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National Railway Museum's 50th Birthday

We're gearing up for a landmark year of exhibitions, events, celebrations and a grand reopening to celebrate our 50th birthday!

NRM 2025 preview

We are celebrating 50 years of making memories in 2025, as the nation celebrates the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. Join us for a bumper anniversary year of exhibitions, events, celebrations and the reopening of one of our most beloved buildings.

A grand reopening

Station Hall reopens in September, just in time for a very special anniversary—our 50th birthday weekend!  

Our historic former goods station has been closed since 2023 for an extensive refurbishment project. Step inside to see a spectacular new interior decoration, stunning new collection items and the return of timeless favourites.

Save the date for our unforgettable birthday weekend on 27 – 28 September as we celebrate our golden jubilee with behind-the-scenes access to areas of the museum previously unseen by visitors.

A nationwide celebration

The National Railway Museum and our sister museum—Locomotion in Shildon—are proud partners in Railway 200. This nationwide celebration 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.

What to look out for in 2025

  • Railway Firsts: A brand-new exhibition, spotlighting the pivotal innovations and unexpected “firsts” that shaped the railways. From: Saturday 8 February
  • Young Railway Photographer of the Year: View the railways through the lens of the next generation. Our nationwide search for the brightest young photographic talent will culminate in a special exhibition of shortlisted entries. From: June – December
  • Flying Scotsman, back on track: Get up close to the world-famous locomotive in 2025. Experience the iconic engine on the move and on display. Its first excursion has already been announced, with a full schedule to follow soon—including details of visits to NRM and Locomotion!  
  • Station Hall reopens: Experience the grandeur of our iconic former goods station when it reopens in September after £10.5m refurbishment
  • NRM’s big birthday weekend: Join our 50th birthday celebrations with special behind-the-scenes access to the museum. From: 27 – 28 September
  • Experience the past, present and future of the railways: Celebrate 200 years of the railways by experiencing our unrivalled collection, including legendary locomotives such as Mallard, Shinkansen and Eurostar
  • New ‘Ultrasonic’ show: Get hands on with the science behind the railways in our interactive engineering gallery, Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery. A brand-new show, ‘Ultrasonic’, starts from February half-term

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Things to look out for in 2025