Norwegian Railway Museum

The museum enjoys a beautiful location by lake Mjøsa, north of Hamar town centre. In addition to modern, indoor exhibitions, the museum has a large museum park featuring various railway buildings and track systems. During summer, a narrow-gauge train operates in the park. The main building comprises a large library with railway literature and a photo collection.

The main exhibition in railway museum

The main exhibition have been named Tracking the Journey and provides an insight into the growth of Norwegian communities during the 1800s and 1900s, at the same time links railway history to the development of new technology. It is built as a town station with two trains, and comprises both items and illustrations depicting Norwegian railway history:

How was it to travel in Norway before and after the railway was built

about construction work on the railway system in Norway
about technological developments
about working conditions for employees on the railway line
about transporting people in various types of carriages, e.g. Royal Carriage, open passenger carriages, etc.
about freight transport
about tourism and the travel industry.
In addition to the museum items, photographs and memorabilia on display, there will also be model train tracks, films and various other attractions to enjoy at the exhibition.

A range of visitor activities are also available, where physical laws and important inventions linked to railway operation are available to try. Here you’ll find 35 metres of model railways featuring seven Norwegian sceneries, that will fascinate both young and old. In the stationmaster’s office, you can send messages in morse or try your hand at train traffic control.

In one of the carriages, it is possible to enjoy a quiet moment with Norwegian railway music, poetry and prose. A small selection of the museum’s railway films is also shown. The main exhibition is open all year round.

The narrow gauge steam train

Ever since 1962, the small, narrow gauged steam train has chugged its way through the beautiful museum park. Norway’s shortest railway line only runs for a few hundred metres, but this brief journey will give you a genuine olden-day experience. A return trip with the train is included in the museum admission fee. The locomotive “Urskog” (Richard Hartmann, 1895) and its carriages are from the Urskog-Høland line.

Activities for children

A corner of the exhibition has been turned into a large play area where children can play with Brio, draw, build and try the Microsoft Train simulator.

In the play area, children’s imagination can run free as they enjoy games and learning. We always welcome beautiful drawings to put on our wall.

At the small Leikvangen Station in the museum park, the whole family can enjoy a break. Remember to bring a picnic basket – and be sure to make time for both play and food. The children love a trip with the mini-train «Knertitten», and we hope the adults join in as well. In the station building, easy challenges and games are available for everyone to try. The train will leave when it suits you!

A large, beautiful museum park with vast expanses of grasslands encourages children to invent their own fun and games. There are hens at the Sonsveien watchman cottage.