All Aboard!
At the Museum of Science, families and friends connect through shared wonder and create lasting memories. A favorite tradition in the Exhibit Halls is the return of All Aboard! Trains at Science Park. Volunteers and staff expanded this beloved seasonal experience with new interactive elements, immersive scenes, and more tracks than ever before.
We couldn’t showcase these intricate miniature train displays — complete with snow-covered peaks, colorful landscapes, and detailed scenes — without the incredible volunteers from The Hub Division, Inc. of the National Model Railroad Association.
“This is the most fun project we do all year,” says Hub volunteer Shack Haralambou. “I give numerous presentations about this exhibit all year long, all over! I’m giving one this January in Georgia. The partnership has been going strong for eight amazing years."
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"We’ve got a great working relationship with the Museum, and it’s really been beneficial for both parties. We’ve been in three different spaces, and what’s great is that the layout keeps evolving. We’ve designed it so it can change — that makes it fun — and nothing has gone to waste. There are 800 to 1,000 trees in the exhibit, and we’ve been able to reuse them each year.”
This year’s expanded exhibit spans 6,500 square feet, including 2,500 square feet of train layouts. Guests can “drive” a train through a snowy mountain scene, discover trains from around the world, and even compose a symphony using train sounds and musical elements. “It’s been so nice to move into a larger exhibit space,” says Hub volunteer Jeff Gerow. “Getting to see kids playing in the train car and engine with the scenery going by — and the station where they can make music out of train noises — is wonderful.”
The Train Symphony and “drivable” train components were built by our in-house production shop with support from staff graphic designers, interactive media specialists, 3D designers, and a local composer. Our exhibits team also added an expanded play area for young learners, featuring wooden train tables, Brio layouts, and a design-a-train activity.
Visit the Museum this December to experience approximately 200 feet of G scale track, 200 feet of O scale track, and 180 feet of HO scale track in an immersive wonderland—including a model of Boston and the Museum itself!
