Horseshoe Curve derived its name from the dramatic, horseshoe-shaped bend formed by railroad tracks. These tracks built in 1854 located near the city of Altoona, were part of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and formed the main link between the east coast and the new frontier. The construction of the curve is considered one of the most important engineering feats of the Nineteenth-Century and the site is a registered National Historic Landmark. In 1992, we were selected to design a new Museum and Visitors Center for this site. The new building complex was designed to evoke turn of the century railroad stations. To that end, we divided the building complex into two separate pavilions that was connected by a covered loggia. This covering not only provides overhead protection for the visitors and staff, but contains benches that suggests a railroad station-waiting platform. With two pavilions, the larger one containing the interpretive museum, could be closed while the smaller pavilion, containing the gift shop and public bathrooms, could remain open. A funicular was designed to transport visitors from the museum pavilion to the historic railroad site, 100 feet above. With minimal excavation, an exterior staircase was designed to fit within the existing hillside. Our design team worked closely and successfully with five different public agencies to obtain the necessary approvals and permits to complete this project on time and within budget.