Roundhouse Park and the Toronto Railway Museum

Roundhouse Park is home to both the Toronto Railway Museum and Steam Whistle Brewing

Aerial View of Roundhouse Park in Toronto
Aerial View of Roundhouse Park in Toronto cc licensed photo by The City of Toronto

In the heart of Toronto a very popular attraction that is definitely worth taking some time to explore is Roundhouse Park, home to the John Street Roundhouse. Designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, the Roundhouse was built between 1929 and 1931 and now houses the Toronto Railway Museum, a brewery and a home furnishing store. The park stands on 17 acres of prime city land situated just south of the the base of the CN Tower.

The main focus of the park is the Railway Museum which features many historic locomotives and passenger cars as well as old and restored freight trains. There are signs in all of them explaining the importance of their role in history. This form of transportation emotionally hits the core of many people who remember stories from loved ones of days of old.

A wonderful, fun and educational feature hosted by the Toronto Railway Museum is the miniature steam railway. Passengers ride the train and experience a step back in time using real steam technology to run the locomotive. This popular voyage is half a kilometre long starting at the restored 1896 Don Station and passing by many replicas of prominent buildings. Visitors can also enjoy the sensation of a computer simulated ride situated in an authentic diesel locomotive.

Learn about the Canadian origin of the CPR by taking a guided walking tour. There is a small initiation to the steam iron horse, interesting lectures, guide books, a collection of railway equipment and so much more for one to take in and appreciate the fascinating history of this very important form of transportation.

Steam Whistle Brewing is also situated in the charming old John St. Roundhouse that was built in 1929 and used for servicing locomotives from that era until 1986. Here you will be able to take a tour and enjoy tasting samples of this truly Canadian beer. The founders of this company were former workers of the upper Canada Brewing Company and were fired when it was sold to Sleeman and closed down. They decided to put their heads together and open up a brewery of their own. Their pilsner is recognizable by its distinct green bottles that have 3FG embossed on the bottom of them as an inside joke referring to 3 fired guys. All the packaging is made from recycled material. Steam Whistle Brewery is environmentally friendly, having won many awards for this very important aspect. This phenomenal beer is freshly brewed and is GMO-free with only 4 natural ingredients-spring water, malted barley, hops and yeast.

Leons furniture occupies the opposite end of the old Roundhouse building from the brewery. Its atmosphere creates a very spacious and roomy showroom making this an enjoyable and grand place to browse or shop for furniture.

While visiting the area you might want to take advantage of the new Ripley's Aquarium of Canada which is located right across the street from the park.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: The park is free and you can see many of the old locomotives and railcars for free from outside the fence. There is a small entrance fee for access to the Railway Museum which includes the fenced off area.

Roundhouse Park Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
  • Friday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
  • Saturday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Address: 255 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3M9, Canada

Phone: (416) 214-9229

Official Website: Roundhouse Park

Roundhouse Park Reviews

Rated 4.2 out of 5 Star Rating

4 Star Rating It was really nice. I went with my camp and we got to go earlier than opening time. It was very fun, we had a tour guide and we got to go inside the trains. We even rode the small train that goes all the way around. It was really exciting. Got to learn a lot obout past trains and can't believe the go train used be like 42 cents, maximum fare $2!!!!
L K - 6 months ago

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4 Star Rating Only four stars since they were under major renovation while we were there. Still informative and great to walk around the roundhouse park.
Alec K - in the last week

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4 Star Rating The museum has access to the external area, which is free, where you can see the old locomotives, climb them for photos, read about the history, observe the train parking sheds and the railway cabins. The internal part consists of a small space with old parts and explaining a little more about the machines. For children and adults, it is still possible to go around the park with a small train and view all the points from it. It's a short trip, but for those in the region it's worth including in the itinerary.
Karen alves gaspar - 7 months ago

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4 Star Rating The Toronto Railway Museum is in the heart of downtown Toronto, opposite to C N Tower and Ripley's Aquarium. The Toronto Railway Museum is the repository of the railway history. Worth a visit to this place to see the old engine and bogie, and the history of railways in Canada.
Thonta Prasad - 2 months ago

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3 Star Rating I was disappointed, there isn’t much of an immersive experience or enough exhibits to see. The trains in the open area are impressive but you can easily miss out on going in.
Madhur Bafna - 2 months ago

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Directions

TTC Subway Line Nearest Station Walking Time
Yonge-University-SpadinaUnion Station8 Minutes

How to get to Roundhouse Park by TTC Subway

From Union Station follow the SkyWalk west or walk west on the south side of Front Street to York Street or Simcoe Street and go left (south) to Bremner Blvd. Roundhouse Park is right across the street.

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