The B&O Railroad museum readies for bicentennial with new exhibits, restored landmarks and year-round celebrations.
By Madelyn Bugai
Railroading turns 200 years old in 2027. As time steadily chugs along into this momentous birthday, the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum has announced its Campus Transformation Plan. The new campus will establish an Innovation Hall, feature a free community garden and amphitheater, restore the oldest continuously operating railroad repair facility in the nation, and reconfigure the museum’s campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore to catalyze economic development.
As mile after mile of the railroad was built, the B&O carried innovation, technology and culture across America. The identity of America is intrinsically tied to the development of the railroad, with much of it deriving from the rapid economic and cultural evolution that the railroad brought.
As the B&O’s birthday approaches, celebrate the bicentennial of railroading in Maryland by exploring the new B&O museum, attending celebratory events and learning about railroading history. While the B&O has some special events and updates planned for 2027, Maryland offers a one-of-a-kind learning experience about railroading history in America year-round.
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The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad’s Vital Role in Shaping America
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, named after its start and end points, began chartering in 1827. It operated as the nation’s first common carrier, meaning it accepted all freight and passengers as long as they paid the fare. The B&O developed countless innovations over the past two centuries that laid the foundation for modern locomotive transportation. For example, the B&O was the first railway to have a railroad telegraph system, one of the first to adopt iron rails instead of wooden ones and one of the first to convert from steam to diesel-electric locomotives.
Key Components to The Campus Transformation Plan
The Campus Transformation Plan for 2027 continues the railway’s historical economic impacts by updating the museum in ways that will revitalize the surrounding area and, in turn, increase economic activity and cultural engagement.
Innovation Hall: This hall will use interactive exhibits to highlight the present and future of railroading technology. This addition will add to the B&O’s existing exhibitions that explore the history of railroading in the 19th and 20th centuries.
After exploring the new Innovation Hall, make sure to visit the other exhibits that dive into the history of railroading. These exhibitions focus on key events in history, such as the evolution of locomotives, how railroading played a role in the underground railroad and segregation, and its impact on both the Civil War and World War II.
South Car Works: One of oldest surviving railroad-related structures in the United States, the South Car Works is a historic, industrial building that was used as a repair facility for the B&O. The Campus Transformation Plan intends to restore the old building and highlight the South Car Works’ significance by transforming it into the new entrance of the museum. This entrance shift will position the museum towards the Pigtown neighborhood, linking the museum with the Southwest Baltimore community.
Amphitheater & Garden: Preceding the new entrance will feature a new amphitheater and garden, known as the CSX Bicentennial Garden. A tiered tree-lined terrace will provide a vibrant free community space to enjoy concerts, movie nights or picnics.
Archival Space: The Museum’s nationally significant archival collection—with over 30 million documents—will be relocated and placed on public view. This will create better access for researchers and students to study the collections.
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Other Maryland attractions
Aside from visiting the museum, here are other great local options for groups:
Evergreen Mansion
This exquisite mansion, surrounded by 26 acres of manicured grounds, showcases the collection of the Garrett family, the wealthy Maryland clan whose patriarch, John W. Garrett, was president of the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Company. The Garretts’ world-class collection includes Tiffany art glass, post-impressionist paintings and Asian decorative arts.
Hotel Monaco
Residing in one of Baltimore’s grandest buildings, the former headquarters of the B&O Railroad was built in 1906. The Beaux Arts-style structure is now a hotel, where you will enjoy lunch at the B&O American Brasserie. The hotel can serve lunch for groups.
Irish Shrine and Railroad Workers Museum
See another side of the B&O story that pays homage to the workers who helped build the B&O. These two restored 1840s row homes faithfully recreate a typical Irish railroad worker’s home. Limited hours, but groups can be scheduled.
Baltimore Civil War Museum
This museum is housed in one of the oldest train stations in the nation. In 1861, after a northern militia arrived at President Street Station and traveled along Pratt Street towards the B&O’s Camden Station, an angry mob of Southern sympathizers attacked it. Four soldiers and 12 Baltimore citizens lay dead in the street.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
The warehouse building was once a warehouse to the train yard and is now a part of one of baseball’s most beautiful ballparks.
Thomas Viaduct Railroad Bridge (Elkridge)
Opened in 1835, the Thomas Viaduct was the first multiple-arch, stone railroad viaduct in the U.S. The viaduct is composed of eight arches each with a clear span of about 58 feet. The viaduct has an overall length of 614 feet and a height of about 60 feet above the Patapsco River.
The Trolley Stop (Ellicott City)
This stop serves superior food in a casual atmosphere, inside a historic building that will add charm to your dining experience. The stone building, erected in 1833, began as a tavern and Country Inn and in later years became a general store and boarding house, and then returned to a tavern. The name came from Trolley #14 car (1889-1927) and the #9 car (1927-1955) that stopped outside the second-floor dining room.
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