Nairobi Railway Museum
The Railway Museum tells the story of the famous Uganda Railway — the 'Lunatic Express' — that built modern Kenya. Kids can clamber around vintage steam locomotives and carriages in the yard, including coaches with real history, while displays cover the engineering and the lions of Tsavo. It's a small, low-cost outing that train-loving children adore.
Good to know: Wear closed shoes — much of the fun is climbing around the outdoor locomotive yard.
How a family visit works
- 1Aim for the yard off Haile Selassie, next to the old Nairobi railway station — most of the fun is outdoors among the engines, not in a quiet gallery.
- 2Let them climb into the vintage steam locomotives and carriages first. That is the visit. The indoor boards can wait.
- 3Then do the small displays: the Uganda Railway / 'Lunatic Express', and the Tsavo lions story, which actually lands with kids who have just sat in a coach.
- 4Keep little ones off the greasiest steps and agree a 'we meet at this engine' point; the yard is easy to scatter in.
What kids actually do here
- Climb around real steam locomotives and old carriages in the outdoor yard
- Sit in a coach and pretend the Lunatic Express is still going somewhere
- Hear the Tsavo lions story once they have touched the trains
- Look at engineering kit that is more interesting than another glass case of pottery
- Done in ninety minutes, which is the right length for train-obsessed under-tens
Before you go
Let your child save up for Nairobi Railway Museum
Entry here is under KES 500 a child (our estimate). In Tija, kids earn coins for chores you set and put them toward a goal they pick, like this outing, then watch it fill up as the chores get done.
Free to download on Android. On a computer, Google Play can send it straight to your phone.
What to pack
- Closed shoes — gravel, grease and metal steps, not sandals
- Wet wipes; they will be filthy and pleased about it
- Sunhats for the yard. Shade is patchy
- A bottle of water; there is not much to buy once you are among the engines
Parent questions
- Are they allowed to climb on the trains?
- Yes — that is the point of bringing them. Supervise the high footplates and skip it in the rain when metal gets slick.
- Is it worth it if only one child likes trains?
- If that child really likes trains, yes. If nobody does, pick the National Museum instead. Entry is under KES 500; confirm the day's rate at the desk. Listed open daily — still ask hours at the gate.
Hours, tickets and activity rules change. Confirm the current details on the official site or at the gate before you travel.
Next outing, let them chip in
Set a few chores in Tija, your kids earn coins, and the coins go into a savings goal for the next day out. Built for Kenyan families, priced in shillings.
More for families: Holiday outing planner · Savings Challenge · Parent guides · Tija for Schools
