Tennessee Central Railway Museum

Tennessee Central Railway Museum is a working railway museum that operates on authentic enthusiasm rather than tourist polish — and for families with train-obsessed kids, that authenticity is exactly the point. The museum at 220 Willow St in South Nashville is run by volunteers passionate about railway preservation, and the result is an experience that lets kids get genuinely close to real historic locomotives and passenger cars in a way that professionally managed museums often prevent.

The facility is open Saturdays only, 10am to 2pm for regular walk-through visits. This limited availability is worth planning around because the museum delivers a distinct experience: actual historic locomotives, restored passenger cars, and rail equipment presented by people who genuinely know and love the subject matter. For a 5-year-old who has memorized every Thomas the Tank Engine character, encountering a real steam locomotive is a formative moment.

The standout family experience is the excursion train rides — seasonal and holiday-themed trips on operating historic trains that TCRY runs throughout the year. Christmas trains, fall foliage excursions, Easter trains, and day trips are offered on selected dates and typically sell out well in advance. These excursions provide the full moving train experience — boarding a historic passenger car, hearing the locomotive fire up, watching the Tennessee countryside roll past from a period-appropriate seat — that no static museum exhibit can provide.

Practical notes: The rail yard environment means closed-toe shoes and close supervision are essential. The facility has an outdoor component that is weather-dependent. Admission is donation-based for walk-through visits; excursion train tickets have set pricing. Check tcry.org for the current excursion calendar and book early.