Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum

Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum The Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum is housed in Temple’s historic Santa Fe Depot. The beautiful Santa Fe Gardens and Whistlestop Playground are nearby.
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Completed in 1911, the historic Santa Fe Depot houses the Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum. The exhibits explore the history of the railroad and topics relating to regional and local history. The museum also hosts temporary exhibits, education programs, and special events. The museum’s collection of railroad equipment is displayed on the grounds, next to an active railroad yard where railfans c

an observe daily operations and traffic of the BNSF and Amtrak. There is plenty of parking on-site. Group tours can be booked with advance notice by calling (254) 298-5172. Visitors can purchase admission to the museum in the Museum Gift Shop, along with souvenirs and all sorts of train goodies for all ages. Come visit us today! Admission:
$4 Adults
$3 Seniors
$2 Children (Age 5-12, under 5 are free)
Free to Active Duty Military personnel with Military I.D.

Become a Temple RRHM insider with our monthly newsletter. Don't miss out on the latest from the Temple Railroad & Herita...
05/29/2026

Become a Temple RRHM insider with our monthly newsletter. Don't miss out on the latest from the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum. Subscribe to our newsletter for insider info! 📧🚂https://mailchi.mp/templetx/rrhmsignup24

Did you know that the word vaquero comes from the Spanish word for cow, vaca?When Hernán Cortés brought the first horses...
05/22/2026

Did you know that the word vaquero comes from the Spanish word for cow, vaca?
When Hernán Cortés brought the first horses to Mexico, and Gregorio de Villalobos followed with the first cattle, the foundation of an entire culture was born.
These skilled horsemen didn't just tend livestock; they built a way of life that shaped the entire Western world as we know it.

Come explore their story at Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy — now on display through July 10, 2026.

Thank you to everyone who joined us Friday night for Bill Wittliff's Vaqueros: A Photography Talk. We loved sharing this...
05/19/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us Friday night for Bill Wittliff's Vaqueros: A Photography Talk. We loved sharing this special piece of history with our community.

A heartfelt thank you to Carla Ellard, photography curator at The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University, for her captivating presentation and for bringing Wittliff's rarely seen images to life. Through nearly 5,000 photographs taken over three years, Wittliff preserved a vanishing way of life — the vaqueros of Rancho Tule in northern Mexico, whose traditions laid the very foundation of the Texas cowboy.

If Friday's talk left you wanting more, the exhibition Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy, provided by Humanities Texas, is still on view in our galleries! All 62 stunning digital carbon prints are waiting for you, telling the story of the muscle, sweat, and drama of life in the saddle in a way that only photography can.

We hope to see you again soon.

We are honored to participate in Blue Star Museums, and beginning May 16, we're offering FREE admission to all active-du...
05/15/2026

We are honored to participate in Blue Star Museums, and beginning May 16, we're offering FREE admission to all active-duty military personnel and their families through September 7, 2026. This includes National Guard and Reserve members.

Come explore the history of Temple, discover the vital role railroads played in shaping Texas, and watch our working model train in action!

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense, and hundreds of participating museums across America.

To learn more about the Blue Star Museums program, visit https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/blue-star-museums

We are grateful for your service. We hope to see you soon!

📍 Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum
🗓️ Free admission: May 16 – September 7, 2026
✅ Active-duty military, National Guard, Reserve & their families

05/14/2026

Come check out our current exhibit Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy, on display until July 10.

A vanishing way of life, captured forever in nearly 5,000 photographs.In the early 1970s, photographer Bill Wittliff was...
05/08/2026

A vanishing way of life, captured forever in nearly 5,000 photographs.

In the early 1970s, photographer Bill Wittliff was invited to document one of the last traditional roundups on the vast Rancho Tule in northern Mexico. What he captured over three years is a breathtaking record of the vaquero tradition, the roots of the Texas cowboy.

Join us for Bill Wittliff's Vaqueros: A Photography Talk, presented by Carla Ellard, photography curator at The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University. Ellard will share rarely seen images from Wittliff's archive, drawn from the Humanities Texas traveling exhibition, Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy, now on view in our galleries!

- Friday, May 15
- 6:00 – 8:00 PM
- Santa Fe Depot
- FREE admission

Don't miss this incredible evening of history, photography, and storytelling. Tag a friend who'd love this!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for National Train Day. What a crowd! Whether you rode the train, made a bindle, dec...
05/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for National Train Day. What a crowd! Whether you rode the train, made a bindle, decorated a train craft, or just soaked in the music and fun, you made this day truly special.

A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers, staff, and vendors who made it all come together. We couldn't do it without this community.

Address

315 W Avenue B
Temple, TX
76501

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(254) 298-5172

Website

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