The Travel Town Museum is an outdoor transportation and railway museum situated in the northwest corner of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport or parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This guide was last updated in April 2026 and includes the confirmed temporary closure on Mondays alongside the current free admission policy.
Quick facts
| Feature | Details |
| Opening hours | Tue–Sun: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Closed Mondays) |
| Ticket prices | Free admission |
| Address | 5200 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 |
| Nearest public transport or parking | Free on-site parking lot |
| Typical time needed to visit | 1.5 to 2 hours |
Travel Town Museum opening hours
The Travel Town Museum is open to visitors from Tuesday through Sunday between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. The museum is temporarily closed to the public every Monday. These core hours apply year-round, with no extended seasonal variations during the summer months.
The facility is closed entirely on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The on-site museum gift shop closes slightly earlier than the main grounds at 4:45 pm each day.
5 Los Angeles experiences worth booking
- 🎬 See how the movie magic works on the Warner Bros Studio tour.
- 🎢 Take on the rides and enjoy the shows at Universal Studios Hollywood.
- 🚌 Ogle celebrity homes in Hollywood and Beverly Hills from an open air bus.
- 🥾 Hike up to the Hollywood Sign, guided by comedians and their dogs.
- 🚲 Pedal along the coast on a Santa Monica and Venice guided e-bike tour.
Travel Town Museum ticket prices
Admission to the Travel Town Museum is completely free for all visitors, though voluntary donations to the foundation are encouraged. Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in April 2026.
Because entry is free, the Travel Town Museum is not included in any multi-attraction city pass schemes, such as Go City or CityPass. Visitors planning to explore other regional attractions like the Los Angeles Zoo, Universal Studios Hollywood, or the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will need to arrange separate admission for those specific venues.
Why book the Go City Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass?
- 🎬 Universal Studios Hollywood: Get 1-day general admission to this world-famous theme park and working film studio (included with all 3, 5, or 7-day passes).
- 🎟️ 40+ Top Attractions: Gain entry to the best of LA, including Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Madame Tussauds, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier.
- 💰 Substantial Savings: Save up to 50% on total admission prices compared to purchasing individual tickets at the gate for each site.
- 📱 Instant Digital Pass: No need for paper vouchers; simply download the pass to your smartphone and scan it for easy, contactless entry at every stop.
- ⏱️ Explore at Your Own Pace: Choose a pass duration (1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 days) and visit as many attractions as you like within that timeframe for ultimate flexibility.
How to get to the Travel Town Museum
You can reach the Travel Town Museum by driving to the northern edge of Griffith Park. The entrance is located at 5200 Zoo Drive, positioned directly next to the 134 Freeway near the Forest Lawn Drive exit.
Public transport options are highly limited in this section of the park. The closest bus stop is serviced by the Metro Local Line 96 at the intersection of Zoo Drive and Riverside Drive, which requires an uncovered, one-mile walk to reach the museum entrance.
Parking at the Travel Town Museum
Free parking for the Travel Town Museum is provided in a dedicated surface lot located immediately outside the main entrance gates on Zoo Drive. This lot accommodates approximately 200 standard vehicles and includes designated accessible parking bays.
While the lot is sufficiently large for weekday visitors, it frequently reaches capacity during peak weekend afternoons and on days when private birthday parties are hosted in the passenger cars.
How long to spend at the Travel Town Museum
A typical visit to the Travel Town Museum takes between 1.5 and 2 hours. This provides enough time to walk the perimeter of the park, view the static train displays, and browse the indoor exhibit building.
Families planning to ride the miniature railway, use the picnic areas, or explore the interior of the open train cars should allocate at least two to three hours for their trip.
Accessibility at the Travel Town Museum
The Travel Town Museum provides step-free, paved pathways across the main outdoor grounds, allowing wheelchair users and visitors with mobility aids to navigate the exterior displays. Accessible restrooms are available near the entrance.
While the grounds are accessible, boarding the historic train cars requires climbing steep, narrow stairs and navigating tight corridors. The miniature train ride can accommodate manual wheelchairs, but motorised scooters cannot be taken on board.
Inside the Travel Town Museum
The layout of the Travel Town Museum is primarily an outdoor park environment displaying dozens of historic locomotives, freight cars, cabooses, and passenger cars. The collection focuses heavily on the railway history of Los Angeles and the American Southwest.
Visitors can walk up to massive steam locomotives and, in certain designated areas, climb aboard specific railcars. Notable pieces include the Union Pacific Dining Car and the preserved “Little Nugget” club car.
A separate miniature scale train, operated by Griffith Park Train Rides, runs on a loop around the perimeter of the museum grounds. Tickets for this ride are sold separately at a small boarding station located inside the park.
The site also features an indoor exhibit building housing smaller transport artefacts, historic photographs, and scale models, alongside a gift shop.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip Category | Visitor Advice |
| Timing | Arrive at 10:00 am on weekends to secure a parking space before the lot fills with families attending private events. |
| Crowds | The museum is highly popular with young families; visit on a weekday afternoon for a quieter environment to view the exhibits. |
| Layout | View the outdoor locomotives first before heading into the exhibit building to escape the midday sun. |
| Entry process | Walk directly through the main gates upon arrival, as there are no ticket booths or security checkpoints to clear. |
| On-site logistics | Bring your own drinking water and snacks, as there are ample picnic tables but no formal dining facilities on the grounds. |
Frequently asked questions about the Travel Town Museum
| Question | Answer |
| Is the Travel Town Museum suitable for children? | Yes, the museum is designed with families in mind and features large open spaces and train-themed activities. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Travel Town Museum? | No, entry is free and walk-in visitors are welcome without a reservation. |
| Is the Travel Town Museum open on Sundays? | Yes, the museum is open every Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. |
| Are bags allowed at the Travel Town Museum? | Yes, standard day bags and picnic supplies are permitted throughout the grounds. |
Things to do near the Travel Town Museum
- Los Angeles Zoo: A large zoological park located further down Zoo Drive within Griffith Park, housing over 2,200 mammals, birds, and reptiles.
- Griffith Observatory: A historic public observatory offering planetarium shows and panoramic views of the Los Angeles basin and the Hollywood Sign.
- Autry Museum of the American West: A cultural institution dedicated to the history and art of the American West, located opposite the Los Angeles Zoo.
- Amir’s Garden: A shaded, volunteer-maintained hillside garden in Griffith Park, accessible via a steep but short hiking trail nearby.
- Walt Disney Studios: The historic corporate headquarters and active film studio located just across the 134 Freeway in Burbank.
More Los Angeles travel
Other Los Angeles travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Planning a visit to the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
- Joining the runners at Runyon Canyon.
- How to visit the USS Battleship Iowa at the Port of Los Angeles.
- Plan your visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Petersen Automotive Museum, La Brea Tar Pits and Museum of Tolerance.
- Why Descanso Gardens is an easy escape from LA.
