The B&O Railroad Museum unveiled its new name on Tuesday, rebranding as a destination for visitors to learn about the role of trains across the country and throughout history.
Now known as the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, the institution is “honoring our roots as the birthplace of American railroading” and serving as a place where people can “discover the past, the present, and the possible,” according to the museum’s website.
In addition to a new name, the museum also launched a new logo and visual identity.
The nation will mark the 200th anniversary of American railroading in 2027.
“Nearly 200 years ago, a bold vision launched from this very place transformed our nation,” said Kris Hoellen, executive director of the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, in a statement. “As we prepare to commemorate the bicentennial of American railroading, we are embracing a name that reflects both our responsibility to preserve one of America’s greatest transportation stories and our commitment to exploring where rail transportation is headed next.”
The museum’s $38 million campus expansion will culminate in the opening of its new Innovation Hall in January 2027, teaching visitors about various innovations in railroading. The hall will be located on the top floor of the South Car Works building, where it will showcase interactive exhibits about present and future of railroading technology.
The expansion will also include new visitor experiences, expanded gathering spaces, an outdoor amphitheater. It will also provide public access to more than 30 million documents in the museum’s railroad archives for the first time in the institution’s history.
“This announcement represents a defining moment for one of our nation’s most significant cultural institutions,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. “The birthplace of American railroading has long preserved a story that began in Maryland and transformed America. As the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, it will continue to honor that extraordinary legacy while helping future generations understand rail’s continuing importance to our economy, our communities and our future.”
Steve Angel, president and CEO of CSX, applauded Tuesday’s news.
“As the direct corporate descendant of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, CSX is especially proud to celebrate this historic milestone,” Angel said in a statement. “The B&O lives on today through the railroad industry it helped create. We are proud to support an institution that honors this extraordinary legacy while embracing the innovation that continues to shape rail transportation.”
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad company first opened the museum in 1953, then known as the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum.
It is located in the B&O Railroad’s former Mount Clare Station and roundhouse in southwest Baltimore’s Mount Clare neighborhood.
Mount Clare is considered the birthplace of American railroading because the nation’s first passenger railroad service embarked from Mount Clare to Ellicott Mills, now Ellicott City, in 1830.
“The B&O is not being left behind—it is the foundation upon which the museum’s expanded role as a nationally significant institution is built,” added Hoellen. “With today’s announcement, we celebrate the past, the present and the possibilities of American railroading.”
Hoellen added, “Our story began here. As the birthplace of American railroading, we have a responsibility to preserve that extraordinary legacy, explore how rail continues to shape our lives today, and inspire what is possible for the future. That is the vision behind the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with statements from state, museum, and business leaders.
Love it for the area. Would like to see the scope to someday expand to allow visitors to get close to various rail manufacturing and repair aspects of early railroading.
Personally, I wish they would stop using the name ‘Mount Clare’. It is very confusing for people who may be looking for the 1760 Museum House (where the name comes from) in Carroll Park and an adjacent neighborhood. Most Baltimoreans will continue to call it the B&O.
Recently went to a toddler’s birthday party there. They have separate rooms for doing the lunch/birthday cake thing (bring your own, but staff available), and then everyone gets a “ticket” to get on an actual train which takes you on a little trip through West Baltimore. Afterwards you can tour the roundhouse and see the big boys. I really enjoyed it, even though my kids are grown and children’s birthday parties are typically a little meh for me. Highly recommend it.