2025 will see the National Railway Museum celebrate its 50th birthday, as well as the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, with a host of exciting exhibitions and events.
The York museum, which opened in 1975, will mark its birthday with a series of exhibitions, events, and a grand reopening.
Station Hall, which has been closed to the public since 2023, will reopen in September following a £10.5m refurbishment project, just in time for the museum’s special birthday weekend on 27-28 September.
The former goods station and Grade II listed building will reopen with refreshed interior decoration and new collection items, alongside returning favourites such as the royal carriages. The building has also received a new roof, fitted with energy-efficient solar panels.
During its birthday weekend on 27-28 September, visitors will have the chance to access behind-the-scenes areas of the museum, previously unseen by the public.
A new-for-2025 exhibition will also launch at both the National Railway Museum and sister museum Locomotion from 8 February.
Railway Firsts will highlight the innovations and unexpected “firsts” that shaped the railways and our history, presented through a series of pop-up displays.
In addition, shortlisted entries to the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition will be on display from June-December at both the National Railway Museum and Locomotion, showcasing the talent and enthusiasm of the next generation.
The Railway 200-themed competition is open for entries to those 25 and under until January 31, with top prizes on offer.
The museum is also launching a new campaign, NRM50, featuring photographs of cherished visits captured on camera by the public over the last five decades. A limited-edition NRM50 range of merchandise will be available to purchase later in the year.
2025 also marks 200 years since the first fare-paying passenger journey on the Stockton and Darlington Line on 27 September 1825 – widely regarded as the birth of the modern railway. The same date was chosen to open the National Railway Museum, the first national museum outside of London, in 1975.
The National Railway Museum and Locomotion are key partners in Railway 200, a nationwide campaign celebrating two centuries of railway heritage and innovation with a rolling programme of exhibitions, events, and community activities throughout the year.
A four-carriage touring Railway 200 exhibition train called ‘Inspiration’, curated in partnership with the National Railway Museum, will criss-cross Britain for a year from this summer, promoting innovation and careers within the rail industry.
‘Inspiration’ will visit both the National Railway Museum and Locomotion during the course of the year, with the full schedule set to be announced in the coming months.
A range of Railway 200 branded gifts has been created by the National Railway Museum, which are now available from the National Railway Museum and Locomotion gift shops and online store.
Craig Bentley, Interim Director of the National Railway Museum, said: “I stepped on board as Director at the start of one of the most exciting years in the history of the railways.
“We have a truly exciting programme of activity ahead, and through our partnership with Railway 200, we are thrilled to be at the heart of a national celebration of the past, present and future of the railways.
“I can’t think of a better 50th birthday present than a restored and revitalised Station Hall. I know how keen our visitors are to see the results of our hard work inside the space – with plenty of surprises still to reveal as we approach the reopening.”
Station Hall will also host a brand-new dining experience, with visitors able to book afternoon tea aboard a former London & South Western Railway dining saloon carriage, built in 1907 and restored by the museum. The museum’s popular outdoor play area and miniature railway will also reopen alongside Station Hall.
Further improvements will also commence in 2025 on the museum’s brand-new welcome building, gallery and café, Central Hall, the next and most significant stage of a c£100m masterplan of improvement and investment that has regenerated and modernised the National Railway Museum and Locomotion.
Flying Scotsman, owned by the National Railway Museum, will also join the celebrations by returning to the track in 2025, with a mix of static display and operational trips.
Flying Scotsman’s first engagement of the year at the Nene Valley Railway from 22 February has already been announced, with tickets now on sale from the Nene Valley Railway website. A full schedule of engagements will be announced in early 2025, including details of the locomotive’s visits to the National Railway Museum and Locomotion.
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