St. Louis County and Depot Tenants Reach Deal to Preserve Duluth Depot

St. Louis County leadership and tenant organizations representing rail, music, dance, history and arts reached an agreement on Feb. 25, 2026 to preserve the Duluth Depot and maintain its role as a cultural hub. The deal brings together county officials, the Depot Foundation and nine tenant groups that rely on the Depot for public programming and operations.

Tenant organizations named in the agreement include the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which operate museum exhibits and rail excursions; the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, which performs concerts at the Depot; the St. Louis County Historical Society, which manages historical exhibits; the Minnesota Ballet and Lyric Opera of the North, which use the space for performances; and the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, which supports arts programming. The Depot Foundation joins those tenants in the preservation effort.

The agreement reached Feb. 25, 2026 was negotiated between St. Louis County leadership and the Depot tenants to secure the Depot’s continued use by the organizations listed above. By confirming a shared commitment, the county and tenant groups aim to keep the Lake Superior Railroad Museum’s exhibits open, preserve North Shore Scenic Railroad excursions, and retain performance schedules for the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Ballet and Lyric Opera of the North at the Depot venue.

Immediate implications include continuity for scheduled concerts, exhibits and rail-related programs that draw audiences from Duluth and across St. Louis County. The St. Louis County Historical Society and Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will remain positioned to stage education and community arts work within the Depot complex, while the Depot Foundation will coordinate preservation planning alongside county leadership and tenant groups.

County leaders and the named tenant organizations now move into a phase of coordinated implementation intended to protect the Depot’s buildings and tenant operations. The Feb. 25, 2026 agreement anchors a shared approach among St. Louis County, the Depot Foundation, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, North Shore Scenic Railroad, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis County Historical Society, Minnesota Ballet, Lyric Opera of the North and Arrowhead Regional Arts Council to preserve the Duluth Depot as an active site for museums, rail excursions, music, dance and local history.