SPENCER — The North Carolina Transportation Museum has announced record-breaking attendance for 2023.  

Visitation to the museum saw a 16 percent increase from the previous year and marked an all-time high with over 167,000 guests enjoying special events, train rides, museum exhibits and programming.

“We aim to improve our guest experience each year, thereby increasing our visitation numbers and economic impact to our community,” said Executive Director Kelly Alexander.  “Visitors to the museum are also visitors to our county and region, bringing important revenue to hotels, restaurants and local businesses.” 

The museum generated a regional economic impact of $23.7 million in 2022, according to the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority.

Ridership for The Polar Express Train Ride set a new annual record, with 73,600 attendees in 2023. That total represented an eight percent increase over 2022’s previous record attendance of approximately 68,000. The holiday-themed event operated for 27 nights and two school days, bringing attendees from several states. Other major events included Day Out With Thomas, which saw its largest attendance in years, Easter Bunny Express, Wind and Wings, Tractors and Trains, the Fire Truck Festival and a variety of other public and educational experiences focused on a variety of transportation themes. The annual automobile shows saw larger vehicle participation levels in 2023 as well.  

The museum is looking ahead to 2024 as a year of further growth as it welcomes visitors to a variety of programming that appeals to a larger and more diverse audience.