Two adults, two young train lovers paid admission to walk through a building with very few trains running. Bet I could have counted them on my two hands. If this facility is not going to run a slew of trains, they should shut their door and stop taking fees from people. Such a disappointment. read more

Northlandz - How many trains do YOU see? - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

Flemington, NJ - self-billed as the "world's largest miniature wonderland & train museum," the sheer scale of this model railroad exhibit is immense and impressive. Although I'm not a model railroad enthusiast, I do love miniatures, and the details and craftsmanship of this entire enterprise are absolutely incredible and a sight to behold. We've driven by this imposing & austere white building off of Route 202 many times and I've always wondered about it - is it a defunct bank? A religious headquarters? A sanitarium? Well turns out, it was constructed specifically to house the growing railroad model which its creator, Bruce Zaccagnino, started building in the 1970s and worked on over the next 2.5 decades. Despite the size of the building, I didn't think the display would be that big, but the rooms just seemed to wind on forever, and it was interesting to see the scenes from different perspectives as you worked through the levels. There are over 100 trains running on seven miles of tracks! There was so much to see and I had fun studying the intricate details and playing "I spy" with my kiddo. If you're into trains, this attraction is obviously a can't-miss, but my family including our toddler loved it. It's an awesome place to take kids. There are a few raised steps in various rooms for younger kids to step on, but they really ought to install more throughout the complex so kids that aren't tall enough can see the installations better. About 3/4 of the way through, there is a kids play zone area, with lots of seats to take a break. Toward the end of the tour is where you enter the bizarro world of kitschy and creepy dolls (and I say this as a fond devotee of creepy/old dolls...so it's right up my alley and really stirred my goth sensibilities). There are also some organs lying around - the keyboard kind, not the human kind. The outdoor train ride seems cool and we really wanted to ride it but it wasn't operating when we went earlier in the year. Hope it's up and running now. There is a nice and large gift shop with a room off to the side that sells vintage train parts and accessories, in addition to regular toys, gifts and branded merchandise. The whole work is a marvel and I recommend a visit! I'd like to see it again and we will come back when my child is a little older and can take it all in with more understanding and appreciation. read more

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Lives up to the promise of a lot of train! It's a lot bigger than you expect it to be. They have percent completion markers through out the tour which is very helpful. It's enjoyable, especially for kids but facility needs a lot of updating and some more windows/fans along the way. Plus, there were random displays of dolls throughout that were creepy and overall, it is bit overpriced. It's nice that they offer deals often. read more

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I've driven by Northlandz several times in my travels and always thought the building itself was kind of odd on that stretch of highway. You would never think your mind would be blown away by the amazing train exhibits inside by looking at the outside, but I'm telling you to go see for yourself! Parking is easily found in their parking lot. You can save a few bucks for your visit by buying tickets online and I'd tell you to do so because they are expensive. The front entrance has steps so we had to come in and open the ramp door located on the left side of the main entrance on our own to bring in our stroller. They apparently keep it locked for security purposes. Once we started on our journey we were just amazed by the detail, the hours put in, the love of ones hobby and thought that was put into the exhibits. There are literally acres of model train exhibits in mostly HO scale that sprawl the entire building. One section of the building has a thirty foot high display. The craftsmanship on display is just mind blowing. How someone had the patience to put some of this together (one sign said 22,000 pieces of wood were put together for a display) is unfathomable. It leaves you wondering (among many things) how long it took for all of this to come together. There are some interactive features that are activated by button that really amused my two year old. His attention span held up pretty good we spent almost two hours inside exploring the entire building. From the looks of it they host birthday parties in there and they also sell tickets for an outside train ride. It's a gasoline powered replica Steam train that pulls several open air cars. It was a little chilly on the day of our visit so they had clear plexiglass to cover the windows. It takes two laps around the property and we enjoyed it. The gift shop has some trains you can buy and Northlandz themed merchandise. There are a couple of vending machines inside as well. We found a local place to have lunch after that was very kid friendly located a few miles down the road. I really can't say enough about our experience here. Yes, it's a tad dated, but I'm telling you the place is a total gem. Even train enthusiast Rod Stewart paid a visit and has his picture on the wall in one of the rooms! Thank you to the Northlandz staff for a wonderful experience!! read more

Such a great time with the Family at Northlandz! We toured the entire place in about an hour! So much fun! read more

