THE National Railway Museum in the UK is to undergo a huge multi-million revamp.
Thanks to an investment of £15million, the free attraction will be updated in the hope of becoming a “reinvented, inspiring 21st-century attraction”.
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The museum in York has been open since 1975, housing locomotives over 100 trains such as the Duchess of Hamilton, the Flying Scotsman and Japanese bullet train, Shinkansen.
They get over 700,000 visitors each year, entry is completely free and they’ve been named as one of Europe’s best attractions.
In the 2022 Travellers’ Choice “Best of the Best” Things to Do Awards across the world, York’s National Railway Museum came in at number 8.
And visitors it’s been hailed as the “best train museum in the world” with another saying it’s a “must-see” in York, even if you’re not a train enthusiast.
But with years of footfall, a few areas are in need of a makeover and so they’ve been given a huge investment from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Some of the £15million will be used to maintain the current exhibitions as well as go towards “plans for growth”.
The ‘masterplan’ from the National Railway Museum states they will improve both the York museum and its sister site Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham.
The National Railway Museum says it hopes to inspire the next generation with railways of “past, present and future”.
It’s not the first time that the National Railway Museum has received funding, as they were given an investment of £18.6million in 2019.
As a result, Station Hall has been closed since 2023 while undergoing repairs to the roof and redecoration.
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Station Hall is one of the biggest sites in the museum and was once home to York’s main goods station and was a working railway building from the 1870s to the 1960s.
It will re-open to the public in September 2025, in time for the National Railway Museum’s 50th birthday celebrations.
The 50th birthday of the museum also coincides with 200 years of modern railway, so the museum is gearing up some special exhibits and events to celebrate.
Along with the re-opening of Station Hall, there are other highlights like ‘Railway Firsts’, a brand-new exhibition on display at both the National Railway Museum and sister museum Locomotion in County Durham, which opened on February 8.
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The shortlisted entries to the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition will be on display from June through to December.
The competition theme is ‘Railway 200’ with prizes on offer.
On the weekend 27-28 September, there’s a chance for rail enthusiasts to go behind-the-scenes with visitors able to access areas of the museum that have previously gone unseen by the public.
Craig Bentley, who became Interim Director of the National Railway Museum in January, said: “I can’t think of a better 50th birthday present than a restored and revitalised Station Hall.
“I know how keen our visitors are to see the results of our hard work inside the space—with plenty of surprises still to reveal as we approach the reopening.”
Read more on the 200 year history of train travel from cheap trucks to First Class meals.
And more information on the Museum Depot that will open later this year.
Three top attractions to see on a trip to York
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Along with the National Railway Museum, here are the top places to visit in York...
York is home to the world’s first official ghost walk, called the Original Ghost Walk of York. Established in 1973, the haunted walks start at the King’s Arms Pub and last around 90 minutes. Tours start at 8pm and cost £10 for a full-paying adult and £6 for children.
York’s Chocolate Story tells the story of the Rowntree’s factory that was founded in York in 1862. The guided tour takes guests through the timeline of chocolate, from its start in Mexico up to the 21st century, while also letting you sample favourites like Aero and Kit Kat.
Y Old Starre Inne, built in 1644, is possibly the city’s oldest public house, and it was used as a hospital during the Civil War, but these days you can head there for classics like steak and ale pie, chicken kiev and fish and chips.
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