New York Botanical Garden announces return of annual Holiday Train Show

Model trains navigate the magical landscape of NYBG's Holiday Train Show
Model trains navigate the magical landscape of NYBG’s Holiday Train Show
Courtesy New York Botanical Garden

New York Botanical Garden is revving up for the holiday season with the return of its beloved Holiday Train Show.

Now in its 33rd year, the show showcases G-scale model trains as they chug along through almost 200 botanical replicas of famous New York landmarks in miniature, such as old landmarks like the first Yankee Stadium or the original Penn Station, all recreated from natural materials.

Throughout the Train Show, visitors can watch as the locomotives run through the Conservatory’s galleries along overhead trestles, through tunnels, and across soaring structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, and in an enchanting woodland outdoor display. The exhibition has signs exploring the plants used throughout the displays, drawing a connection between the botanical roots of NYBG’s cherished annual exhibition and the NYBG Science program.

St. Francis Xavier students observe the train show at New York Botanical Gardens.|Photo courtesy of Rubenstein

Visitors are also encouraged to download the Bloomberg Connects app to unlock exclusive content throughout the exhibition.

The NYBG Holiday Train Show is perfect for all ages and will run daily during NYBG garden hours. For 16 nights, NYBG will host Holiday Train Nights for after-hours activities. Ten of the Holiday Train Nights are for those 21 years old and up (Nov. 23, Nov. 29-30, Dec. 7, Dec. 13-14, Dec. 28, Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Jan. 18) and from 7 to 10 p.m. those nights, guests can enjoy the displays while indulging in festive food and curated cocktails that will be available for purchase.

The remaining six nights (Dec. 20-21, Dec. 22-23, Dec. 26-27) will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. and will be for all ages, with hands-on activities for all to take part in.

The exhibition runs from Nov. 16, 2024 to Jan. 20, 2025. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Sept. 12, 2024.

New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Blvd. For more information, visit nybg.org.