Independence Tourism Department

Tom

Fascinating tour with a very knowledgeable lady who took us through the whole building imparting great stories and history of the station and the C&A Railroad! Would highly recommend to train buffs of all ages. The station was moved years ago to it's present location and lovingly restored and loaded with period train and housing items to give the viewers a better appreciation of the times.

Andi Kahclamat

This museum is the starting point for several historic trails. The exhibits cover the Oregon trail, California trail, Santa Fe trail, Lewis & Clark trail and Mormon pioneer trail. The museum is laid out well but feels in need of an update. There are no multimedia areas like modern museums have. I was disappointed that the museum was entirely focused on the trail pioneers, with very little reference to the Native Americans already occupying the land. There were many missed opportunities to add context with the native people interacting with the pioneers. Even Sacajawea was barely mentioned in the Lewis and Clark stories. The gift shop has a neat collection of books and souvenirs. I was sad to see that all the Native-inspired goods were made in China. I would love to see this shop actually showcase indigenous culture rather than selling imitations. Overall it's not a bad introduction to the trail histories but if you're already a history buff, there won't be much to learn.

Spare 1 Phone

Great places. If you have any interest in the Oregon trail or the other trails west this is a great museum with lots of displays and information. Nicely done!

Diana Staresinic-Deane

Considering the volume of information available on the trails, this museum does an amazing job of making trail history accessible. Big, colorful displays, first personal accounts, and interactive exhibits guide you through the experience of being on the trail. The gift store is fun, too. I'm currently recommending this museum a lot.