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I really love this place. It's improved so much over the past couple of years. It's way less dusty and I feel like the tour got longer. The gift shop is pretty lame. It's the same 7 or 8 toys for sale in different areas. The only other negative is this needs to be cheaper. Probably about 20 bucks per person cheaper. There were a good amount of trains running and most of the displays were working. The staff that we dealt with was very nice. With the old owners you could walk through as many times as you want with new gates I'm not sure if you can or if you are allowed. We usually like to walk through twice. I'm sure we will be back next year. read more

The model railroading layout is immense and undeniably impressive. It seems under the auspices of the latest "new ownership" the obvious signs of decay and neglect have been remedied along with a thorough dusting that improves the overall experience tenfold. The inexplicably creepy doll collection at the exit remains providing a Freddy Kruger, Hallows Eve menace to the proceedings that this train aficionado has always found beyond bizarre. If you're into trains, Northlandz is your mecca. Tell em Jason sent you. Hockey mask optional. read more

An incredible experience beyond belief. The building is 52,000 square feet with more than 40,000 feet of track. I just wish the train consists of looking more realistic with more train cars, and it also wouldn't hurt if they had something Amtrak related, like an Amtrak train with 85' Budd Amfleet cars. Over 1 million scale model trees, the world's only toothpick farm, and more than 100,000 pounds of plaster. The outdoor miniature train ride could be better; the crossing signals should work properly and have bells and the tunnel should look more attractive instead of just being a creepy dark storage shed. read more

Go only if you have money to throw away. Very few trains and very run down exhibits. Went years ago and it was so much better. Very disappointed. read more

Not worth the money. Most buttons not working, very few trains running. The kid play zone is a hazard and the outdoor train, advertised everywhere including on site is apparently no longer running. We've been to many train museums since my son is obsessed. This was the most expensive and less enjoyable than even free places we have visited. Disappointed we made the trip. read more

Great place to go and take family if you love model railroading. So much to see. Scavenger hunt for kids of all ages. On weekends they have outside narrow gage train rides. They do birthday parties. Staff are excellent! read more

Incredible display of model trains. The little guy loved it! Would come again next time we're in town.

Bizarre, slightly over priced, fun for the whole family. We took our toddler and baby to NorthlandZ. I didn't know what to expect! Our toddler had a great time, he was running from exhibit to exhibit shouting "more trains more trains!" Really great to see him this excited. I thought the place was strange and interesting. Between the large detailed train exhibits and the doll museum it was a weird place to spend the afternoon. I was into it! read more

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Just like Peter D described below, we had a problem with the staff and owners in their greediness to steal money for a train that is broken for over a year. I was treated horribly on the phone. I wanted to come today with a large family. My child had been given a gift certificate to include the indoor and $12 train. I called to see if the train was running since it is winters. I was told that the train is broken for a year yet they still sell tickets online for the trains. I asked if the $12 extra paid for the train could go towards one of the additional tickets we would purchase today for adults since the train is broken. She not only told me no (!!) but told me the gift certificate for cannot be used despite no expiration on it. It is a year old. I asked for a manager and was told no! Was told next week. I told them we had several who were coming today in a large group and we wanted to use the one hold gift as it is his birthday and she told me no one would help until next week for the use of this certificate OR the train cost being out toward another ticket for the indoor place. Told me "sorry" bye. This is fraudlulant. You cannot collect money and be unable to deliver and not refund or credit it. They are STILL selling train tickets today on their website for a train that is broken for a year. I asked for the $12 to go to another ticket since today we planned to buy several adult tickets. The woman refused to assist me and told me no that she will not accept my gift certificate for my son's birthday AND will not allow me to get someone to help me until next week. So you ruined the birthday of a child AND sold a ticket for something that is broken AND refuse to refund the $12 as a credit toward another ticket AND refused to allow me to speak with anyone to help. I told her she was treating me poorly and she refused to get someone to assist. Shame on Northlandz to ruin a disabled child's birthday where grandparents came up from Florida to celebrate. read more

Northlandz - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

Impressive to say the least. It's ironic how a collection of miniatures can make one feel small. I loved the detail and the stories. There's so much to explore and we loved pointing out all the little things like grandma's outhouse over the quarry. And the random dancing aliens was hilarious. Definitely enough content to walk through to keep one occupied for a few hours. Its not cheap ($30) and there's some broken facilities (automatic door, vending machine, button triggers) and so many spelling errors everywhere drove me a bit nuts. The entire self guided tour was stroller accessible and it was great seeing different perspectives and angles. I also appreciated the "play area" with a few toys and seats to watch the video about the creator - it helped break it up. They did a good effort with built in step-up areas but unfortunately my older son (almost 2yo) was still too short to use them or see over the wall... so one of us had to carry him the whole time (putting him down for even a second you'd hear demands of "i wanna see more train more train more traiiiinnnn"). His favorite part was the hess truck collection because he has a lot of those models at home. Gift shop itself was fun to browse around and reasonably priced so we left with a few more trains then we came with. read more

