Roundhouse Park and the Toronto Railway Museum
Roundhouse Park is home to both the Toronto Railway Museum and Steam Whistle Brewing
In the heart of Toronto a very popular attraction that is definitely worth taking some time to explore is Roundhouse Park, home to the John Street Roundhouse. Designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, the Roundhouse was built between 1929 and 1931 and now houses the Toronto Railway Museum, a brewery and a home furnishing store. The park stands on 17 acres of prime city land situated just south of the the base of the CN Tower.
The main focus of the park is the Railway Museum which features many historic locomotives and passenger cars as well as old and restored freight trains. There are signs in all of them explaining the importance of their role in history. This form of transportation emotionally hits the core of many people who remember stories from loved ones of days of old.
A wonderful, fun and educational feature hosted by the Toronto Railway Museum is the miniature steam railway. Passengers ride the train and experience a step back in time using real steam technology to run the locomotive. This popular voyage is half a kilometre long starting at the restored 1896 Don Station and passing by many replicas of prominent buildings. Visitors can also enjoy the sensation of a computer simulated ride situated in an authentic diesel locomotive.
Learn about the Canadian origin of the CPR by taking a guided walking tour. There is a small initiation to the steam iron horse, interesting lectures, guide books, a collection of railway equipment and so much more for one to take in and appreciate the fascinating history of this very important form of transportation.
Steam Whistle Brewing is also situated in the charming old John St. Roundhouse that was built in 1929 and used for servicing locomotives from that era until 1986. Here you will be able to take a tour and enjoy tasting samples of this truly Canadian beer. The founders of this company were former workers of the upper Canada Brewing Company and were fired when it was sold to Sleeman and closed down. They decided to put their heads together and open up a brewery of their own. Their pilsner is recognizable by its distinct green bottles that have 3FG embossed on the bottom of them as an inside joke referring to 3 fired guys. All the packaging is made from recycled material. Steam Whistle Brewery is environmentally friendly, having won many awards for this very important aspect. This phenomenal beer is freshly brewed and is GMO-free with only 4 natural ingredients-spring water, malted barley, hops and yeast.
Leons furniture occupies the opposite end of the old Roundhouse building from the brewery. Its atmosphere creates a very spacious and roomy showroom making this an enjoyable and grand place to browse or shop for furniture.
While visiting the area you might want to take advantage of the new Ripley's Aquarium of Canada which is located right across the street from the park.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: The park is free and you can see many of the old locomotives and railcars for free from outside the fence. There is a small entrance fee for access to the Railway Museum which includes the fenced off area.Roundhouse Park Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Address: 255 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3M9, Canada
Phone: (416) 214-9229
Official Website: Roundhouse Park
Roundhouse Park Reviews
Rated out of 5
The museum was a little under-maintained and small but the exhibits were amazing. The exhibits include images, engine models, various kinds of memorabilia. An english documentary about the development of the Vancouver to Toronto line also runs in one section. The best part about the museum experience was the thorough explanation given by a locomotive pilot about a steam engine right next to it. His presentation style and standing next to the engine itself is highly recommended. Very Good Value for Money.
Saksham Julka - a week ago
The mini train was fun but for some reason all the bigger trains were closed. We bought two $14 tickets and we were told some were open and we could go inside. But I don’t know why they were closed
Batsala Batsala - a month ago
Great place to visit with family and kids. During the visit, you get try to operate a train simulator. There are other attractions nearby the Toronto Railway Museum within less than 5 minutes walk, such as Steam Whistle Brewing, Ripley Aquarium, CN Tower, Rogers Centre and The Rec Room.
A L - a month ago
The free outdoor area is neat, with a decently diverse collection of locomotives and rolling stock. The paid indoor section is extremely small and not really worth the money. There is a driving simulator inside which is fairly popular as well as a small collection of model trains on static display. There is also a vintage passenger car of historical significance you can enter, however most of the interior is closed off to the public.
Valve Anti-Cheat - 3 months ago
Very cool experience to learn Canada's History. I wish my school took me here growing up 😭.
The trains are interesting; especially the Go Train. There is an outdoor train ride that looks fun.
Britney Waldron - 3 months ago
Directions
| TTC Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yonge-University-Spadina | Union Station | 8 Minutes |
How to get to Roundhouse Park by TTC Subway
From Union Station follow the SkyWalk west or walk west on the south side of Front Street to York Street or Simcoe Street and go left (south) to Bremner Blvd. Roundhouse Park is right across the street.
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Accommodations near Roundhouse Park:
Photo Gallery
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The Miniature Railway in Roundhouse Park is great fun for families cc licensed photo by Andrew Rivett -
Painstakingly Restored CN 6213 Steam Locomotive in Roundhouse Park cc licensed photo by Peter Kudlacz -
Restored CN 4803 Diesel Locomotive cc licensed photo by Peter Kudlacz -
Home of the Steam Whistle Brewing Company in Roundhouse Park cc licensed photo by Richie Diesterheft -
Photo Credit: Bernard Spragg - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bernard Spragg - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bernard Spragg - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: pmuellr - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: diocrio - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: archer10 (Dennis) - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Pierre Andre Leclercq - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Ken Lund - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: tompagenet - cc license via Flickr
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