Wheels Museum is a 501(c)3 organization in the Albuquerque Rail Yards dedicated to collecting, preserving, and creating educational exhibits about the history of transportation in Albuquerque and New Mexico with emphasis on the impact on the development of the area. Our collections embrace the history of the railroads, the impact of the rail yards on Albuquerque, as well as automobiles, horse and wagon, and other modes of transportation.
Wheels Museum is open Monday – Thursday from 9 am to 12 pm and on Saturday and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. Note: As museum hours are subject to change without notification and may be different during special events, please call (505) 243-6269 prior to your visit.
Wheels Museum is located on the site of the historic Santa Fe Railroad Shops in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. Built-in 1914, the Albuquerque shops serviced steam locomotives operating on the Santa Fe Railroad.
Wheels Museum is currently housed in what the Santa Fe Railyards once referred to as The Storehouse, a long and narrow structure built in 1914, in which was kept an enormous inventory of all manner of parts and supplies for the larger maintenance shops and the entire Santa Fe railroad system in general. Please call (505) 243-6269 or e-mail: info@wheelsmuseum.org for more information.
Wheels Museum
DonateWheels Museum does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
The Rebby’s of Chesapeake, Va. and the Kopel’s of Rio Rancho, NM, visited the Wheels Museum on Oct. 10, 2023 just as the museum was about to close. We met Mr. Hendryk (Chief Engineer??) in the parking lot and he said “No problem, I”ll open up”. He gave the four of us the most delightful and impressively informative tour of the entire museum. This was “capped” off when Hendryk donned his engineer’s cap and gave us a ride on the Museum’s miniature train.
At the end of the train ride, Hendryk and I found out we were both from Brooklyn, NY which was a definite plus!
The final highlight was when Kathy and Rick Kopel were able to purchase a gorgeous Pueblo themed vase from the Silent Auction table.
The Wheels Museum is a superior gem amongst all the attractions Albuquerque has to offer. Thanks for a great and memorable visit and special kudos to Hendryk for making the visit exceptional.
Marilyn & Ray Rebby Chesapeake, Va.
The WHEELS Museum is a FREE hidden gem in the center of Albuquerque. It is a perfect place to take kids, out-of-town visitors, and anyone wanting to learn more about “wheels” that have helped shape the New Mexico we know today.
Visit Monday – Thursday 9-12, and Saturday and Sunday 10 – 2.
1100 2nd Street SW
I have a very old metal lathe that I would like to donate to the museum. My late father-in-law willed the lathe to me many years ago. He thought the lathe what is manufactured in the early 1900s. The lathe is about 10 feet long. I can provide pictures.
We plan to visit in the spring and notice what looks like conflicting hours. I’ll check prior to visiting. I was the first keypunch operator at the rail yards starting in 1969.
Hello,
We would love for you to share your own railroad story or memory with us! Please call leba at (505) 243-6269 or e-mail at info@wheelsmuseum.org.
the museum is open Monday – Thursday, 9 am – 12 pm. Donations accepted.
What are the prices?
Mr. Johnson,
Admission to the museum is free, donations are encouraged.
Wheels Museum
This was so fun! The volunteers were very patient and gracious with our curious 4 year old. I suggest you add some toy train related items to their gift shop. We had a great time. 3 from Texas
A tourist attraction closed on Saturday. Go figure.
We’re sorry we missed you. We are a volunteer orgainzation and are open Thursday through Sunday.
Thank you to Randall, Henry, and Tom for providing so much information for us as we toured the museum. It was a wonderful experience.
The Wheels Museum is a gem in the middle of the city’s Rail Yards. The collection has evolved from a majority of space dedicated to model train sets to a wide variety of wheeled vehicles from antique bikes to old fire engines and finally to a horse drawn milk wagon from Albuquerque’s past.
As a model train nut I visited the museum and was hooked – volunteering for a time and displaying one of my model train sets there.
For the past many years The Wheels Museum has invited the Film Tech students from CNM (Central NM Community College) to film in the museum and to use the facility as a base camp while they shot in the Rail Yards. These are very generous people – The Wheels Museum deserves support !!!