Bathurst Rail Museum to celebrate its first birthday this weekend

The museum opened its doors for the first time on February 21, 2020, weeks before the pandemic forced NSW into lockdown but Bathurst Rail Museum co-ordinator Ben O'Regan said visitation numbers have exceeded original estimates.

"It's really been a big year, considering our original estimate was 30,000 visitors, which would put us in the ballpark of the National Motor Racing Museum," he said.

READ MORE:

"We've actually had over 31,000 and that's with two months being closed because of COVID-19."

Mr O'Regan said he's pleased with how the museum has developed into iconic location in the Bathurst community.

"The thing we really appreciate is that it's developed into something for the Bathurst community and the Bathurst community has supported it," he said.

"We've had that reflected in terms of 12 per cent of all our visitors are members and most of those members are from Bathurst. 24 per cent of our visitors are under five, so in terms of creating a community space, I think we've hit the mark with that."

Mr O'Regan said it was a long process to see the museum established.

"It took five and a half years of planning work before the initial concept that the mayor was involved in with the donation of the layout from the Hennessys. That's what really kicked it off," he said.

On the weekend, there'll be a number of special events, as well as a 10 per cent discount on entry on both day.

Four Local Emerging Artists Program (LEAP) musicians - Edie Azar (10am), Lauren Cant (10.30am), Hamish Dinger (11am) and Belle Whitwell (11.30am) - will perform 30-minute sessions on Saturday, while there'll be a Thomas the Tank Engine jumping castle on both days.

The museum will be open from 9am-4.30pm on both Saturday and Sunday.