The Museum is located just east of Golden, Colorado, at a point where Clear Creek flows between North and South Table Mountains. Display tracks, complete with rare three-way stub switches and century-old switch stands, hold many historic narrow and standard gauge locomotives and cars. The Museum building, based in exterior design on standard station construction of the 1880s, houses the largest known collection of historic records, mementos, artifacts, and pictures of Colorado railroads.
The Museum grounds contain three main buildings: the actual Museum and gift shop, the Robert W. Richardson Library, and the Cornelius W. Hauck Restoration Facility, better known as the Roundhouse. There are approximately 15 acres of grounds, which contain the buildings, locomotives, and rolling stock.
The actual Museum building contains the gift store, offices. There is also an art gallery between the upper and lower levels. We have original art by Otto Kuhler, Howard Fogg, Ted Rose and other artists. Also shown is original photographs from such noted pioneer photographers as William Henry Jackson, Louis Charles McClure, and George Beam, to name a few.
In the late 1940s when Colorado’s narrow gauge railroad companies started going out of business, Robert W. Richardson began collecting rolling stock, railway records, and other pieces of equipment in an effort to preserve Colorado history. Bob’s collection quickly outgrew the available space at his Museum in Alamosa, Colorado and in 1958, with the help of his friend Cornelius Hauck, Richardson moved the Museum to Golden, Colorado.
Once in Golden, Richardson built a replica narrow gauge railroad station to serve as the main Museum building. With the help of volunteers he started laying track for 50 pieces of equipment and built a motel to help fund the Museum. The Iron Horse Motel was originally located where the roundhouse now sits.
Although Museum founder Bob Richardson retired in 1991, his legacy was just starting to grow. Recognizing the need to invest in infrastructure, the Board of Trustees started taking major financial steps to improve and expand the Museum. After hiring permanent full-time staff, the Museum built the Robert W. Richardson Railroad library in 1997, finished the track loop in 1999 and completed the roundhouse and turntable in 2000.
The Museum has experienced many positive changes since 2000. Interpretive signs have been installed around the property, the downstairs of the Museum has been remodeled into a temporary exhibit venue, restoration efforts continue at a renewed pace and the Museum continues to add historic pieces to its collection.
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars
Appointment required: False
Gift Shop
Online Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours