Since our founding in 1944, the museum and staff have worked to curate the largest collection of its kind in the world. Today, our mission is to be the leader in protecting and interpreting North America’s transportation heritage.
Since our founding in 1944, the museum and staff have worked to curate the largest collection of its kind in the world. Today, our mission is to be the leader in protecting and interpreting North America’s transportation heritage.
National Museum of Transportation Announces “Feature Fridays” Series for May and June
Kirkwood, MO — The National Museum of Transportation invites visitors to take a deeper dive into history with its upcoming “Feature Fridays” series, held throughout May and June.
Each Friday at 11:00 a.m., Museum guests can gather at a designated artifact for an engaging, in-depth presentation highlighting its history, significance, and the stories behind it. From legendary locomotives to unique transportation artifacts, Feature Fridays offer a closer look at some of the Museum’s most fascinating pieces.
All Feature Friday programs are included with regular Museum admission.
Feature Fridays Schedule:
May 1 – Norfolk & Western #2156
May 8 – Delaware, Lackawanna & Western #952
May 15 – SS Admiral
May 22 – Alco MRS1
May 29 – The Aleutian Passenger Car
June 5 – B&O 50
June 12 – Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific E-2
June 19 – Burlington Silver Charger
Located at 2933 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, MO, the National Museum of Transportation has been recognized as one of the Top Five Open Air Museums in the nation for two consecutive years in the USA Today Readers’ Choice Poll.
For more information about the Museum and its programs, visit www.tnmot.org.
National Museum of Transportation to Host All-Porsche Car Show
Kirkwood, MO — The National Museum of Transportation invites car enthusiasts and the general public to attend a special All-Porsche Car Show on Sunday, April 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
Celebrating the timeless appeal of Porsche, the event will showcase a stunning lineup of vehicles known for their classic design, high performance, and engineering excellence. Visitors will have the opportunity to view these iconic automobiles up close and connect with fellow enthusiasts in a unique museum setting.
Whether you’re a longtime Porsche fan or simply appreciate exceptional automotive craftsmanship, this event offers a memorable experience for all ages.
The All-Porsche Car Show is included with regular Museum admission, making it an accessible and exciting addition to a visit.
Located at 2933 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, MO, the National Museum of Transportation has been recognized as one of the Top Five Outdoor Museums in the nation for two consecutive years in the USA Today Readers’ Choice Poll.
For more information about the Museum and upcoming events, visit www.tnmot.org.
National Museum of Transportation Joins Route 66 Centennial Trading Card Program
Kirkwood, MO — The National Museum of Transportation is proud to announce its participation in the Route 66 Trading Card Program, part of the nationwide celebration of the upcoming 100th Anniversary of Historic Route 66 in 2026.
Route 66 Trading Cards are collectible keepsakes that highlight iconic landmarks and destinations along the legendary highway stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica. Designed to encourage exploration and storytelling, the cards offer visitors a fun way to create memories, celebrate the road’s rich history, and support the communities that keep Route 66 vibrant.
The initiative is led by the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing Route 66 as both a treasured national icon and an international destination. Proceeds from card sales directly support these efforts, as well as the small businesses, museums, and nonprofits that participate in the program.
The National Museum of Transportation is especially honored to be the only tourist attraction in the St. Louis area participating in the program. The Museum’s exclusive card features Bobby Darin’s “Dream Car,” a one-of-a-kind custom vehicle designed by Andrew Di Dia and donated to the Museum in 1970. The car remains one of the Museum’s most distinctive and popular artifacts.
Trading cards are available for purchase at the Museum for $1 each.
Located at 2933 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122, the National Museum of Transportation is open daily through Labor Day, with fall hours beginning thereafter.
The National Museum of Transportation is pleased to present our A Museum on the MovePodcast sharing transportation history.
Step into the stories behind America’s greatest machines in A Museum On the Move, a TNMOT podcast, where aviation, railroading, automotive innovation, and trolley travel come alive. Discover the exceptional collection of planes, trains, automobiles—and trolleys, too—through expert insights, history, and behind-the-scenes tales from one of the nation’s premier transportation museums.
Insects, particularly larger bees. do pollinate some daffodils, especially species with open, accessible, and scented blooms, such as Narcissus poeticus. Here at The National Museum of Transportation our daffodils are in full bloom, signaling the start of our pollinator season and beautiful (and fun) parks. If you or or someone you know needs a quiet, comforting place to enjoy, our Missouri natives pollinator park area is just the right size and vibe. In the past we have had hidden decorated rocks for children to hunt and then rehide for other guests to find.
While many hybrid daffodils are cultivated and rarely produce seed, they can be pollinated by long-tongued bees, butterflies, and moths that visit for pollen or nectar.
Key Details on Daffodil Pollination:
Primary Pollinators: Bumblebees, honeybees, and various moths are the main visitors.
