About the Museum

 The Cheyenne Depot Museum is housed in the newly renovated Union Pacific Depot in downtown Cheyenne.  The museum tells the story about the establishment of Cheyenne during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, the operation of the Union Pacific Railroad and the history of the construction of the Union Pacific Depot.   You can view the Union Pacific Main Yard from the new building on the west end of the Depot, and experience the second floor of the Cheyenne Depot Museum which is a “touchable museum experience” that has received rave reviews from children of all ages.

    Visitors will also be able to see the restored passenger subway behind the building where train passengers used to pass to get through to the platforms by the tracks.   Visitors will also enjoy the museum floor display in the lobby of the Depot showing a beautiful map of the transcontinental railroad from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Promissory Point, Utah in granite and other stones.

    The Union Pacific Railroad Depot is located on the south side of 15th Street, at the intersection with Cap­itol Avenue.  The Depot is located—naturally enough—alongside the still-active tracks of the Union Pa­cif­ic, America’s first transcontinental railroad, in the heart of Cheyenne’s central busi­ness district.  No longer used as a passenger facility, it sits on the northern side of the railroad’s mainline tracks, and forms the visual cornerstone for downtown Cheyenne.  Located on the site of the first Cheyenne Depot, a wood frame building constructed in 1867, the Depot is one of the downtown’s two most significant landmarks. The Depot is prominently placement at one end of Capital Avenue, opposite the Wyoming State Capitol; Cheyenne’s other major historical landmark.

    The 1929 Art Deco lobby has been beautifully restored.   A map of the transcontinental railroad route with historical details made out of poured colored stone has been embedded in the lobby floor.  The museum-quality exhibit is a unique attraction for all the visitors who come to the Union Pacific Depot.

    Designed in 1885-1886 by the Boston-based architectural firm of Van Brunt & Howe, the Cheyenne Depot was built in 1886-1887.  The building features a massive stone exterior bearing walls and foundations.  It has clock tower and two single-story wings on the east and west ends.  The overall length of the building is 350 feet.  The Depot derives its architectural distinction from its high-style Richardsonian Romanesque.  Clearly, it was the most distinctive depot built by the Union Pacific in the 19th century.  And it was a landmark structure on the Chey­enne landscape. 

   Today, the Cheyenne Depot is a center of activity in downtown Cheyenne.  The businesses which are located in the building include the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Downtown Development Authority, Cheyenne LEADS, the Cheyenne Depot Museum, Cheyenne Depot Gift Shop and Snake River Pub and Grill.  The Visitors Center is located in the 1929 art deco lobby of the Cheyenne Depot.  Visitors are encouraged to stop in to pick up information about Cheyenne and surrounding attractions.  The Cheyenne Depot Museum is located in the west wing of the building.  A tour of the museum takes just over an hour.

    Cultural arts events and activities are happening on virtually every Tuesday from September to May.  Be sure to inquire at the Visitor Center about all the activities and events scheduled throughout the year.  The Depot Plaza is the renovated city block in front of the Cheyenne Depot.  It is the perfect place to have a picnic in the warmer months.  During the summer months, there is a concert in the Depot Plaza on every Friday night, sponsored by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.    During Cheyenne Frontier Days™, there is a concert on the Depot Plaza almost every night.  

The Cheyenne Depot is a must-see attraction on your visit to Cheyenne.  A visit to the building, lobby and the museum will be a memorable one.  Don't miss this chance to take a walk through time and to experience the romance of the railroad.

We Keep the Cheyenne Depot Museum Running ...

... With Our Members

Many individuals, organizations and businesses have supported the efforts to restore the Union Pacific Depot and to develop the new Cheyenne Depot Museum.  Today, we are enjoying the fruits of the labor and investments that were made.   Now the future is in front of us.  We are looking for individuals to join with us to keep the Union Pacific building pristine for the 37,000+ visitors that come through our lobby, to help us host events that bring individuals and families to reconnect with downtown Cheyenne and to help us to preserve our rich railroad history before it is lost forever. Learn about our different membership levels:

• Individual
• Corporate
• Event Sponsor

All aboard to the Cheyenne Depot!

... With Our Volunteers

The Cheyenne Depot Museum offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Here are just a few of the opportunities:

Docents
The docents are our tour guides. They will escort small groups through the building (lobby, 2nd and 3rd floors), sharing the history of the Depot and answering questions. The tour takes approximately 45 minutes. The docents will be required to attend a training session and a manual will be provided for each docent.

Host/Hostess
The hosts and hostesses will be greeters for events that are held in the Lobby and the Museum. They will be invited to attend the Docent training to enable them to answer questions. Most events will require hosts/hostesses to be present ½ hour prior to the start of the event and remain 15-30 minutes after the start.

Cultural Committee Jury
Members of the jury will be called upon to review vendors (artists and craftsmen) seeking opportunities to display their works to ensure quality and appropriateness. Jury would meet as needed, perhaps 4-6 times per year.

Display Designers
Display designers will oversee the display of art in the Lobby. Displays would be setup on a as needed basis, perhaps, 4 times per year.

Administrative Support
The volunteers will help with mailings, filing, answer phones and similar office duties, as needed. Volunteers would be asked to come for 1 hour or more.

Logistical Support
The Logistical Support team will assist in setup and breakdown of tables, chairs, etc, in the Lobby for events. The team or individual team members would be called to work 1-2 hours prior to an event. An occasional late night breakdown may occur.

Special Events
Volunteers for special events will assist as needed to prepare for and host events. Example: Wyoming Public TV and Clifford, the Big, Red Dog event required help with directing the crowd and passing out books.

Special Projects
Volunteers will help to plan, prepare and carry out special projects. Example: The Triangle Counting Contest required counting and packaging flyers and entry forms, delivering them to the school administration building and contacting accounts to count the triangles.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Cheyenne Depot Museum, please contact Pam Crochet, Events Coordinator, at the office at 307-632-3905 or by email to Pam@cheyennedepotmuseum.org.

... With Our Board of Trustees

Board Members Dale Von Krosigk, President Business Owner, Industrial Distributors Jim Ward, Vice-President Business Owner, Wyoming Property Solutions Kevin Paintner, Treasurer President, First National Bank Tom Ludtke, Secretary Owner, B & W Glass Bill Benskin Western States Learning Corporation Andrea Cook Self-Employed Nick Dodgson Owner, Midas Auto & Tire Centers of Cheyenne, Fort Collins, Greeley Bill Dubois Retired School Teacher Jo Ferguson Wyoming Business Council Doug Finch Owner, Carpet One/Commercial Flooring Richard Heimsoth Retired Business Owner, Ex Officio Charlie West Real Estate Agent, #1 Properties     Staff Wayne Hansen, CEO waynehansen11@hotmail.com Christie DePoorter, Development Dir. Christie@cheyennedepotmuseum.org Pam Crochet, Events Coor. Pam@cheyennedepotmuseum.org Marilyn Sutherland, Admin. Asst. Marilyn@cheyennedepotmuseum.org

... With the Cheyenne Depot Museum Foundation

The Cheyenne Depot Museum Foundation is the organization that makes sure the funding is available for the Depot Museum and for all its renovations. It's a tax-exempt foundation that creates and administers a permanent endowment for the future support and expansion of the Cheyenne Depot Museum. Read about their current and past projects here, and see how you can be a part of keeping history alive in Cheyenne.