Explore Railroad
History!
Located in historic downtown Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the Missouri River, we're a great place for friends and family to come and learn about the Union Pacific Railroad.
Directions200 Pearl St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Museum Information
Free, Self-Guided General Admission
The museum is open:
Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Masks are strongly encouraged when the community level is elevated.
Visitor Reviews
"Keep up the good work. It was fun learning about trains. It's an amazing museum!" |
"This museum has fantastic displays! Love the demonstration of what made America great: hard working American spirit!" |
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Club Car Conversation
Executive Director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, Eric Ewing, will be joining us for our Club Car Conversation on Tuesday, January 21st, at 5:30 pm CST to discuss Pullman Porters and the Great Migration.
Union Pacific and the Pullman Company hired large numbers of black employees, enticing many black families to move west from the south during the Great Migration in the early 20th century. Under the leadership of A Philip Randolph, faced with long hours, discrimination, and difficult working conditions, many Pullman Porters formed the first black labor union in the country, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Join us for our next Club Car Conversation where Ewing discusses the role of the railroad in the Great Migration, the Pullman Porters, A Philip Randolph, and their impacts on the Civil Rights Movement.
Club Car Conversations are casual chats about pop culture, history and the railroad. They are free and open to the public. Can't make it to the Zoom? Register anyway! All those who register will receive a recording of the Zoom that is available to watch for up to 10 days post-Zoom.
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Learn more about historical architecture in Council Bluffs!
Join us in learning more about our local architecture and the history behind the buildings in Council Bluffs! We will be screening a short section of the Iowa PBS documentary 'Historic Buildings of Iowa: Council Bluffs' on the second Saturday of every month at noon! We will have site experts to give a Q&A about each building after the screening.
Stick around following the screening and Q&A to tag along on our free Saturday History Express tour!
This event is free and open to the public!
Next month on February 8th, we will be highlighting the Squirrel Cage Jail and Bergant House. -
Check out our new book!
Looking for some throwback recipes? Check out our new UP Commissary cook book! For more than a century, UP employees delivered high-quality meals and service to the public traveling on their iconic trains. This mid-20th century Dining Car Service Manual from the UP collection has been reproduced for you to enjoy!
Get a behind-the-scenes look into what it took to deliver world-class service in a moving restaurant. Recreate some of your favorites or try something new!
The Union Pacific Dining Car Cook Book and Service Instructions (replica edition) is available for purchase now!
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Check out our new temporary exhibit!
Law and Order on the Railroad:Learn about the evolution of railroad law enforcement from the beginning of the railroad until today!
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Join us for our free public events
History Express FREE Tour: Saturdays starting at 1:30 p.m.
Experience a standing tour that explores the overview history of 150 plus years of the railroad. No reservation needed. We will meet in front of the business car on the first floor.
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Our mission is to share American History through the lens of the railroad, connecting generations who have been impacted by Union Pacific
The museum is housed in a historic Carnegie Library building in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Visitors can explore an extensive compilation of items from 150 years of our nation's western history, including artifacts, photographs, documents and equipment.
All donations support the Union Pacific Museum Association, a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit.
