virginia museum of transportation

Was a little boring for us, as adults. None of the train cars were open to tour. But the children we saw there seemed to enjoy it.

The collection of railroad rollingstock is more than enough reason to visit and that is the major draw. It is rare to see multiple specimens of Superpower Steam all under one roof but here it is. The first and second generation diesel locomotives are also unique to the area. This is a 'transportation' museum thus the inferior modes are also displayed for appreciation and historical context.

We love taking our young children here and the exhibits always seem to have something for them. Some of the trains, vehicles and just the cool building are worth the admission price alone. The exhibit on bus memorabilia is incredibly cool. I would pay just to see that.All that said, the whole experience leaves you thinking the museum is a little in need of a refresh/update in signage and overall interpretation. You are left on you own with no orientation movie like you might expect. The signs are inconsistent with some having too much info to process (antique cars) and some with too little or none (outdoor trains and vehicles). Some inexpensive improvements to signage and a cool 15 min film about the collection and I would have given it 5 stars.Still I highly recommend for the overall collection.

Go and find out how Roanoke was formed. If you are a train buff Roanoke and this have to be on your bucket list. As the last steam driven railroad you will wander past machines of a by gone era.

My kids loved this museum. Lots of hands on stuff about trains and cars! They spent tons of time in the train engine. They loved all of the model trains too. There was a whole room full of antique cars. Be sure to check out the railroad crossing on the outside!

This was such a great stop! They had trains you could walk around, and some on; planes with a 1965 private jet cabin you could get into, cool cars to see (VT's robot car, a DeLaurean, and an electric car from the 30s!); a super fantastic train model. It was well worth the trip and well worth a return trip. My son loved it!

January and freezing cold means no lines and few to bump into inside. I especially enjoyed the car museum part and the old posters and signs. The bus and airplane sections were also very well done. It made me desire more knowledge to better understand the details of trains. An excellent time!

Bring your camera; photographing is allowed and you'll be able to take great photos here. I had no interest in trains UNTIL entering this fabulous museum where I was allowed to climb aboard the real cab of diesel locomotive #15941 and listened to a recording with the actual voices of NS employees, engineers and dispatchers at work in real time. Roaming around on my own, I also learned about the African-American Heritage on the Norfolk & Western, era 1930-1970, with oral histories of the African-American men who worked for the N&W Railway. It was quite educational learning about the working conditions for people of color, in the years before and during the Civil Rights era. At the Wings Over Virginia Aviation Gallery, I explored aviation history and technology and discovered how the industry has changed Virginia and the world, plus the courageous stories of our military and civilian aviation pioneers, and insight on what it's like to be a pilot.Plan on spending at least half a day here and even that won't be enough time to enjoy all the exhibits, including an O-gauge Model Train Layout, including tracks at children's' level; a Model Circus Exhibit on the second floor, the Advance Auto Parts Automotive Gallery with cars and trucks dating back a century, and much, much more.

Saw my first Delorean. Really interesting museum with lots of amazing cars. Also, ships, planes and trains. The trains are huge.

My favorite was the model train layout. The museum also has very interesting exhibits, including a number of vintage steam engines and cars. Definitely worth a visit

Roanoke has a great history as a railroad town and the museum does a nice job of capturing it. Nice collection of trains with the best to come in 2015 when the 611 steam locomotive steams back into Roanoke. Overall a nice collection of rolling stock as well as an automotive exhibit. Free parking and very reasonable entry fee. Should be on the can't miss list for a trip to Roanoke.

Although the train exhibit was covered very well my favorite part of the museum was the cars. Seeing classic cars from various era's was great. They cover all aspects of transportation and how important Roanoke was in the area. Plan on spending a few hours.

Roanoke has been a transportation hub for a long time. Jumping off point to Midwest West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee n Ohio. Lots of great exhibits of our trains througt the last 150 years

Free parking, minimal entry fee and so much to see especially if you like railroad equipment. The N&W 611 and 1218 are there. The 611 is currently away being restored to make it a functional steam locomotive. It will be used for steam excursions upon its return in the spring of 2015.

Wonderful place to learn and reflect on how we move. The trains on display and the train layout inside is reason enough to visit but there are some other exhibits as well. Great for families and anyone wanting to see some pretty cool "things that go."