As California begins to reopen en masse, a favorite museum in Griffith Park is set to reopen next month and treat visitors to Walt Disney’s love of railroading.
What’s Happening:
- Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn, a museum dedicated to Walt Disney’s love of railroading is set to reopen for the first free public day this year on July 18th!
- A tweet from the museum and the official Facebook page for the museum shared: “We are pleased to announce our first free Public Day for 2021! Join us on Sunday, July 18 from 11am to 3pm for our official reopening. Please bear in mind that this is contingent on any and all new instructions that may come from the State of California and the City of Los Angeles. We will try to accommodate all visitors, but know you will understand if we need to limit attendance. We cannot guarantee that all visitors will be able to enter the property. We anticipate that our guests will be able to see Walt's Barn, the SFDRR Combine Car and related exhibits, and Ollie Johnston's LCVRR depot. The gift shop will be open. As always, all scheduled events and activities are subject to change without notice.”
- Before the COVID-19 Pandemic shut most of California and it’s museums and attractions down, Walt’s Barn was generally open every 3rd Sunday of the month from 11:00 – 3:00, and would often host special events and guests.
More About Walt’s Barn:
- In 1950, Walt Disney built a 1/8th scale live-steam railroad at his residence in Holmby Hills, CA. He operated the Carolwood Pacific Railroad (CPRR) for family and friends until 1953 when he shifted his energies into creating a magical place where families could have fun together: Disneyland.
- The CPRR center of operations was a quaint red barn that Walt built as a replica of one from the Disney farm in Marceline, MO. The Carolwood barn served as his workshop and he spent many hours here building miniatures and model trains. In 1999, Walt Disney's family moved the barn he called his "happy place" from his home to the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum, of which Walt was a founding member.
- Today, Walt's Barn is a living showcase of Walt's passion for railroading. Operated by the non-profit Carolwood Foundation, Walt's Barn is filled with trains of all scales, many of which were donated to the Foundation by his animators and friends that shared his hobby. Many of Walt's personal items and tools are on display and he even hand-made all of the work benches.
- Walt’s Barn is located on Zoo Drive in Griffith Park, in Los Angeles, CA.