Northwest Railway Museum

Contributions during the Give Big 2025 campaign will be accepted in support of continuing work on the Snoqualmie Depot.  Last year, contributions supported the replacement of the decorative shingle roof and period-appropriate gutters.  This year, work efforts will replace the wood platform and restore the dormer windows.  Committed funders for this year's effort include 4Culture ($8,000), Daughters of the American Revolution ($10,000), and individuals just like you!

The Northwest Railway Museum is a dynamic five-mile cultural resource where generations of individuals and families experience the excitement of a working heritage railway while learning about how railways changed all aspects of life for those living and working in King County and the Pacific Northwest.  The railway changed everything, including settlement patterns, the economy, climate, geography, and so much more.

The Museum was incorporated in 1957 as a private non-profit and has a long history in the community. The Museum is the largest in East King County and is physically located on a railway right of way dating from 1889. It spans the political jurisdictions of Snoqualmie, King County, and North Bend, the economies of which rely heavily on the tourism industry; the Northwest Railway Museum is the anchor attraction. The organization has developed a campus and interpretive railway that serves over 218,000 visitors annually and incorporates more than 39,000 square feet of indoor storage, exhibit, and collection care space. The Museum's commitment to operating the heritage railway and museum, with the encouragement and full support of the local government, has meaningfully benefited the tourism-dependent businesses in both communities.  

The Snoqualmie Depot is open seven days a week, year-round, from 10 am to 5 pm. It features free exhibits, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmark. Visitors may access exterior exhibits from dawn to dusk. The heritage (interpretive) railway operates year-round: Saturdays and Sundays, April-December, and Saturdays, January-March, and takes visitors on an 11-mile return trip that includes a visit to the Train Shed Exhibit Hall. The Railway History Campus also operates year-round: open 11 am - 4 pm, Wednesdays through Mondays in the Summer, and four days a week in the off-season.

Historically, railroads impacted everyone living in or visiting King County and Washington State. Visitors come from across Washington State, the Pacific Northwest, the country, Canada, and overseas to participate in our programming. Since the global pandemic, the Museum has opened the Railway History Campus year-round, introducing more free and reduced admission programming, and doubled the professional staff to support programs for diverse audiences. 

The Museum has a new free program for local toddlers and their families. The Story Time program has been enormously successful and is offered very other Wednesday. The Museum has 20-40 people who attend the program and visit the Campus. This has allowed the Museum to better connect with local families and provide needed programming in our community for children who have not yet started formal schooling. 

Day Out With Thomas is the Museum's largest summer program.  Each July, more than 15,000 visitors visit the Museum and experience a variety of age-appropriate activities and experiences. This program has been offered annually since 2002 and is the only event of its type in the Pacific Northwest.

Santa Train is the Museum's largest annual event, hosted weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This annual holiday event is offered in two different formats and in 2024 served more than 15,000 guests.

Over the last 5 years, the Museum has partnered with several high schools to provide internships to under-served students. The Museum is most proud of partnerships with Two Rivers School, the local alternative school just down the street that serves middle and high school students who need an alternative to traditional public school learning programs. The Museum has hosted interns in the conservation and restoration workshop, library and archives, gift shop, and running trades train operation program. This spring, the Museum received an award from Two Rivers School for hosting more interns than any other community organization in the prior five years. This program has been rewarding, having students learn from real-life job experiences and creating mentorships between staff and young adults. One of our interns, who was with us for two years' worth of internships, has recently joined the staff as a seasonal employee. 

The many museum programs cost more than $1.8 million annually. This would not be possible without the support of donors like you. Please consider donating to our Annual Fund.