A Week of Innovation!
Celebrate the inventors and engineers who helped build America! In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the B&O Railroad Museum presents American STEAM Week—a hands-on week full of trains, experiments, and fun.
Join us March 30–April 3 for daily workshops and tours where you can explore the science, stories, and cool inventions that powered America’s railroads. Check out the schedule below to see all the exciting Spring Break activities we have planned!
Monday, March 30
10:30 am – Maryland Railroad History Tour. Come learn about the founding of the B&O Railroad Museum and the technological advancements made by Marylanders, paving the way for the nation and the world. (All ages)
11 am – 2 pm - Peter Cooper Train Building Workshop – Build your own locomotive using wheels and PVC pipes, then test your creation by transporting key supplies—like coal and water—through our obstacle course. Can your design handle the weight and engineering challenges needed to reach the finish line? (Grades 3+)
11 am – 2 pm – Build Your Own Locomotive! - Cut out and design your own locomotive to take home! All materials are provided in Junior Junction. (Grades PreK-2)
Tuesday, March 31
10:30 a.m. – Railroad Technology Tour. Explore the evolution of key technology used on the railroad from the first passenger cars pulled by horses to the modern high-speed rail. (All ages)
11 am – 2 pm – Granville T. Woods Telegraph Challenge – Use Granville T. Woods’ Multiplex Railway telegraph to send messages to your friends using basic telegraph technology. (Grades 3+)
11 am – 2 pm – Solve the Puzzle! - Use the secret code to connect the dots and solve the word puzzle. All materials are provided in Junior Junction. (Grades PreK-2)
Wednesday, April 1
10:30 a.m.– Women on the Rails Tour. Learn about the women of the B&O’s history who contributed to the style, design, and infrastructure of notable B&O collection pieces. (All ages)
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Olive Dennis Bridge-Making Workshop – Can your bridge withstand a locomotive? Inspired by Olive Dennis, one of America’s first female civil engineers, you will design and test bridges strong enough to carry a model train car. (Grades 3+)
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Design your own Plate! - Just like the historic dinnerware that guests used on luxury railroads, come to Junior Junction to design your own dining China to take home. (Grades PreK-2)
Thursday, April 2
10:30 a.m.– Railroad Safety Tour – Learn how the railroad keeps its workers and passengers safe now and throughout the past 200 years of B&O Railroad history. (All Ages)
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Art in Motion – Inspired by George Westinghouse’s innovative automatic airbrakes, you will explore Newton’s Laws of motion by creating art with a swinging pendulum. Your masterpiece can be taken home! (Grades 3+)
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Safety & Signals Practice – Think you know your railway signs and safety signals? Take this quiz in our Junior Junction to find out how much you know! (Grades PreK-2)
Friday, April 3
10:30 a.m.- American Railroad Engineering Tour. Discover the engineers who built America’s railroads, learn how they improved the B&O, and see how their inventions changed transportation across the country! (All ages)
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – MagLev Workshop - Discover the power of electromagnetic energy as you build a locomotive that runs on a magnetic railroad track! (All Ages)
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Become a Jr. Engineer! - Come by Junior Junction to create your own railroad engineer’s hat to take home! (Grades PreK-2)
You may also like the following events from B&O Railroad Museum:
Also check out other
Workshops in Baltimore,
Arts events in Baltimore,
Contests in Baltimore.
