Railway Coastal Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2003 |
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| Location | 495 Water Street St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1E 6B5 |
| Type | Railway museum |
The Railway Coastal Museum is a cool place to visit in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It's a museum about trains and boats! You can find it in the old Newfoundland Railway building on Water Street. Inside, you'll discover lots of exhibits. They show the history of the Newfoundland Railway and how people traveled by water along the coast.
This special building became a National Historic Site in 1988. This means it's an important place that helps us remember the big role the Newfoundland Railway played. The railway was very important for how people lived, worked, and even how the government ran things in the province. In 1990, it was also named a Heritage Railway Station.
The museum has 40 different exhibits. These exhibits have artwork and displays. They show the history of the old railway lines in Newfoundland and Labrador. You can also explore a virtual museum online.
Contents
About the Museum
How the Museum Started
The Railway Coastal Museum first opened its doors in 2003. It received money from the Johnson Family Foundation to get started. Later, the foundation gave the museum to the City of St. John's. This made it a city-run attraction.
Mile Zero and Changes
The museum is also famous for being "Mile Zero" of the Trans-Canada Trail. This trail is a huge network of paths across Canada. In 2020, the City of St. John's announced the museum would close. This was due to budget cuts. However, in 2021, good news arrived! The Genesis Coworking Centre bought the museum. This center is connected to the Memorial University's Genesis Centre. The museum continues to operate seasonally.
Trains and Tracks Today
The Newfoundland Railway is no longer running. Because of this, the museum building is not connected to any train tracks anymore. All the old tracks were removed. The metal rails were used for other things. The museum does not have any actual train cars on display. This is because new buildings now surround the museum.
Other Places with Railway History
Even though the museum doesn't have train cars, you can find them in other places on the island. Here are some towns where you can see old railway cars or stations:
- Port aux Basques - You can find old train cars and a station here.
- Corner Brook - There are train cars at the Railway Society Of Newfoundland.
- Bishop's Falls - This town also has some old train cars.
- Carbonear - There is a museum here related to the railway.
- Avondale - Part of the old track is used for trolleys.
- Trinity Train Loop (Trinity) - This spot has a working section of track and a museum.
- Lewisporte - You can see train cars in Lewisporte.
- Whitbourne - This town has an old railway station.
See Also
