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Trains, History, and Kids: A Family Day at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum

Next to Zoo Miami, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum keeps a piece of American rail history alive, including the presidential car that carried four commanders in chief.

By Nanci Gilbert, PA September 28, 2026
Header image for "Trains, History, and Kids: A Family Day at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum"

On the same road as Zoo Miami, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum tells a quieter story: vintage passenger cars, a working miniature train, and the presidential railcar that carried Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, and Reagan. Founded in 1957 and home to more than 40 historic rail cars, it is the kind of place kids pull their parents through and parents end up enjoying.

The Ferdinand Magellan steals the show

The museum's centerpiece is the Ferdinand Magellan, the armored presidential railcar that carried four American presidents on their cross-country journeys. Walking through the same lounge where Truman and Eisenhower traveled is history at eye level, with no textbook required.

Rides and hands-on fun

Weekends bring rides on the Edwin Link Children's Railroad, a kid-sized train that loops the grounds, and the children's area is stocked with wooden train sets and hands-on activities. For young engineers, the ride is usually the highlight of the visit.

Plan the visit

The museum is at 12450 SW 152nd Street, steps from Zoo Miami. It is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is roughly $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 12, with free entry for children under 2 and military visitors. General admission is free on the first Saturday of each month.

Pair it with a Zoo Miami morning

The two attractions sit next to each other, which makes a full day simple: Zoo Miami in the morning, a train ride in the afternoon, or the reverse. On the free first Saturday, the museum is an easy add-on with nothing extra on the calendar.

A note from Nanci

New residents often ask what to do with visiting grandparents or a free afternoon close to home. The railroad museum is Nanci's answer for the hours between breakfast and dinner: close to home for South Dade families, gentle on the budget, and interesting for three generations at once.

Nanci Gilbert, PA is a South Florida realtor who guides buyers and sellers across Miami-Dade and Broward. Questions about this topic? She answers every message within one business day.