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Did not want to do the tour, considering the price, and that the train ride is described as the best part. So we went online to buy train tickets only, since the little guy loves train rides more anyway. We get there... "We're here for the train ride, what's the schedule?" Staff (in casual tone with slight smirk) "Oh it's not running. It's not working, hasn't been for some time, and we don't know when it will be working again." "But we bought tickets online" "Oh yes I know." "So how is it that you can buy tickets for something that is not available?" "Because I do not have permission to update the website, to reflect that." "Soooo, who else can I speak with?" "The manager is on vacation in Pakistan." "Can we at least apply that cost to admissions for the tour?" "No, but hold on to the tickets for when we do get the train up and running." Nah, I would rather call my credit card company to cancel this charge, and the Better Business Bureau for fraud. So if you are here for the tour fine, I guess, but if you wanted to include a train ride, or if you buy a season pass including train rides, consider what you are getting. read more

Drove an hour yesterday 6/3/23 to take my grandson to see the exhibit layouts and most important to take a ride on the trainride which is clearly promoted on the website. While purchasing the exhibit tickets I inquire about the ride on train schedule. I am told " It's not runinng, has not been running, and probably wont be running for at least another month.) Absolutley ridiculous that this fact is not updated on the website. The managment working yesterday told me that they do NOT have permission from the owner to update the webiste. DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING! Actually a pitty because the exibits are fascinating, but this visit left me with a bad taste for this venue. :( read more

Our 2 year old son is train obsessed so on a very cold Saturday in January we finally ventured here. It was awesome. For kids and adults alike. It took an hour and half to walk through going at a good pace but I could easily see you spending an entire day if you're an enthusiast and take your time. The amount of detail they put into every exhibit, it's amazing, the sound effects, even, so cool! The employees there, were very friendly and seemed to really enjoy their jobs. A woman who checked us in/ worked the register in the gift shop. She was great. There's ample parking. The outdoor train wasn't running (but it was 10 degrees out so that makes sense haha) I'm sure we'll come back one day. I saw they have Groupons but I actually used a 20% off code from their website and it was cheaper than Groupon. Highly recommend for all ages, my 2 and 5 year old and us adults loved it. read more

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Unique museum; not just for model train aficionados. Besides having extensive model train exhibits, this museum is also an art gallery. I love their collection of oil paintings. I also love the doll and teddy bear exhibits. My husband and I visited on a 90 degree day in August, and the air conditioning worked fine indoors. We spent about 45 minutes in the museum and felt that we saw everything. You could spend much more time there if you stop repeatedly to watch the model trains go around the tracks, or if you feel a need to observe every intricate detail in the displays. Admission fees might seem high for central NJ, but after visiting the museum, I can imagine the high costs of heating, cooling, lighting the place and maintaining the exhibits. Decades of work must have gone into creating these exhibits. It was my pleasure to visit and I really appreciate the skills of the person who created the exhibits. read more

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Northlandz is a really cool and unique place to visit, whether on a date, a day with the family, etc. This was truly something different that I ended up enjoying a lot. The staff were all very friendly and informative during our visit, giving us some insight on what goes on behind the scenes. The craftsmanship, dedication, and attention to detail is simply amazing. You certainly get your money's worth given how lengthy the tour is, I would say I spent about two hours there walking around. There's also an outdoor train ride, which you can purchase tickets for at the main entrance. read more

Northlandz - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

My kid loved this place. Absolutely worth the price of admission. There are so many trains! So many that it took at least at hour to walk through and see all the different displays. There is also a scavenger hunt to complete but it was way too tough for us. I am pretty sure we only got 4 out of the 10 letters. Maybe next time! Unfortunately the outdoor train was closed due to Covid. It was freezing outside anyway. read more

Wonderful visit to Northlandz! The displays were very detailed and they had a fun scavenger hunt. Lots of stuff in the gift shop, and the staff was very friendly! #Northlandz read more

