National Railroad Museum

The National Railroad Museum in Green Bay dates back to 1956 as the home to over 100,000 artifacts, seasonal train rides, indoor and outdoor exhibits, and a venue for special events. As their artifact and rail car collection has grown, project “Full Steam Ahead!” was created. This project includes plans to double the size of their existing Lenfestey Center and add 25,280 gross square feet to their facilities.

The features to be added include increased parking for events, an outdoor patio with a classroom, rentable event space with a kitchen for catering, and an overall expansion to the exhibit space including a mezzanine and large glass windows facing the Fox River.

GRAEF’s team was selected to design the exterior infrastructure needed for the Phase 1 addition, manage the relocation and extension of utilities, develop and design stormwater management facilities, obtain required permits, and assess the environmental conditions on the site. GRAEF’s design work for this project includes the patio area, additional parking lot, entrance connections, and walkways including the pedestrian path that encircles the property. This project required a combination of GRAEF’s expertise in high-end cultural facility design with experience in development along major waterways.

Due to the active rail loop that visitors can ride around the museum’s perimeter; infrastructure was limited to avoid any impact to the tracks. The parking lot was designed to fit the curve of the adjacent tracks, and stormwater management systems were strategically placed to be an amenity to the patio and to avoid a need to bore under the tracks. Existing contaminated soil needed to be identified, characterized, and a management plan developed that aligned with and allowed the necessary site improvements to happen.

The museum’s location along the Fox River also provides a backdrop for weddings, celebrations, corporate gatherings and more. Along with hosting events, the museum is committed to providing learning opportunities and environments for its visitors. The expansion and enhancements are intended to support more largescale events, with construction anticipated to be complete in early summer of 2025. The overall enhancements and expansion are expected to double the economic impact of the museum to $40 million a year.