Notice: We have begun work restoring our rail depot’s foundation. While construction is ongoing, we ask that visitors not park directly next to it in our south parking lot. We instead recommend the gravel lot on our north side.
Thank you for your understanding
About Us
The Museum and Research Center are dedicated to the preservation of the stories and artifacts of those who were part of the Orphan Train Movement from 1854-1929.
The mission of the National Orphan Train Complex is to collect, preserve, interpret, and disseminate knowledge about the orphan trains, and the children and agents who rode them. The museum’s collections, exhibitions, programming, and research will instill a sense of pride for Riders and Descendants; engage historians and researchers, heritage visitors, and the general public; and further promote understanding of this nationally significant chapter of cultural and social history. (Updated 2/23/2021)
“This is one of the most important and also one of the very best historical museums, of any size, in North America. And I’ve been in thousands. Hands down, the National Orphan Train Museum is worth the drive–from Kansas City or anywhere else for that matter.” Roger Brooks, International Consultant
Research
While there is no comprehensive list of orphan train riders, we do have a database of approximately 8,000 orphan train riders. If you are interested in searching our database or looking for research help, visit our research page.
Orphan Train Statues
For the current list of statue locations click here. Our statue scavenger hunt is FREE! Check the Orphan Train Statue tab.