Celebrate the seasons and PA history with meticulous miniature model displays and experiences throughout the state. Toy train enthusiasts, history buffs, and holiday tradition seekers are on the right track with these fun and small but mighty destinations.

1. Milton Model Train Museum

Milton

Enjoy a bit of miniature holiday magic at the Milton Model Train Museum. Watch as model trains zoom through interactive action scenes depicting the happenings around the town of Milton in the 1950s, including a colorful replica of the downtown. Their 20x60-foot layout is sure to delight the young and young at heart during their free holiday open house starting Nov. 24 and every Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 24.

2. Civil War Tails at the Homestead Diorama Museum

Gettysburg

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miniature soldiers in the war
Civil War Tails at the Homestead Diorama Museum

Discover one-of-a-kind dioramas featuring a unique twist of several well-known Civil War battles at the Civil War Tails at the Homestead Diorama Museum. Close to 9,000 miniature, hand-crafted soldiers along with hand-crafted horses, artillery, tents, fences, stone walls, and other facets of the battles, provide a historically accurate, bird’s eye view of the soldiers in battle, illustrating their courage, perseverance, and dedication. The unique twist is the soldiers and horses are depicted as cats with tails and snouts (and hence the name, Civil War Tails).

3. Gettysburg Diorama

Gettysburg

Before touring the Gettysburg battlefield, be sure to check out the large-scale Gettysburg Diorama located in the Gettysburg History Center. Representing more than 6,000 acres upon which the battle took place, sit back and view the entire battlefield in 3-D miniature form. More than 20,000 hand-painted miniatures bring the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg to life with the 30-minute sound and light show.

4. Miniland

Plymouth Meeting

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miniature city of philadelphia
Miniland

Visit Miniland® in the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center to explore some of the beloved hotspots from the City of Brotherly Love. Crafted from more than a million LEGO® bricks, the display features replicas of Philadelphia's most famous buildings and landmarks, including a towering 11-foot replica of the Comcast Technology Center and Lincoln Financial Field, complete with the Philadelphia Eagles’ cheering football fans. Keep your eyes peeled for the mischievous LEGO® Minifigures hiding throughout the display!

5. Little Houses of Huntingdon

Huntingdon

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miniature Houses on Street
Little Houses of Huntingdon

In honor of Huntingdon’s centennial in 1887, a miniature house showcasing one of the town’s beautiful Victorian homes was created and then restored for the bicentennial celebration in 1987. That house now graces the Huntingdon County Historical Society’s courtyard and inspired several local homeowners to commission miniature versions of their own homes. These “mini-me” houses are displayed in yards throughout the Raystown Lake Region as the Little Houses of Huntingdon. Buckle up as you drive through this unique miniature experience!

6. Brandywine Railroad

Chadds Ford

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kids watching miniature trains
Brandywine Railroad

For more than four decades, Brandywine Art Museum’s Brandywine Railroad display has delighted young and old alike. A beloved holiday tradition, the toy and scale model passenger and freight trains chug along 2,000 feet of track, passing by a festive small village and farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater, and even a carnival. This holiday season, enjoy the festive miniature favorite from Nov. 18 – Jan. 7.

7. Choo Choo Barn

Strasburg

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miniature barn
Choo Choo Barn

All aboard! Find a miniature slice of Lancaster County at the one and only Choo Choo Barn. This custom, 1,700-square-foot model train display features 22 operating trains, more than 150 hand-crafted animated figurines and vehicles including a flag that waves and a very realistic fire scene, and a visually captivating transition to a cool nighttime scene. Model railroading enthusiasts and first-time visitors alike have enjoyed this spectacular, must-see model since 1961.

8. Miniature Railroad Club of York

York

Once again, the Miniature Railroad Club of York is throwing open its doors to welcome one and all to their annual holiday open house! Watch HO-scale freight and passenger trains pulled by steam- and diesel-powered locomotives as they chug their way through a 2,700-square-foot layout featuring realistic scenes from around Pennsylvania during the 1960s and 1970s. Open weekends, Nov. 25 – Jan. 14, make this one of your fun holiday traditions.