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This is not the old Northlandz of yesteryear . It has been remolded and revamped. New owners have taken over and have made lots of improvements. Besides having the best model railroads around, Northlandz is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the World Largest Model railroad. They have 8 miles of track. They have 260,000 figures, 400 bridges, 200 dolls. They have an outdoor train ride for kids that goes through a small tunnel and is pulled by an old fashion steam engine which travels around the different landscapes of the property. They offer free admission for children under 2. They also offer free admission for anyone who is disabled. Northlandz gives seniors a discount too. This place is accessible with wheelchairs and strollers. They have a welcome center, a gift shop, and play area. Groups are welcomed, and you can book birthday parties. ( due to Covid-19 call ahead and dbl check.) Northlandz is reopening after being closed to Covid-19, July 3rd,2020. The new owner holds events like speed dating, and before covid had bands . Hopefully, they will be able to get back to these fun things real.soon. read more

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What a great experience I went here with my husband and the set up was just incredible. The staff was enthusiastic and so helpful and nice. We are planning to go back with my father in law! Loved it! read more

After walking through Northlandz, you have to hand it to Bruce Williams Zaccagnino. The guy who built the place is also the one who still sells you the ticket as you walk through the door. The amount of details in this place is impressive. Crazy details. Thousands of pounds of plaster. Nightly work for 5 years after his day job. Boy this guy loves this stuff! The walk inside is about 1 mile. I am glad I brought a stroller so my little ones could stand on top and see. You are allowed to bring your own food. I could see how others quickly criticized the place for dust and vacuuming. I guess there is only so much a pensioner can do, in a 55,000 ft.² warehouse with 8 miles of train tracks. (Guinness book of works records). Maybe we should go and lend a hand? read more

Northlandz - Train control room at Northlandz - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

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July 2, 2022 visit: My son really loves trains and to see such large layouts is a real treat. It was also nice to see a few things refreshed since our last visit, including new or reworked layouts and artwork on the walls, as well as the WWII exhibit in conjunction with Round Valley. We only wish we had the opportunity to visit on a car show day. This visit, we only stayed indoors (i.e. did not take the (separately ticketed) train ride) and it was about two hours. If this is your first visit, I would budget that much time at a minimum. It's surprisingly big. They also have a "scavenger hunt" sheet. Update: My 13-year-old and I returned on July 23 hoping for their car show, but it was cancelled due to the extreme heat. Still, we went inside to tour it again with a friend and their two year old and I updated some of the photos. Accessibility notes: The exhibits are multi-level. No stairs, all ramps. Visitors follow a single winding path that takes you over-and-under the layouts through the building, revisiting many of them from different perspectives. Although many exhibits rise up the equivalent of three stories to the ceiling, to catch all the detail, sometimes you need stand at the railing and look down. Elevation changes are gradual; I never felt like I was trudging up and down. Some areas are low-light. See attached photos. If you have really young kids, I would probably suggest leaving the stroller behind as it won't provide any height and you will have to hold them up. Might as well not have to do that while pushing a stroller. read more

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This is a cool place. Yes, it's dusty and yes, it's in the process for some scenes being redone but it's very detailed. This took A LOT of hard work & passion to make it the way it looks. I loved all the dolls as well.... such fun collection to look at. This place was much larger than I thought it would be as well. The train ride outside was short but overall nice... especially seeing deer on the tracks. However, if you like this place... I HIGHLY suggest you check out 'Gulliver's Gate' in NYC. It's a lot like this place but much newer. read more

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We had an amazing time photographing the vast array of train dioramas. This place is AMAZING! The displays go on forever. There is so much to see, it's irresistible. I'm already looking to see when I can come back again. I am thrilled to be here, where I can be a kid again. read more

Northlandz - The MAD Photo Gang - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

Incredible train lover dream, everyone was amazed from from 5 to 80 enjoyed it. Three generations and we enjoyed the trivia everyone was soo nice and the place is soo different from what we have it was credible. Very lucky to have a place like this in NJ, lots of sensory stations for kids and great for cold days and hot days to get out of the cold or heat. Great store at the end well priced. read more

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This place is amazing! It took us 2 hrs to walk through, so it's definitely worth the $30! My five year loved it and didn't complain once, even though it's a lot of walking to see everything. They also do a fun scavenger hunt, have interactive buttons, and sounds to keep things interesting for the little ones. Highly recommend for a rainy day or any day. The ride-on train outside was no running when we were there in March. read more

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First time coming to NorthlandZ as my son is in love with trains. The lady in the front desk is really friendly and helpful. My son love all the mini train decor. It is a really big setup they have here and I recommend this to everyone who loves trains. The detail and decor is amazing. We will be back for sure. read more

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Northlandz is a gem for rail enthusiasts and others who just want a really interesting place to spend with their kids. We took our 2 year old who is absolutely obsessed with trains. Between the sprawling detailed indoor displays and outside scaled down ride on train, he was absolutely loving it!!! The staff was very extremely friendly and accommodating, some areas of the place are a bit dated, but the funny quips on some of the displays and the sense of wonder and humor absolutely make up for it. read more

