Friday, Oct. 7: Go West: Exploration Night at the Museum (5-7 p.m.)
On Oct. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m., visitors to the Union Pacific Museum will experience "Go West: Exploration Night at the Museum." Receive a passport and explore the museum with new eyes in this fun and interactive evening inspired by Union Pacific’s Department of Tours, which arranged and expedited all-inclusive, guided tours for passengers throughout the Western National Parks and city destinations. Re-enactors, Conductors, Brakemen and Engineers, from the Camerail Club are your guides for the evening as you collect National Park passport stamps and explore. Guests will also be invited to spin to win the prize wheel for passes to the movie, "A Monster Calls!" Both Boomer 104.1 and Kiss 96.1 will be on site during the event with special super hero appearances throughout the event.
Did you know that tours are nothing new for Union Pacific? Union Pacific developed fully guided special tours to the National Parks and other vacation spots during the heyday of passenger travel in the 1950s. Mostly young men in their mid-20s to early 30s, without family obligations, were hired to provide this unique customer service. Many of these young men were college students as the work began in mid-June and ended in early September and they were paid $365 per month. Extensive training was provided to the new tour guides in Chicago including an instruction book with well over 100 pages to read and learn. The book included an introductory letter, general instructions for all tours, and specific day by day itineraries and tour instructions. Visitors can experience this unique chapter of railroad history during this fun and interactive Family Night!
Admission is free to all family nights. Donations are gladly accepted.
Family Nights at the Museum are held the first Friday of every month. In addition to providing extended hours for visitors to access the Museum’s range of interactive displays on railroading and the history of the west, each family night will also feature a unique arts or learning opportunity that is fun for the entire family. Next month’s Family Night is Nov. 4, and features the theme, "Can you Dig It? Dirt Night at the Museum."
