The Jackson Street Roundhouse was originally constructed in 1907 by the Great Northern Railway.
The facility functions as a working shop where historic rail cars are actively disassembled and restored by volunteers.
The museum preserves rare Twin City Rapid Transit streetcars that once served the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.
It maintains one of the few remaining functional rail turntables in the region, used to rotate locomotives within the roundhouse.
The Minnesota Transportation Museum serves as a hub for regional rail and transit preservation, located at the historic Jackson Street Roundhouse in St. Paul. The site functions as an active restoration facility where volunteers maintain a collection of vintage streetcars, buses, and locomotives. Visitors can explore the 1907-built roundhouse which remains the only operating locomotive roundhouse in the Twin Cities. The museum’s collection features the historic Twin City Rapid Transit Company streetcars and various pieces of rolling stock from Minnesota’s industrial past. Much of the exhibition space is housed within the original repair shop architecture, providing an authentic look at 20th-century transportation maintenance. The museum offers seasonal excursion rides on heritage equipment that depart directly from the roundhouse facility. Educational displays highlight the evolution of local urban transit, including the transition from streetcars to bus fleets.
The interior center of the roundhouse, where the circular turntable meets the radiating locomotive stalls.
Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes as you will be walking through an active restoration workshop with uneven industrial flooring.
Check the official website for excursion ride schedules, as these events do not occur daily.
Bring a light jacket, as the large, high-ceilinged industrial roundhouse can remain cool even on warm summer days.
Do not assume that all equipment on the property is on display; some items are stored in secure, off-limits areas for long-term restoration.
Typically open to the public on weekends; generally closed during the winter months for major maintenance and exhibit rotation.
Do not touch machinery or enter roped-off restoration areas, as these are active work zones with potential safety hazards.