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So, out of the blue I receive an e-mail from Northlandz a few weeks ago. They acknowledged my disappointment voiced in a previous review, and offered a return visit to my whole family to see how they have improved the place since we had been there last. While I was highly skeptical of how much they could have fixed things up, I do appreciate a business taking responsibility and trying to ensure the satisfaction of their customers, so I decided to give them a second chance this afternoon. Immediately upon entering the newly renovated entrance, my hopes were buoyed. Instead of the dark, dusty and frankly kind of creepy entrance way that used to greet visitors, the main entrance way now takes you straight into a bright and remodeled gift area/snack bar. I showed the young man my e-mailed passes and after a few minutes and visit to the no-longer-disgusting bathrooms (seriously, HUGE improvement here!) with the boys, we were off. The display is still intimidatingly huge, and that's why you're here. It claims to be the largest model train exhibit in the world, and while I can't confirm or deny that, anything bigger would just be overkill. Their claims of engaging in large-scale improvements I can confirm. The entire walkway has been given a fresh coat of paint, the broken and cracked glass sections surrounding the displays have been removed and (mostly) replaced, much of the dirt, dust and debris have been eliminated from the displays, the walkways have been repaired, the damaged roof sections repaired, and there has been a noticeable increase in life-safety equipment and emergency signage. They promised improvements, and they delivered. So, is Northlandz perfect? No, the old girl still has her share of warts, but if you're a model train buff, I can comfortably suggest that you visit. I am thoroughly impressed with how much they have improved in the past few months, and the most encouraging thing is the evidence of ongoing improvements going on throughout the building lead me to believe they may just restore this place to its former glory yet. Rome wasn't built in day, and I'll be patient with the progress here as well. Given how much my oldest loves trains, I'm quite sure we'll be back as he thoroughly enjoyed his visit, and honestly that's what it's all about. read more

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Took my 3 and 7 year old. They LOVED IT! Place and huge and very well done with little small stories in all of the landscapes. I highly recommend this place. Your and old will love it!! read more

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Amazing place for kids and Adults, A great place to bring your kids or come alone even if your not a model train aficionado read more

Northlandz - Scene - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

It's a fun place to take kids there if they love trains!! It's only down the road from my home, and my oldest son was crazy about trains, so we took him there when he was little. read more

My husband and I had gone to Northlandz probably nearly 25 years ago when our sons were small. We remember it being amazing then; but with small children, we didn't have the best experience. Anyway, we decided to take the ride today and visit it once again 25 years later. WOW, it was amazing! We both were in awe. The scenes were just amazing. The man who created this was a genius. We really enjoyed the little notes that went along with the amazing scenes. We will be back with our now 31 year old son when he comes out to visit around Christmas time - he saw our pictures today on facebook and indicated he is very interested in going. Thank you for providing this beautiful exhibit to us. I remember Roadside America in PA as a child and this 100 times surpasses that. read more

Horrible experience here. My girlfriend and I bought tickets to ride their train with a 3 year old and I traveled from Edgewater NJ to Secaucus to pick them up to Northlandz and even called the day before to make sure the train would be running and was assured it was all a go. We get there on a Saturday and suddenly it's not running. They refused to give me my money back and the older lady at the counter convinced us to make the long trip again the following week because they were also going to have Thomas the Train Engine show. So to make the child happy we made the long trip again and even brought his little brother. Again I called the night before and was assured the train would be running. We get there and it's not running. I was upset, but what are you going to do with the two children who want to stay. The lady promised us photos with the kids and Thomas the train engine. We had the photos taken, she again refused to give me the money back for the train ride so I spoke to a manager who guaranteed me I'd have it back in 3 days. It's been well over a year and many phone calls and I never received a cent. To make everything worse they wouldn't put our photos online to download like all the other guests. I finally got the photos after a year, but still have never received my refund. They said I have to come back a third time. It was the most horrible experience dealing with these people. And to think they wouldn't give us the children's photos until I raised hell. Still never received my money back. read more

Spent 2 hours here with a 10 year old and a 9 year old. We all had a blast touring all the displays . If you like model trains you'll love Northlandz. :) read more

Northlandz - Amazing display of model trains! - Art Museums Near Me - Flemington, New Jersey

Super cool museum. Best museum I have been to. So many cool train landscapes. Lot of cliff, mountain and canyon settings. Extremely expansive and worth the visit. My son can't wait to come. read more