About the Museum > Museum History
Museum History
Since 2008, the Transportation Museum has been a unique, one-day event for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. Each year, visitors are treated to interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation, from the Transcontinental Railroad and projects to solve Bay Area traffic to programming miniature robots and solving an Amtrak-themed escape room.
Museum History
As a young child, museum director Andrew Mancini loved transportation of all kinds, especially trains. In fact, at the age of five, he had memorized all of the stations on the CalTrain line and knew all of the train engine numbers.
As a way to share his love for, and knowledge of, transportation with friends, family, and neighbors, Andrew created The Transportation Museum at the age of five. The museum, like those in subsequent years, occurred on a single day during the summer at Andrew's house. Early exhibits included displays of the schedules of every Bay Area transit route, organized on the family sofa; learning about the R.M.S. Titanic by allowing guests to send their own Morse code messages; and slot car racing at the "Grapefruit 500," a track set up on the cover of the hot tub in Andrew's backyard.
In 2013, Andrew wrote hand-written, personalized letters to transit agencies in the 40 largest cities in the U.S. and each transit agency in California and Nevada. Over 75 percent of these organizations wrote back, sending in not just the schedules and maps that were requested, but also fun items — chapstick, Yo-Yo toys, and rain ponchos — branded with their logo, forming the foundation of what is today the museum collection.
About the Museum > Museum History
About the Museum > Frequently Asked Questions
Museum History
Frequently Asked Questions
We'll admit that The Transportation Museum isn't your typical museum! It's a one-day event held annually featuring interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation, from historical displays (like the Pony Express or the Transcontinental Railroad) to those looking toward the future (solving Bay Area traffic and traveling to Mars). If it's your first time visiting the museum or you're interested in a refresher on what to expect, read answers to common guest questions.
What are the exhibits like?
Each of the museum exhibits are different, but each year's museum brings between 10 to 12 brand-new exhibits to the public. Each exhibit combines both educational components and interactive activities, so every display can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. For example, in the Float Your Boat exhibit at the museum in 2016, guests learned the science behind how boats float and discovered what buoyancy and water displacement is. Then, guests worked to build a boat out of LEGOs that could carry cargo containers while remaining afloat. In an exhibit at the museum in 2019, visitors programmed miniature robots through a San Francisco-themed obstacle course to learn, hands-on, how self-driving cars function. These two exhibits are just a couple of examples of the educational and interactive combination present at each of the museum's displays.
Since 2008, the Transportation Museum has been a unique, one-day event for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. Each year, visitors are treated to interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation, from the Transcontinental Railroad and projects to solve Bay Area traffic to programming miniature robots and solving an Amtrak-themed escape room.
Museum History
As a young child, museum director Andrew Mancini loved transportation of all kinds, especially trains. In fact, at the age of five, he had memorized all of the stations on the CalTrain line and knew all of the train engine numbers.
As a way to share his love for, and knowledge of, transportation with friends, family, and neighbors, Andrew created The Transportation Museum at the age of five. The museum, like those in subsequent years, occurred on a single day during the summer at Andrew's house. Early exhibits included displays of the schedules of every Bay Area transit route, organized on the family sofa; learning about the R.M.S. Titanic by allowing guests to send their own Morse code messages; and slot car racing at the "Grapefruit 500," a track set up on the cover of the hot tub in Andrew's backyard.
In 2013, Andrew wrote hand-written, personalized letters to transit agencies in the 40 largest cities in the U.S. and each transit agency in California and Nevada. Over 75 percent of these organizations wrote back, sending in not just the schedules and maps that were requested, but also fun items — chapstick, Yo-Yo toys, and rain ponchos — branded with their logo, forming the foundation of what is today the museum collection.
All Aboard for The Transportation Museum 2019!
Sunday, October 27 at Brittan Acres Elementary School — 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Don't miss the 12th Annual Transportation Museum...
All-new interactive exhibits and activities. A transit-themed escape room.
Unique displays on topics including the Transcontinental Railroad,
transit villages in the Bay Area, and scenic train rides around the world.
Hands-on flight and bus driver simulators. Outreach booths from the California High-Speed Rail Authority and Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Featuring a diverse range of engaging exhibits, this year's
Transportation Museum will inspire and excite visitors of all ages.
Get ready!
Sunday, October 27
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Brittan Acres Elementary School
875 Tamarack Avenue, San Carlos
Free Admission
This year's museum will be held inside the Multi-Use Room at Brittan Acres Elementary School. Parking is available on Tamarack Avenue (a one-way street) or in the teachers' parking lot of Brittan Acres. Enter the museum through this parking lot, off of Tamarack Avenue.
What is The Transportation Museum?
The Transportation Museum is an annual, one-day event featuring interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation. The museum was created in 2008 (we're celebrating 12 years!) and is directed by 16-year-old Andrew Mancini in San Carlos, California. With interactive games and activities (like a transit-themed escape room, programming self-driving cars, and more) and thought-provoking exhibits, the museum promises to be a fun time for all ages of visitors. Watch the 2018 museum recap video below >
Transportation Museum 2018 Recap
Who is the museum open to?
The Transportation Museum is open to the everyone, and guests of all ages will enjoy it!
The museum combines fun games, interactive activities, and transportation-related museum exhibits. For example, in 2018, guests enjoyed solving a transit-themed escape room, programming miniature robots to simulate self-driving cars, piloting a flight simulator (left), exploring solutions to Bay Area traffic, and more!
Have any friends, family, or neighbors who you think would enjoy The Transportation Museum? Feel free to invite them — everyone is welcome!
What can I look forward to seeing at the museum?
Returning visitors know that each year brings completely new exhibits and activities. This year's exhibits include a look at the lasting effects of the Transcontinental Railroad, the benefits and drawbacks of transit villages, and scenic train rides around the world. Guests will also be entertained by a transit-themed escape room, a photo booth, a bus driver simulator, and more. A map at the entrance to the museum will provide you with more details.
