TrainTastic’s Summer Camps Offer Locomotive-Sized Adventure for Kids
Just before 9 a.m. on a Tuesday last June in Gulfport, the doors hadn’t even opened to the public, but the energy inside TrainTastic was already humming. Backpacks landed with soft thuds. Someone proudly held up a LEGO creation from the day before. A counselor asked, “Who remembers what makes a circuit work?” and a chorus of small voices answered back. In one corner, a group debated whether their bridge would hold more weight than the others. Summer hadn’t just started—it was already on track.
That energy played out inside the world’s largest model railroad museum, when during the summer, TrainTastic’s spotlight shifts to campers. Summer camp at TrainTastic is less about filling time and more about fueling curiosity. Summer 2025 was the museum’s most successful camp season to date, and leaders say they’re looking to capture that momentum again this year—and then some. From June 15 through July 31, campers ages 5 to 10 step into a space where science, imagination, and hands-on fun share the same platform.
Two age groups are available for camp: Conductors (ages 5–7) and Engineers (ages 8–10). Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and parents can register week by week—or for multiple weeks—depending on their summer plans. Each day blends structured STEAM activities with plenty of time to explore the museum before it opens to the public.
One day might find Engineers wiring simple flashlights using magnets and circuits, while Conductors craft miniature trees and landscapes inspired by the train layouts around them. Campers build bridges, experiment with slime, learn fascinating train facts, and, perhaps most anticipated of all, enjoy a dedicated LEGO day every single week. Each camper leaves with a LEGO creation to take home—a tangible reminder of a week spent building, testing, and imagining.
Beyond the annual camp, TrainTastic’s STEAM Shop hosts classroom lessons, workshops, and even corporate team-building events centered on science, technology, engineering, art, and math. A recently reimagined, fully in-house gift shop offers everything from merchandise to train-themed apparel and collectibles, rounding out the experience for visiting families.
The museum spans 50,000 square feet and features more than 25 traditional train layouts in multiple gauges. There’s a three-story indoor climber tucked inside the play wing, interactive exhibits where children can push buttons to activate scenes, and an outdoor train ride that welcomes adults and kids alike. A centerpiece of the museum is the $1 million “Coast Layout,” a sweeping miniature tribute to South Mississippi that showcases over 50 Gulf Coast landmarks. Designed by board president Glenn Mueller and transported from Miami, the layout offers families a chance to see the Coast in a whole new way—scaled down and rich in detail.
Glenn Mueller and his brother Richard Mueller are the minds and hearts behind TrainTastic’s origin. A gift from them to the Coast, the museum began with a Train Club and later morphed into the 501c3 nonprofit it is today—all thanks to the brothers and their lifelong passion for model trains.
LEGO plays a major role at TrainTastic year-round. The museum houses more than five million LEGO pieces and features three large LEGO displays, with additional interactive building tables and programming expanding this spring. Through its Brick Builders Club, volunteers can sign up to build with LEGO. At the heart of TrainTastic is a robust volunteer community that supports the museum daily alongside a small full- and part-time staff. From train enthusiasts to community members simply looking to lend a hand, volunteers keep the museum running smoothly and growing creatively.
For parents searching for a summer option that blends fun with substance, TrainTastic offers something rare: a place where kids can climb, build, experiment, and ride—all in one stop. By the time the museum doors open each morning, campers are already deep into discovery, proving that at TrainTastic, summer doesn’t just pass the time. It builds momentum.
TrainTastic
615 Pass Rd., Gulfport
228.284.5731
www.traintastic.com
