History That Connects Us
A day at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museums is a full sensory experience, from the ring of the bell to the hum and shake of the trolley as it rides down the tracks. Our Museum brings a unique experience to visitors of all generations, connecting us all to the past. From the moment they arrive, our visitors enter a world of timeless memories, historic innovations, and interactive discoveries.
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This Holiday Season, give the gift that keeps on giving - a yearlong membership at Pennsylvania Trolley Museum! Membership includes museum admission on regular operating days, discounts on programs and events, access to exclusive experiences, and so much more! Visit patrolley.org/support and be a part of History that connects us.
#ThrowbackThursday: To December 1966, when Brilliners still ran in Philadelphia! In this image, Brilliner car 7 is on the former Ardmore line of the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, specifically at Belmont Avenue.
Brilliner cars 1-10 were built in 1941, and were the last order of electric streetcars ever built by the J.G. Brill Company. The Brilliners remained in service in Philadelphia for 41 years – about double their design life! #history #transit #trolley #streetcar #philadelphia
Planning to meet with Santa at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum? There are a limited number of tickets remaining for this weekend (best availability’s on Saturday afternoon)! Santa Trolley ticket holders will:
🎅 Meet with Santa Claus and chat with him aboard one of our beautiful streetcars.
🎄 Explore the full Museum space, including our exhibits and decorated Display Building.
🚂 See and enjoy our classic train display.
🧱 Visit @steelcitylug’s LEGO display table.
🍪 Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and cookies.
Can’t visit on the 13th or 14th? Santa will also be here the 20th and 21st. Grab your tickets for either weekend now before they sell out! #VisitWashingtonPA #Santa #HappyHolidays #museum #trolley #streetcar
For #MuseumMonday, we thought we’d share a fun fact about our current seasonal event: Santa Trolley!
Did you know that Santa Claus landed at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum for the first time in 1988? That means jolly old Saint Nicholas has been riding with us for 37 years!
Has your family come to speak with him yet this winter? #Santa #HappyHolidays #MerryChristmas #VisitWashingtonPA #Museum #history #transit #trolley #streetcar
For #FlashbackFriday, let’s take a big step back in time! Believe it or not, this is a photo of the Frankford Terminal. It was taken in 1918, even before the construction of the Frankford El.
In addition to documenting a specific moment in history, it’s also an excellent reminder that change is inevitable. Streetcars, horse-drawn carts, and early automobiles were all in use in 1918; and each can be seen in this image. Electric streetcars had long since replaced horse-drawn transit as the main method of transportation in many cities across America. Automobiles, however, were growing in popularity, and would inevitably become people’s preferred method of travel. As the saying goes: the rest is history. #history #transit #trolley #streetcar #Philadelphia
Can’t make it to Santa Trolley this month? Visit for Trolleys and Toy Trains instead!
On Thursdays and Fridays, visitors who purchase general admission will see and enjoy the following:
🚋 Unlimited festive trolley rides, as well as our exhibits and Display Building
🚂 A classic holiday toy train layout
🧱 @steelcitylug’s LEGO holiday layout
🎄 All the holiday lights and decorations at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
Come visit and celebrate the season with us from 10 am to 4 pm (last ticket sold at 3:15 pm)! #VisitWashingtonPA #history #museum #transit #trolley #streetcar #holidays
Education
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum provides unique, exciting, and fun educational opportunities for students, educators, and life-long learners! Our museum is dedicated to sharing stories, insight, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) themed opportunities and experiences that will bring the trolley era to life. Check out our Education page to learn about field trip opportunities, Scout workshops, summer camps, and more!
History
Take a ride into the past at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum where the trolley era is alive and well. The Museum uses daily tours, interactive exhibits, multidimensional programming, and special events throughout the year to transport visitors back in time. Our history and STEAM exhibits tell the stories of the people, places, and things that made the trolley era such an exciting and unique time to be alive!
Collection
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is focused on preserving and restoring our collection of antique streetcars. The Museum was founded in 1953 and has continued to conserve, preserve, and restore cars through a mostly volunteer effort. Today, we house a collection of 50 streetcars, many of which are operational and used for daily rides. Visit our Collection page to learn more about all of our different trolleys!