Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, Tucson: Photos, Reviews & Location

Small museum in a former depot featuring railroad-related artifacts, photos & a 1900 locomotive.

At a glance

#8 of 10 Tourist attractions in Tucson

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.61

0.3 km from the center of Tucson

Rating breakdown

5 ★72%
4 ★18%
3 ★8%
2 ★1%
1 ★1%

414 N Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705

tucsonhistoricdepot.org

(520) 623-2223

Photos of Southern Arizona Transportation Museum (56)

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Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, Tucson – photo 1

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Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, Tucson – photo 12

Quick facts

What is the rating of Southern Arizona Transportation Museum?: Southern Arizona Transportation Museum is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 325 reviews.
How does Southern Arizona Transportation Museum rank in Tucson?: Southern Arizona Transportation Museum is #8 of 10 Tourist attractions in Tucson by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Southern Arizona Transportation Museum located?: 414 N Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 — 0.3 km from the center of Tucson.
How can I contact Southern Arizona Transportation Museum?: Phone: (520) 623-2223 · Website: tucsonhistoricdepot.org

Reviews (8)

Travis Neisen 2024 Mar 27

This place offers lots of history of the Southern Arizona Railroad with several real life accounts and stories from those who had worked on or for the railroad. The gift shop is rather small, but the museum is right next to railroad tracks, a small steam locomotive preserved from the original railroad, and an expensive cafe with diverse menu options. It's definitely aimed for tourists with an interest in Arizona railroads.

Ron Cuevas 2024 Jan 24

A must if you're a train nut. The museum was so informative and well presented. The docent, Valintine, at the locomotive was the best.

Laurie Varecka 2023 Dec 20

We enjoyed the museum! There is a ton of stuff in there - feels like they could use a larger space. Visiting 1673, the old steam engine, was our favorite part. We talked with a couple of people who are working on restoring it, and got to ring the bell! This engine appeared in the 1955 film Oklahoma! and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

shutterbugshea 2023 Nov 28

A very worthwhile stop in Tucson.The museum is excellent and free admission to boot!

T.O. Wildcat 2023 Jul 11

We recently checked out the Southern Arizona transportation museum, we were only able to hang out for a short time but we are definitely going to check out this place again. I had a great conversation with Paul, he shared some great information about the museum and other places to check out trains. It's a small museum But has a lot of information. I highly recommend this place.

GERALD SALCEDO 2022 May 03

This is a really nice quiet place to take in a little railroad history. The museum was really super, nice people really. The train engine was nice and the guide took his time answering questions as to the function of different controls. A really nice trip all in all. Cost is nothing except what you wish to donate. Parking is a little tough.

Samuel Liddicott 2022 Apr 13

Great little museum!

This hidden gem of a museum lies adjacent to the Tucson Amtrak station. Be prepared to see and hear plenty of trains nearby.

The museum is run by volunteers and has a wealth of information. Detailing the history of the railroad in Tucson and Arizona, the museum paints a detailed picture of the railroad story. The amount of detail they include in the information signs is incredible.

Combining a mix of displays, including interactive and audio, the museum will appeal to visitors of most ages. The life stories of people who worked on the railroad made the visit even more interesting and memorable. Plenty of original parts, clocks, and uniforms to name a few.

Parking is good. There are plenty of metered spots right by charging $1 an hour. An hour to an hour and a half is more than enough.

They ask for a $5 donation and it's well worth it.

Vin M 2022 Mar 06

This was an such an incredible gem that we found in Tuscon! If you are even slightly interested in the past, you will love this museum!! It's all about the railroads and the progression of technology such as personal cars, airplanes, and buses that led to the slowing growth of trains in America. My kids loved it! I actually think I didn't spend nearly enough time looking at each of the displays.
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There was so much information, you could spend hours getting through all of the exhibits. If you've never been here where you simply want something fun to do with your children that is educational, you absolutely must pay this museum a visit!
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