A MetaCocoMom Review of the California State Railroad Museum
I had a completely different blog drafted for today. It was going to be a simulation in honor of the hundreds of indigenous languages spoken in the state of California. But, as every parent knows, Mother Nature gets the final vote.
It was rainy, cold, and definitely not the kind of day to be running a simulation in the park. So, I decided to pivot and take the troops to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento instead.
I am so glad I did! We had an amazing time. Here is my A.F.R.O.P. review of our visit, featuring a major “Mom Hack” for handling holiday gifts.
A: Active Brains & Bodies
Rating: 🥥🥥🥥🥥🥥 (5/5 Coconuts)
This museum is stimulating. The first floor is a massive gallery dedicated to the Transcontinental Railroad. It’s not just plaques on a wall; there are mannequins, actual rail coaches and cars, and life-size cutouts that make the history feel populated. The docents were dressed as conductors, which kept the kids immersed.
Bonus: They have a storytime at 11:00 AM on Mondays that is free with admission. JJ and AJ loved the books.
F: Focused Art (Afrofuturism)
Rating: 🥥🥥🥥🥥🥥 (0/5 Coconuts)
To be honest, Afrofuturist art was not present here. And that is okay! It was engaging enough in the other categories to be worth the trip.
However, I have to give credit where it is due: there was a specific inclusion of the Pullman Porters, and a clear effort to highlight the contributions of women and Chinese rail workers. It wasn’t Afrofuturism, but it was necessary history to learn and talk about. AJ immediately pointed out the cruelty of a Chinese Exclusion Act political cartoon poster saying, “that’s not nice.” It opened a window to point out the symbolism in the image and the message behind it.
R: Real Experiences
Rating: 🥥🥥🥥🥥🥥 (5/5 Coconuts)
The worst thing you can say to a young child at a museum is, “Don’t touch.” The Railroad Museum gets it. It was amazing to be able to walk into the different types of railcars and sit on the seats.
They even have one car that simulates the feeling of the train moving. It’s incredibly immersive (though fair warning: it might be a little scary for the very young ones!).
O: Opportunities
Rating: 🥥🥥🥥🥥🥥 (5/5 Coconuts)
There was plenty of opportunity to apply new knowledge and just play. On the top floor, there is a play area stocked with all the wooden trains a kid could ask for. Even with lots of “littles” running around the space, it didn’t feel overcrowded. It was the perfect spot for them to decompress after learning so much downstairs
P: Practicalities (The NARM Hack)
Rating: 🥥🥥🥥🥥🥥 (5/5 Coconuts)
This trip was made possible by the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association. If you are a family with multiple children and limited space for toys, listen up.
Years ago, when I just had one kid and lived in an apartment, I realized toys were taking over my life. I was stepping on Legos at the most inconvenient times, and as the kids got bigger, the toys got bigger. A church member back in Jersey City gave me advice that changed everything: Tell the family to pay for experiences, not stuff.
She told her extended family that instead of buying big-ticket items, they should buy museum memberships. It solves the space issue and the “rainy day/no school” issue simultaneously.
While a membership might have an upfront cost (for example, it’s about $150 at the Albany Institute of History and Art to receive NARM access), it pays for itself quickly. Access to NARM gets you into almost 1,500 other museums across the country for free.
- It’s how my wife and I visited the Nevada Museum of Art last weekend.
- It’s how the kids and I walked right into the Railroad Museum this week.
MetaCocoMom Tip: If you’re short on space but need to entertain the troops, ask for this! You can even set up a GoFundMe this January for just this purchase. Encourage family to drop a little something in there instead of sending $20 for birthdays, Easter, Diwali, Eid, or Passover. It’s a worthwhile investment the whole family can support.
Final Verdict: Worth the Trip!
We spent about two hours exploring the trains, which was the perfect amount of time for a school break outing. We capped it off with Mad Hatter Doughnuts afterward (highly recommend!).
On a personal note, while wandering the exhibits, I found information about the women who led union strikes and mobilized workers for better pay and conditions. With AFROXpress on my brain lately, it was an unexpected and welcome connection to my work with the Labor Pains project.
Sometimes the rainy day “Plan B” turns out to be exactly what you needed.
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