All aboard for a lifetime of memories! Your favorite holiday tradition returns to the Brandywine Museum of Art with model trains, dollhouses, and other miniature wonders, along with towering trees adorned with our signature, handmade “Critter” ornaments.
A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad features model trains running on 2,000 feet of track and contains more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival. A dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains can be seen chugging through the varied scenery of the expansive O-gauge layout, including those made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others. There's also a variety of interactive push buttons and foot pedals for visitors to engage with on the display.
Support for the Brandywine Railroad holiday train display is provided by The Davenport Family Foundation Fund for Exhibitions, Chase, Herr Foods, and bequest of Joe Bauer.
NEW THIS YEARHome for the Holidays: Cards and Hearths from the Collection
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In addition to the returning favorites on view, visitors are also invited to celebrate what connects us during the holiday season—such as opportunities to gather under one roof and the sharing of warm messages from afar—in Home for the Holidays: Cards and Hearths from the Collection, a new exhibition that will be on view in the Brandywine's Strawbridge Family Gallery. Tiny TreasuresHome for the Holidays will feature a selection of Brandywine’s dollhouses, including two rooms from a nine-foot dollhouse designed by Ann Wyeth McCoy and built by her husband, artist John McCoy. Filled with handmade furnishings and miniature paintings contributed by Wyeth McCoy’s famously artistic siblings and in-laws, these dollhouse rooms were a communal, family endeavor that paid tribute to the Wyeth’s close-knit holiday gatherings. These two rooms will be accompanied by the debut of the Peters-Herdeg dollhouse, a detailed replica of an eighteenth-century Brandywine Valley house and a recent addition to the Museum's collection. From Mailbox to MuseumThis exhibition will also feature original artworks that were created as designs for holiday cards by members of the Wyeth family of artists, as well as those by other prominent American illustrators, all drawn from the collections of the Brandywine Museum of Art and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. |
Holiday Hours:
Beginning November 15, 2025 through January 4, 2026, the Brandywine Museum of Art will be open daily, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving & Christmas Day, and closing early on Christmas Eve at 1 p.m.). EXTENDED HOURS: From December 26–30, the Museum will be open from 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. The Brandywine Railroad holiday train display and Home for the Holidays: Cards and Hearths from the Collection are both included in the cost of general admission.
Holiday Programs and Special Events:
Sensory-Friendly Access Hours: Brandywine Railroad
November 20 and January 2, 5–7 p.m.
After-hours access to the Brandywine Railroad for individuals on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing disorder and their families.
Breakfast with the Trains
November 23, December 20, January 3, 8:30–10 a.m.
Enjoy early access to the Brandywine Railroad before the Museum opens, plus a continental breakfast in the Millstone Café.
Holiday Critter Sale
November 20–23, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. (Member preview sale on November 19)
Browse and shop from thousands of unique, handcrafted ornaments made from all-natural materials by the Brandywine’s dedicated and talented volunteers.
The Polar Express Read-Aloud Pajama Night
December 3 and December 19, 6:30–8 p.m.
Children are invited to wear their pajamas as they delight in the tale of The Polar Express and enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, and exclusive access to the Brandywine Railroad.
Children's Holiday Party
December 10, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Visit with Santa and enjoy entertainment, costumed characters, model trains, trees adorned with Critters and tasty treats in the Museum's Millstone Cafe.