Challenges: Many modern hybrids have little nectar or pollen, and their deep, tubular shape can make it difficult for short-tongued insects to reach the resources.
Methods: While they can be pollinated by insects or wind, daffodils often reproduce primarily through bulb division (asexual cloning) rather than seeds.
Pollinator Interaction: In some cases, pollinators only visit to collect pollen from the anthers.
For the best results in supporting local pollinators, it is recommended to plant wild or heirloom types of daffodils.
Why can’t you put daffodils with other flowers? They are toxic as a neighbor: For cut flowers, never mix daffodils with others in a vase as their sap kills other blooms; so never put daffodils in a vase with other flowers (in particular, tulips) since their sap (which is toxic to other plants) can cause the other plants to wilt prematurely. You should avoid planting daffodils with edible plants like onions, garlic, potatoes, and tomatoes, due to their toxicity and to prevent confusing bulbs during harvest. Also, keep them away from tulips and hyacinths (heavy nutrient competition), shallow-rooted trees (root competition), and tall, dense perennials (shading).
When to cut down daffodil stalks? If you want your daffodils to bloom again, it’s best to let the leaves turn yellow or brown before tying or cutting them back. Though you may be tempted to cut down those unsightly clumps of decaying leaves, waiting until the leaves die back ensures that the bulb has stored enough energy to flower next spring.
Wearing multiple hats while pursuing his academics at the National Museum of Transportation
As one of the young guns in preservation, 21-year-old Aiden Drohr wears multiple hats while pursuing his academics at the National Museum of Transportation. Aiden Drohr photo
At the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Aiden Drohr wears multiple hats. He serves as an exhibit tour guide and an operator of the 2-foot gauge railroad. The 42-acre facility also hosts the 21-year-old’s internship as he pursues his academics in history and museum studies.
How did you get involved in rail preservation?
Aiden Drohr: I’ve been visiting the Museum of Transportation since I was 3 years old, and made it a point to go out there two to four times a year, roughly.
When I was a junior in high school, I needed service hours, and one of the ways to obtain them was to do a job shadow. I reached out to the museum at that time, asked if I could shadow some of the people who work there, and they reached back out and said, “Absolutely.” So that day, I shadowed the executive director, the curator of collections, and the people who worked in the archives. That was an amazing experience altogether.
Fast forward to about a year or so later, I reached out to them again, asking if they had any open positions for a tour guide. I just so happened to be in the right place at the right time. And so I’ve been working at the museum since the summer of 2022.
As a young preservationist, what have you found to be the most challenging aspects in the industry?
Aiden Drohr: I say on a personal level, at least, and this is just my experience with the museum, I haven’t found anything to be super challenging. Everybody here is incredibly friendly and open. They always wanted to share information with you and how something is supposed to work. So, on a personal level, I’ve not experienced anything too challenging.
But on a grandiose scale, and this is also with the Museum of Transportation, funding is always a challenge. This is a thing across the board with rail museums and rail preservation in general is getting funding for projects, and also finding the people to do those projects. I know we have a few projects that have slowed down by a lack of people who can work on that kind of stuff. But it’s definitely the funding aspect of getting money and grants. I haven’t really dug into the weeds of this quite yet, but I’ve definitely touched on the learning aspects of how to obtain grants, how to go after donations, and how to get funding.
What’s been the most rewarding for you so far?
Aiden Drohr: I’d say probably one of the most rewarding things is just seeing people’s reactions to the collection, especially their positive reactions. At the museum, we have a series of special talks called Feature Fridays. They usually take place in early summer, about May, and all the tour guides are allowed to pick a certain artifact to do in-depth research and give a presentation. I’ve done a number of these talks, in addition to giving people a tour around the locomotives while highlighting the different mechanical aspects and history. Just seeing the way people react to stuff like that, I’d say is the most rewarding thing for me.
Where do you see rail preservation as it is today and what do you hope it’ll become for the future?
Aiden Drohr: I’d say today, rail preservation is in a pretty good spot. I try to keep up to date on all other kinds of rail museums and see what projects they’re doing, and almost every time I look at something, it’s like either someone’s announcing a new project or they’re giving an update on an ongoing project. From what I can see, things look pretty good.
As for the future, I hope that we can keep this momentum going, and maybe someday see Class Is get more friendly towards excursions again. But I think as long as we can keep this momentum right now going, I think rail preservation will be in a pretty good spot in the future.
What advice would you give for any young person looking to get involved in the industry?
Aiden Drohr: I’d say go to your local railroad museum and railroad club. Get involved in some way, shape, or form. Be like, “I’m here. Put me to work.” Then if anyone would want to pursue it for a career, I say get a plan and try to stick to it as best as possible.
But don’t go too fast. Weigh your options, because for me, originally my plan was to go to community college for two years, and then get a job with a Class I railroad. But after I started working at the museum, I really didn’t want to leave. So definitely don’t go too fast, and weigh out your options if it’s a good fit.
