 1900's (not that i would know😅). A small entrance fee of $8 per adult were charged, kids 2-12 years is $6 and children under 2 years old is free but the general admission every first Saturday of the month is FREE! There was also a train ride we went on for $5 per person, wasn't much to see on that, the ride is basically a loop around the back field. Souvenirs can also be purchased at the front. The visit can be done in an hour but i do recommend this place!

Great experience, is a small setting but a lot of history in it. Definitely well worth the trip. On this occasion it was even better because there was an Antique Auto Show which made it the best weekend so far. It is a great place to be visited with all family members, including the grandparents.

A HIDDEN GEM! This was truly the best and most fun experience I’ve had in a museum in a very long time. The staff is very welcoming and the Train Master is the absolute best - he gave us a tour of the presidential car which was very informative and fun. We spent 4 hours and definitely needed more to explore it. Here you can: 1. Discover railroad and military history through the various installations inside the visitor entrance and throughout the space. 2. Purchase different souvenirs ranging from pins to actual train models (!!). 3. Eat and drink at the little shop. 4. Go inside any train that’s open and explore the history of that train and those years. 5. Purchase a ticket for a 10min small train ride ($5 p/person) for you and the kiddos. 6. Purchase a ticket for a tour of the Presidential car (US Car 1, made for Roosevelt and used by various other presidents. It is a national historic landmark). $5 p/person. 7. Take lots of pictures and learn about Henry Flagler’s development and advancement of the tracks through South Florida. Ask lots of questions and have fun! Bring the kids, friends and family members. It’s a great museum!

Whether you are a train enthusiast or just a casual fan, then this is a great museum to visit. The museum has several amazing engines from nasa along several train cars that were involved with the space shuttle. They also have several caboose cars in restored condition you can look in. One of the coolest historic cars they have is Harry Truman's presidential rail car. The main trains which are on the museum logo are in the rail yard and needs of some tlc. There is a large building with several model railroads displays. If you have read this review this far, I would encourage you to visit the museum and tell a friend to visit as well. And in turn, ask them to tell a friend or two. This is a piece of history that needs to be preserved and has been struggling since the last hurricane. Use the power of social media to spread the word and see if we can save this process of Florida and rail history.

Take advantage of the free day they host once a month, but pay for the train ride to fully enjoy the experience! If you have train lovers, this is the place for you! Seasonally, they host events. We loved the Polar Express (I blured kids out of the pics for privacy). Also, right next to the railway is Zoo Miami, so you can do both if you're up for a lot of walking 😉 See more fun ideas for Traveling with Kids in florida on Instagram @kidsinflorida

Small, yet very cool. We came with a $13 Groupon for four people, which was an absolute steal. This place is awesome for history fans and kids. I did find that my 4 year old got a little bored after an hour. The trains look very cool, and the energy inside them really transports you to the early 1900s. If you've never been, it's definitely worth seeing.

We've heard of this train museum while we where searching for places for some sight seeing, spend a day and i really love it. I think the museum has alot of potential that's not being tapped yet and it can be a museum that gather around alot of historians if it can have some funds from the goverment or state so it can boom. I really enjoyed entering all the trains that were available to enter for free and it feel like going back in time. The Zephyr train was one of my favorite because of how big it. Also loved seeing the Pullman train from the outside(Since we didnt for it because its a paid trip inside the carriage) and seeing the museum with the menu that President at the time ate. Its like things that we never know until this museum has it and i think the potential for this museum can evolve. Its very well hidden spot, close to the Miami Zoo, which surprised me because i have been to the Miami Zoo and i didnt know about the museum. A wonderful time overall. Seeing all those trains that extend along the tracks on the other side was amazing. People have money shots in that place to make a series or movies.

Beautiful and historic place. I really felt like traveling through time.

It’s a peaceful place, if you like or your kids likes the trains as much as mine they will love this place. A lot of old historical trains, kids toy’s trains area and a small train ride every hour.

Even if your here for the trains, the tours, or being a railway fanatic. Gold Coast Railway Museum is the place for you. Me personally, it was me being obsessed with Thomas and Friends as a kid. Watching nearly every season of that iconic railway show. I never really had a chance to visit the museum, but 10 years later im now joining the crew as a volunteer excited to help around the place. If you love railways, trains, or want to go somewhere affordable and interesting Gold Coast is your next stop!

We loved it. It’s small but a cool spot to go to they have specials so look out for them. A sandbox for kids to play and bounce house. In the back a kids section to play. All different trains from different time frames. Rides for train get them early as they fill up.

Not so good - a little bit old fashioned & no WIFI... 4 train lovers must anyway... :) Please take more care and make something new - you have amazing things here. History meets new time. Why do you need 5 cashiers? :) ;) Tx and cheers

The place has all the potential to be a wonderful place to take your family for a nice weekend, Park Day... Trains are beautiful, they tells you the history, etc.. but the museum needs some love, some improvements!

Museum is great- but some stuff inside of it want same extra money for taking pictures on my phone….😡 not any sign like NO TAKING PICTURES or something about foto-fee. 😡 looks some kind type of scum….. try to stay away of that personal- and enjoy the exhibits 😄🌺

My first and favorite rail road museum. I encourage you to purchase admission, go on both train rides and visit the thomas train display room in the back. Also, donate, volunteer, host a day time/evening event, have a photoshoot and purchase a membership for your family. Spread the word!!! This hidden gem deserves more attention and support. It's great for a day out, photoshoot, an event and my all time favorites which I await arrival "Thomas the train" (usually in March) and hopefully the Polar Express in December. Your support by telling others, taking/posting pictures, buying memberships, donating and volunteering can really give this Railroad museum the attention it deserves. P.S. - When you purchase the Engineer Membership you get discounts on merchandise, events at the museum and 20% off Zoo Miami Membership! Sign up and visit asap 💟

The place a couple of trains that you can walk inside and see how the trains how they looked back in the day. They have areas where you can have lunch so bring your own. The most fun thing is the train ride and the toy train set tables for kids.

Caprese sandwich was the best one I have ever had!! This museum is so unique, truly something for all ages! Thursday they even have 21+ nights to sip cocktails and enjoy the wonders this place has to offer from the insane indoor rainforest to the shark exhibit to the aquarium, living roof & planetarium to name just a few.

This is quite a humble museum, is it Frost or Zoo standards, no, but you can tell people are doing what they can to preserve this history. It’s worth minimum one visit, to experience the different types of cars. I wish they didn’t charge additional fees for the particularly interesting things. I feel they would get more general admission if they didn’t. However, for families with little kids, there was more to do than I was expecting, and my almost 3 yr old didn’t want to leave, and was still asking to return. As a history enthusiast myself, and my mechanical minded husband enjoyed seeing the history, while keeping the little one busy.

This is a great railroad museum with very interesting pieces of railroad history. It was a little hot outside, but I really appreciate the museum putting in air conditioning on some of the display cars, as you can walk through them. The train ride is also fun where you get to see more rail cars and enjoy the breeze as the train rolls along. Staff was very friendly to the National Railway Historical Society convention goers. Train lovers of all ages should experience this museum.

Cool place with interactive exhibits and rail cars. Cool to see and it makes you feel like you’re in the past.