The Minnesota Transportation Museum operates out of the Jackson Street Roundhouse, a 1907 Great Northern Railway repair shop on Pennsylvania Avenue East, just north of downtown St Paul. Rail fans, history lovers, and families come here to see working-era locomotives, cabooses, and vintage buses inside one of the oldest railroad buildings in the Twin Cities.
The brick roundhouse is the main exhibit. Its stalls fan out around a functioning turntable, and volunteer crews still restore equipment on site. Visitors can climb into locomotive cabs, walk through passenger and business cars, and step aboard restored transit buses that once ran Twin Cities routes. Exhibits trace how James J. Hill’s railroads and later bus networks shaped Minnesota’s growth. Kids gravitate to the hands-on displays, the model railroad layouts, and the short caboose rides offered on many operating days. The museum also runs the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway, an excursion line based in Osceola, Wisconsin.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The museum keeps limited, seasonal hours, often centered on Saturdays, so check the official MTM website before you go. Arrive at opening for the quietest cab tours, and expect larger crowds during holiday events and special train days, which can require advance tickets. Free on-site parking is usually available. Plan about two hours, and pair the visit with downtown St Paul or a fall excursion ride along the St. Croix River.
