Member museums are dedicated to the preservation, restoration, operation and display of historic railroad and street railway equipment, related artifacts and archives.

The Association of Railway Museums was founded in 1961 to encourage railway museums to exchange ideas and information and to be of assistance to one another when necessary. Since the very beginning, membership in the Association has been open to all organizations engaged in the preservation of railway equipment.

ARM is a professional affiliate of the American Association of Museums and as such speaks to the larger museum community on behalf of the railway museum movement.

The Association acts to notify its member organizations of matters of interest. This is done through its conventions, its quarterly publication, electronic communications, and additional mailings as necessary.

As a professional affiliate of the American Association of Museums, the Association of Railway Museums is a member of the AAM council of affiliates. As such it acts in an advisory capacity representing its member organizations. Our representatives work to keep AAM aware of the presence of the railway museum movement and of its special concerns and needs within the larger museum community.

The Association is a member of the Federal Railroad Administration's Railroad Safety Advisory Committee. As such it helps advise the FRA in safety matters.


Our publication Tourist Railroads and Railway Museum Quarterly is sent free of charge to members. Each Museum member is eligible to name a specific number of additional recipients among its officers and staff.

Every railway heritage organization has something to contribute to the railway preservation movement. And every organization can gain from the experiences of others. One way to contribute and to receive is to be part of the Association of Tourist Railroads and Railway Museums.

The purposes of ATRRM are to facilitate the educational missions of railway Museums, to provide a forum for the interchange of information and ideals relating to preservation of railway history and technology, and to foster the preservation, documentation and restoration of railroad equipment and other artifacts. The association sponsors an annual convention with seminars and workshops, hosted by member museums. It works to promote professionalism among its member museums. With the encouragement of the American Association of Museums ARM published Recommended Practices for Railway Museums.

Membership applications and additional information are available upon request. Inquiries should be directed to the Executive Director at the Association's business address or by email at . ATRRM may also be contacted by telephone at (770) 278-0088.