Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights
Ride a coal-fired miniature steam train and watch century-old Stanley steam cars run — a Victorian estate that comes alive on Steamin' Days.
3000 Creek Rd, Yorklyn, DE 19736
Hours
1 PM – 4 PM
Show the week Hide the week
| Fri | 1 PM – 4 PM |
|---|---|
| Sat | Closed |
| Sun | Closed |
| Mon | Closed |
| Tue | Closed |
| Wed | Closed |
| Thu | 1 PM – 4 PM |
Last checked 2026-10-19
- Cost
- $8 regular; $15 on Steamin' Days (ages 13+) adult · $4 (12 & under) regular; $10 on Steamin' Days child
- Best for
- All ages
- Indoor / outdoor
- Indoor & outdoor
- Typical visit
- 1.5–2.5 hours (Steamin' Days)
A steam-car museum at Auburn Heights; the ride days are the draw, so check what is running before you go.
The Quick Version
- • A steam-age museum on a Victorian estate in Yorklyn: a collection of Stanley steam cars and a coal-fired, 1/8-size steam train you can ride.
- • The big family draw is Steamin' Days — first Sundays, June–November (12:30–4:30 PM) — when the cars and the train actually run.
- • Regular museum hours are Thursday & Friday 1–4 PM; admission is modest. The estate sits within Auburn Valley State Park.
- • Budget about 2 hours on a Steamin' Day; ideal for train- and machine-loving kids.
Best Ages
All ages
Plan For
1.5–2.5 hours (Steamin' Days)
Adults
$8 regular; $15 on Steamin' Days (ages 13+)
Kids
$4 (12 & under) regular; $10 on Steamin' Days
What to Expect
The Marshall Steam Museum sits on Auburn Heights, a Victorian estate that Israel Marshall built in 1897 above the old Yorklyn mills. His descendant T. Clarence Marshall became a licensed Stanley Motor Carriage dealer and built a personal collection of steam automobiles; the cars first opened to the public in the 1970s, and the estate is now part of Auburn Valley State Park (formerly Auburn Heights Preserve), run with the nonprofit Friends of Auburn Heights. The collection includes 15 Stanley steam cars plus other early steam and electric vehicles.
The family magic happens on Steamin' Days (first Sundays, June–November), when the antique cars take to the grounds and the Auburn Valley Railroad — a coal-fired, 1/8-size steam train — gives rides around the estate. On regular Thursdays and Fridays it's a quieter walk-through.
Set expectations: Steamin' Days are the visit to plan around (rides plus running machines); a regular weekday is lower-key, best for kids truly into trains and old cars. The 1897 mansion can be toured too on a combo ticket.
Who It's Best For
Train-loving toddlers and preschoolers adore the ridable steam train. Older kids and grown-ups get into the steam cars and how they actually work. On a regular Thursday or Friday it's a quieter walk-through — best for kids genuinely into trains and old machines.
Highlights
Riding the Auburn Valley Railroad
All agesA coal-fired, 1/8-size steam train that gives rides around the estate on Steamin' Days — the highlight for most kids.
Stanley steam cars running
All agesOn Steamin' Days you can watch early steam automobiles actually drive — 15 Stanleys plus other steam and electric cars.
The Auburn Heights mansion
Ages 6+Tour the 1897 Victorian home above the Yorklyn mills on a combo ticket — a look at the family behind the collection.
Holiday Trains
All agesHoliday Trains is December 5 (3–6 PM) and December 6 (1–4 PM) in 2026. On December 12 and 19 (1–4 PM) there are model train displays and photos with Santa, without train rides.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • A regular Thursday/Friday visit if your kid wants train rides — the train and cars run only on Steamin' Days and special event days like Train Day.
- • The mansion tour with antsy toddlers — it has stairs and look-don't-touch rooms.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
$8 regular; $15 on Steamin' Days (ages 13+)
Kids
$4 (12 & under) regular; $10 on Steamin' Days
Under
Infants and members free
Regular admission: adults $8, children 12 & under $4; a mansion + museum combo is $14/adult. Steamin' Days: ages 13+ $15, 12 & under $10, infants and members free, ACCESS DE/PA $2.
Membership tip: Members get in free, including Steamin' Days — worth it if you'll catch more than a couple of visits with a steam-obsessed kid.
Getting There
Parking
Easy parking — an event lot across the street, overflow on the estate near the museum and water tower, and accessible spaces between the Carriage House and the museum.
On Steamin' Days, use the event lot across the street and arrive near the 12:30 opening for the first, least-crowded train rides.
Entrance
Enter off Creek Road and buy tickets at the museum / Carriage House.
Parent Logistics
The museum and grounds are largely stroller-friendly. The mansion tour has stairs, so it's less stroller-convenient.
Restrooms on site.
Not confirmed — plan ahead.
The estate grounds have shade trees; the train and steam cars run outdoors, so bring sun cover on a hot Steamin' Day.
Food & Snacks
No food on-site. Light refreshments are sometimes available on Steamin' Days and event days; there's no regular café. Hockessin is a few minutes away for a meal.
Snack strategy: Pack snacks and water for a Steamin' Day; grab lunch in Hockessin before or after.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Plan around a Steamin' Day (first Sunday, June–November) — that's when the train rides and steam cars actually run.
- ✓ Arrive near the 12:30 opening for the first, least-crowded train rides.
- ✓ Members ride and enter free, including Steamin' Days — it pays off fast for a steam-obsessed kid.
- ✓ Use the event lot across the street on Steamin' Days.
- ✓ Want Santa without the crowds? December 12 and 19 (1–4 PM) have model trains and photos with Santa — just no train rides.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Steamin' Days — first Sundays, June through November — are the headline visit, when the cars and the train run. Regular Thursday/Friday afternoons are quieter. In December, Holiday Trains (Dec 5, 3–6 PM; Dec 6, 1–4 PM) is the big family weekend.
Seasonal Notes
Steamin' Days run first Sundays June–November, 12:30–4:30 PM. Holiday Trains is Saturday, December 5 (3–6 PM) and Sunday, December 6 (1–4 PM) in 2026. On December 12 and 19 (1–4 PM) the holiday decorations stay up for special programming with model train displays and photos with Santa — no train rides those days. The museum is otherwise open Thursday & Friday 1–4 PM, with a winter break: the last 2026 open day is Saturday, December 19, and it reopens Thursday, February 4, 2027.
Rainy Day?
The museum building is indoors, and Steamin' Days run rain or shine — call (302) 239-2385 for severe-weather updates.
While You're in the Area
Auburn Valley State Park trails are the same preserve. Hockessin and Mt. Cuba Center are minutes away.
Upcoming Events
Steamin' Day at Auburn Heights
Sun, Nov 1 at 12:30 PM
Families can experience a day of vintage technology and history. Visitors can ride an antique steam train, observe Stanley Steamers and other steam-powered machines in operation, and take a tour of the historic 1897 Marshall family mansion.
More infoKnow when something good is on near Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights
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