Minnesota Valentine's Train Rides

Published: January 28, 2026

In a region where railroads helped build cities, connect farms to markets, and shape the identity of the Upper Midwest, the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) keeps that story alive in a way you can feel—with the smell of oil and steel, the echo of a cavernous roundhouse, and the satisfying clank of historic equipment you can stand beside and explore. Headquartered at the Jackson Street Roundhouse in St. Paul, MTM preserves (and actively interprets) transportation history through hands-on exhibits, restoration work, and special events designed to turn a museum visit into a full-on experience.

One of the most charming examples of MTM’s family-friendly programming is “The Love Train,” held Saturday, February 14, 2026 (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)—a Valentine’s-themed day that blends short train rides with crafts, treats, and playful activities inside the historic roundhouse setting.

A museum built around “history in motion”

Unlike many museums where the collection sits behind ropes, MTM leans into the idea that transportation history makes the most sense when it’s active, practical, and a little bit gritty. MTM’s central site—the Jackson Street Roundhouse—is a landmark in its own right and is widely recognized as one of the last functional railroad roundhouses of its kind.

The museum organization dates back to 1962, when early members worked to preserve Twin Cities transit and rail artifacts—efforts that grew into a broader mission of saving and interpreting the region’s transportation heritage.

Today, MTM’s public-facing experiences generally revolve around two big pillars:

St. Paul / Jackson Street Roundhouse: an immersive museum environment featuring locomotives, railcars, signals, and restoration work.
Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway (operated by MTM): seasonal scenic train rides through the St. Croix Valley area, expanding the museum beyond “indoors” into a living rail corridor.

This dual identity—museum + operating heritage railroad—lets MTM offer something for nearly everyone: railfans who want to study preserved equipment up close, families looking for an interactive outing, and history-minded travelers who enjoy learning through places that still work.

The Jackson Street Roundhouse

MTM’s home base at 193 Pennsylvania Ave E, St. Paul, Minnesota is not just an address—it’s part of the exhibit. The roundhouse itself is a piece of industrial architecture built for the everyday realities of railroading: locomotives rolling in, crews servicing equipment, and the constant routine of inspection and repair that made rail travel possible.

Stepping inside, you’re surrounded by the scale of the rail era—massive locomotives and equipment arranged under the roundhouse roofline, creating a “wow” moment even for visitors who didn’t arrive as train people. At times, you may also see active restoration or maintenance work, which reinforces MTM’s core appeal: this isn’t a static “look but don’t touch” space, but a place where preservation is an ongoing craft.

MTM’s broader public messaging emphasizes interactive learning, making it especially strong for multigenerational groups—kids who want to climb and tinker, and adults who want the deeper story behind what they’re seeing.

What you’ll see and do at MTM

While exhibits and rolling stock can vary (and special displays come and go), MTM is consistently framed around a few reliable “anchors” for visitors:

Historic locomotives and railcars you can view up close inside the roundhouse environment.
Hands-on elements (signals, rail artifacts, kid-friendly discovery areas) that transform the visit from passive viewing into active exploration.
Ride experiences that connect the museum to the sensation of movement—MTM even highlights a short caboose ride on Saturdays as part of its offering at the roundhouse.
Seasonal rail adventures through its Osceola operations, broadening the museum’s footprint to a scenic, outdoor rail corridor.

Even if your visit is focused on a single event day (like The Love Train), it helps to think of MTM as a place you can return to—because the combination of hands-on exhibits, rotating activities, and operating excursions gives it a “different every time” feel.

The Love Train (Saturday, February 14, 2026)

Valentine’s Day can be tricky for families: a lot of holiday experiences are geared toward couples, while kids and parents are left cobbling together something fun between meals, errands, and winter cabin fever. MTM’s Love Train offers a smart solution—an indoor-friendly, activity-rich day that still feels special, centered around the simple delight of riding a real train.

The essentials: date, time, and setting

MTM lists The Love Train on February 14, 2026, running 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The event takes place at the museum’s St. Paul site (the Jackson Street Roundhouse), where families can bundle the best parts of MTM—short rides, exhibits, and hands-on fun—into a Valentine’s-themed itinerary. What makes it “The Love Train”?

MTM describes The Love Train as more than a quick ride. The event is built as a mini-festival of Valentine activities, including:

Train rides
Hands-on crafts
A scavenger hunt
Valentine treats along the way

That mix matters. The train ride is the headline, but the crafts and scavenger hunt keep kids engaged before and after the ride, smoothing out the day so it doesn’t feel like “we came for 15 minutes and left.” It also turns the roundhouse into a playful, holiday-themed environment—still rooted in history, but with a warm, celebratory tone.

Tickets and bundles

MTM’s event page highlights a “Family of 4 Bundle” priced at $64.20, noting that prices include taxes and fees. (Ticket structures can change, so it’s always worth checking the museum’s current ticket options before you go, especially if you’re coordinating multiple households.)

A great “first MTM” experience

If you’ve never visited the Minnesota Transportation Museum, The Love Train is a surprisingly good introduction. Why?

It’s structured. You don’t have to invent your own fun—activities are built in.
It’s sensory and memorable. A roundhouse visit already feels different from most museums; add a train ride and treats, and kids remember it.
It works for mixed ages. Crafts and scavenger hunts can be scaled for little kids, while older kids (and adults) can spend more time with the equipment displays.

In other words, it’s a Valentine’s Day plan that doesn’t require dressing up, reservations weeks in advance, or hoping a restaurant meal goes smoothly with tired kids.

Visiting The Museum

Transportation museums do something subtle but important: they help us understand that “progress” wasn’t inevitable. The rail network that shaped Minnesota required engineering, labor, logistics, and constant maintenance—and it produced both economic transformation and distinctive communities built around depots, yards, and shops.

MTM preserves that story not only through artifacts, but through experience: you’re not just reading about a roundhouse—you’re standing inside one. You’re not only seeing a train—you’re riding behind the idea that railroads were once a primary way Americans traveled, shipped goods, and understood distance.

And on February 14, 2026, MTM adds something even more valuable: a reminder that history can be joyful. The Love Train is, at heart, a celebration—of families, of shared experiences, and of the kind of simple “together time” that becomes tradition. To learn more about The Love Train for Valentine's Day please click here to visit the museum's website.