(Click on any of these pictures for larger version.) |
Our new face emerges on a pre-Spring day.
New entrance, attractive clock tower, arrival walkway from parking area in front of relocated Museum Store. Designed in an Art Decco style, this facade construction demonstrates the Museum's commitment to the new, while preserving the best of the old. Work progressed through the winter to assure readiness for yet another season of welcoming and teaching thousands of happy visitors!
The front doors with colorful signage are designed to be attractive and descriptive of the excitement that awaits within. Not seen to the right, a covered walkway extends to a new bus dropoff location for more comfortable arrival of tour groups.
The New Lobby
The lobby now extends forward from the old front, providing a friendly, railroad-oriented area in which to buy tickets and get ready for a great visit.
Note the heralds of Pennsylvania's historic railroads in the floor.
Railroad exhibits on the upper level will greet visitors.
(Click on these pictures for larger version.)
Looking out the front entrance, the keystone over the doors represents the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as its largest historic railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad. Entry door at the left leads to the bus dropoff location. Tall and well-lighted, the lobby beckons visitors on in!
Museum Store
Now in its new, larger, brighter location, the Museum Store features a wide array of railroad items, ranging from books and pictures to games and gifts.
With improved access to the outside, the store's hours can operate independent of the Museum's visiting hours for the convenience of rail fans and the public.
(Click on any of these pictures for larger version.)
Expanded display areas make browsing more enjoyable. For those who wish to shop from home, the Store operates a convenient web site at
whistlestopshop.org
Historic Broad St. Station Clock
A feature on the front of the Museum since 1983, the historic clock that came from the Pennsylvania Railroad's Broad Street Station in Philadelphianow graces the tower by the main entrance.
The Museum's respected Restoration Department took this opportunity to address the clock's age and exposure to the elements.
The face and frame were repaired and repainted, new, carefully balanced hands crafted, and the mechanism overhauled. Now an old historic clock is good for many more years of conveying accurate Railroad Time to the public!
More information.
The Old Facade
Lest we forget, the old facade remains in place, behind the new construction. Served us well, was time for a new face!
Project Information
Funding for the $1.4 million project came largely from TEA-21 federal transportation enhancements that the Railroad Museum was awarded in 2001, 2002 and 2004, as well as several hundred thousand dollars from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Keystone Preservation Fund and the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
Phase II of this renovation, anticipated to be financed by a capital project funding release, will include a new visitor orientation theatre space, exhibit work in the rear of the lobby and the creation of new, multifaceted interactive exhibits in Rolling Stock Hall, introducing visitors to various themes of Pennsylvania railroading.
Time never stands still at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania!
