The Niles Depot Historical Foundation is dedicated to presenting the history of railroading in the Fremont area, with an emphasis on the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Western Pacific Railroad and their contributions to local history in Niles.  

The Niles Depot Historical Foundation seeks to educate all ages and segments of the general public, provide family recreational opportunities that are consistent with and supportive of the museum's educational goals, provide a facility open for use by rail enthusiasts for meetings and special events, provide a facility for HO and N scale model railroad layouts, and to preserve items of historical and local significance. Foremost among these artifacts is the Niles Depot, a colonnade-styled 1901 Southern Pacific railroad station which also houses most of the collections and exhibits.  

The museum endeavors to achieve its educational, recreational, and preservation goals through research, special events, a variety of exhibits and displays, collecting and conservation, and an ongoing building and grounds restoration program.  

The Niles Depot Historical Foundation attempts to complement, rather than duplicate, the programs of the larger rail museums within the state, most notably the California State Railroad Museum, which are built around collections of railroad locomotives and cars.