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Your Whistle-Stop Tour Through Our Reimagined All Aboard! Exhibit

Your Whistle-Stop Tour Through Our Reimagined All Aboard! Exhibit

October 2026 · Back to stories

Since opening in 1998, the All Aboard! exhibit has captivated imaginations with hands-on play alongside the mighty Reuben Wells steam locomotive. After more than 25 years, it was time for a refresh. After much planning and preparation, we temporarily closed the exhibit in November 2025. Now that it has reopened, you can experience trains like never before! New immersive stories and hands-on activities await in the reimagined All Aboard! Explore the thrilling world of trains with imaginative play and discovery around every turn.

Here's what you can expect when you visit the newly reimagined All Aboard! exhibit.

A Note About This Exhibit’s Layout
While this post describes the different areas in a particular order, the exhibit itself was designed with the free-choice model of learning in mind. You don’t have to engage in the different environments in any particular order. All visitors—both children and grown-ups—have the freedom to choose when and how they’ll interact with the different areas of the exhibit. 

Act Like an Engineer in the Drive a Train Area

Pretend-play as an engineer.

In this interactive space, you can:

  • “Board” an engine and “drive” a train by using numerous knobs, levers, and gears
  • Explore the crawl-through for a fun photo op
  • Discover the toy trains chugging along the overhead sky track and in nearby display cases

Did You Know?
Two private collections—the Noble Biddinger (donated in 1969) and the Robert Vickers (purchased in 1974)—make up the majority of the museum’s toy train collection. The shortest set on display is a foot-long German set by Issmayer and the longest is a 9-foot-long Transcontinental Limited set by Lionel. See if you can find them both! Find the chrome-plated Mayflower by American Flyer. It’s a rare piece! It was custom-built to order in 1928, and it’s likely that only about 100 were ever made.

Take a Journey in the Passenger Car Area

Experience the thrill of train travel as a passenger!

  • Dress up as a conductor and help your passengers on their adventure
  • Take a ticket at the train station and go on a train adventure to the bustling beach, cozy countryside, or majestic mountains—you can visit all three if you’d like
  • Turn a dial to simulate movement and change the landscape seen through the window—just like you’re riding on a real train

Play Through Rail History in the Reuben Wells Area

Did you know that the Reuben Wells locomotive had an important job before it came to the museum? You can learn about the mighty steam engine’s role by watching the sound and light show projected on the walls behind the mighty steam engine.

In this area, you can:

  • Explore diorama of Madison Hill, located along the ramp near Dinosphere®, features a mini Reuben Wells that goes up and down the hill throughout the day so you can watch this powerful machine at work
  • Simulate getting a steam engine like the Reuben Wells up and running by filling the water tank, building a fire, and fanning the flames to “move” the locomotive down the track
  • Learn how engineers problem-solved getting trains up Madison Hill during The Adventures of the Reuben Wells Daily Activity, included with museum admission
  • This area has an additional toy train display case

Repair Like a Mechanic in the Tool Car Area

Just like the Reuben Wells, the tool car is a permanent fixture in All Aboard!*

This car, built in 1888, once moved along the Pennsylvania Railroad, carrying tools and railroad maintenance equipment. You can use stairs to access the inside of the tool car, or you can see the interior through a side glass door.

In this area, you can take on the role of a mechanic by:

  • Repairing a train engine in Tool Tinkering by building a system of gears and then matching hand tools to the gears so that they spin around
  • Helping gandy dancers fix a section of the tracks by driving in railroad spikes
  • Safely coupling—joining together—train cars by matching shapes in an interactive element inspired by inventor Andrew Beardis automatic coupler made the railroad industry much safer
  • Let your imagination run wild on two train play tables, build at different heights
  • This area also has a sky track overhead and additional toy train display cases

Improved Accessibility in All Aboard!



One of the goals for All Aboard! was to increase its accessibility, ensuring a more inclusive space for families to play and learn together. You’ll notice features in the exhibit that weren’t there before, including:
  • ASL interpretation and bilingual captions for the new sound and light shows
  • Multisensory interactives, providing visual, auditory, and/or tactile feedback
  • Train play tables at different heights so both toddlers and their grown-ups can play alongside each other
  • The exhibit goes into “sensory mode” from 4–5 p.m. daily, with lowered volumes and no bell ringing
Please note that although certain aspects of the tool car have been updated for accessibility purposes, the historic artifact may remain inaccessible to some due to its stairs, low ceiling, and narrow walkways.

From the start, our accessibility team was instrumental in the process. They advocated for flooring materials and colors that provided high contrast, such as in the transitions along the ramp from Dinosphere®, encouraged the inclusion of tactiles, braille, ASL, and audio descriptions; and championed varying heights on the play tables so all visitors, including those using mobility devices, could access them.

Early in the design phase, we sought feedback from accessibility and disability professionals, including teachers from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and prototyped some interactive elements at a Museum My Way event.

Taking their recommendations to heart means a better experience for everyone!

There’s So Much Awaiting in All Aboard!

You'll be inspired by the power and possibilities of trains in the reimagined All Aboard! Created with children ages 3–5 in mind, this beloved permanent exhibit is located on the museum's Lower Level, between Dinosphere® and National Geographic Treasures of the Earth, and is included with museum admission.

Next stop?

Endless fun and discovery!

 

*Have you ever tried moving a 55-ton locomotive? It’s not that easy! The Reuben Wells isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

The reimagination of All Aboard! is made possible by the generous support of Jane and Steve Marmon, Larry and Nancy VanArendonk, Monica Leigh White, and an anonymous donor.
A young boy wearing bright orange safety goggles and a long-sleeved shirt uses a brush to uncover a fossil in a indoor sandbox exhibit at a museum.

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