PERRIS EVENTS FIELD GUIDE
Buddy Boards the Dinosaur Express: A Day of Prehistoric Play at the Southern California Railway Museum
An eight-hour, family-friendly outdoor event in Perris featuring Buddy from PBS’s Dinosaur Train, LEGO master builds, scheduled meet-and-greets, and repeated train rides; this guide lays out the schedule, logistics, and what to bring.
Buddy Boards the Dinosaur Express: A Day of Prehistoric Play at the Southern California Railway Museum.
Join the Dinosaur Express at the Southern California Railway Museum for an interactive, outdoor day with Buddy the Dinosaur from PBS’s Dinosaur Train. The program pairs character meet-and-greets and a LEGO Master Build competition with educational themes—paleontology and STEM (science, technology, engineering, art and math)—across museum grounds, creating a full-day experience for visitors of all ages.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Buddy: A One-Time Inland Empire Appearance
Buddy the Dinosaur appears at the Southern California Railway Museum for what is billed as the only visit in the Inland Empire, making this a rare opportunity for fans of the PBS show to meet the character in person.
LEGO Master Build Competition
A headline feature of the event is a LEGO Master Build competition in which three master builders compete over two days, alongside LEGO build stations that are open to attendees during programming hours.
A Full Day of Programming and Train Rides
Across an eight-hour day on museum grounds there are repeated train rides, programming and partner booths, public LEGO build stations, multiple Buddy meet-and-greet sessions and dance parties—designed to keep families moving through a structured day of activities.
What the day feels like
What the day feels like
The Dinosaur Express unfolds across the Southern California Railway Museum campus as an outdoor, interactive program: museum grounds and exhibits are open for an eight-hour span while scheduled programming and partner booths activate the site mid-morning through mid-afternoon. Throughout the day fans encounter LEGO build challenges and stations, catch Buddy at timed meet-and-greets and dance parties, and hop on regular train departures that run throughout the event.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this event suits — and who should reconsider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The event runs across an eight-hour day; museum grounds and exhibits are open 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and programming, LEGO competitions and booths operate from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Bring a digital or print copy of your tickets as shown in your confirmation email.
The Dinosaur Express takes place at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, California; consult the museum event page for access and arrival details.
Members receive a 10% discount on this event; visit the museum’s event and membership pages for ticket purchases and membership information.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the Dinosaur Express event?
The event spans eight hours overall, with museum grounds open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and programming active during the mid-day window.
Do I need to bring printed tickets?
Yes. Please bring a digital or print copy of the tickets shown in your confirmation email.
When can I see Buddy the Dinosaur?
Buddy holds scheduled meet-and-greets at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 1:00 p.m., with dance parties at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Are there train rides during the event?
Yes. Train rides depart at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30.
Is there LEGO programming and competition?
Yes. LEGO Master Builds and LEGO build stations run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; three LEGO master builders compete over two days.
Do members receive a discount?
Members receive a 10% discount on this event; membership details are available on the museum website.