The Museum of Fulton County will be celebrating National Train Day on Saturday, May 11 with model train displays, hands-on activities for children, and the All Aboard! exhibit highlighting the history of trains in Fulton County.
“With the opening of our All Aboard! train exhibit we have been hosting a variety of train-themed events at the museum,” shared John Swearingen, Jr., director of the Museum of Fulton County. “It seemed appropriate to join in the National Train Day celebration this year with special model trains running in the lobby, train-themed activities for children, and our amazing train exhibit in the Worthington Gallery.”
Museum guests will certainly be smiling as they watch tiny trains travel around the tracks, through tunnels, and past tiny homes and community buildings. The Swanton Area Model Railroad Club will have at least two train layouts in the lobby including an O-scale trolley layout with moving vehicles and an N-scale layout. Guests of all ages will enjoy looking at these detailed displays and visiting with the train club members. The All Aboard! train exhibit also includes a working model train display representing a typical Fulton County landscape. Children will enjoy climbing into the playhouse switch/watch tower to view the Wabash and New York Central model train display.
While visiting the museum on National Train Day, there will also be some hands-on activities for children and guests will enjoy touring the new All Aboard! train exhibit to explore the history of trains in this region. The interactive exhibit features train and depot artifacts, model trains, and hands-on activities focused on the people who worked on and around the railroad.
“Since 1852, electric trollies, steam, and diesel engines have crisscrossed the county and helped each village to thrive,” Swearingen added. “Our All Aboard! train exhibit shares information about the four railroad company lines that ran through the county including the New York Central, Wabash, Detroit Toledo and Ironton, and the Toledo & Western and Toledo & Indiana electric interurban railroads. We also tell the stories of local people involved with the railroad including passengers, depot employees, and community members.”
This temporary train exhibit features a variety of railroad-themed artifacts from train depots across Fulton County including tools, signals, lanterns, telegraph machines, and uniforms. Other exhibit highlights include a telegraph morse code game, a playhouse switch/watch tower, a monumental-sized storybook about trains, and a toy train set for toddlers to enjoy.
Admission to the National Train Day event is included with a general admission ticket to the museum. Admission to the Museum of Fulton County is only $8 for adults 16 and up, $7 for seniors, and $3 for children ages 6-15. Members and children under 6 are free. The museum also offers free admission to all active-duty military and veterans and offers discounted $1.00 admission to families with a SNAP/EBT card as part of the Museums for All program. A discount is also available to Sauder Village members. Museum of Fulton County memberships are available for purchase online or at the museum.
The Fulton County Museum and Legacy Gift Shop are located at 8848 State Highway 108, across from the Fulton County Fairgrounds. The Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.
To learn more about the National Train Day event, memberships, special events, or how to plan a visit to the Museum of Fulton County call 419-337-7922 or visit museumoffultoncounty.org. Additional information is also available on the museum Facebook and Instagram pages.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 