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.
@patrolleymuseum
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This #MuseumMonday we’re highlighting one of our special offerings: Private Photo Sessions!
During photo sessions we allow photographers and groups to use one of our operational streetcars as the setting or backdrop for their photo shoot. Popular choices for photo sessions include the Streetcar Named Desire, the Rio de Janeiro Open Car, and Pittsburgh Railways 4398 (although you may request any operational car)!
For session reservations and pricing details, please visit our website (link’s in our bio) and fill out the Private Photo Session contact form on our Groups page!
📷: Ethan LaPlaca, Director of the Mt. Lebanon High School Choirs’ 2024 production of ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’
#PrivatePhotography #VisitWashingtonPA #museum #trolley #streetcar
🗓️ Get ready to ride to the Fair!
In four weeks The Washington County Agricultural Fair, Inc. will once again host the annual Washington County Fair. This is one of the highlights of our year, and is a great time to visit and see multiple different streetcars in service as we shuttle guests to and from the Fair.
We’re also excited to announce that @coenmarkets will sponsor a $5 Fair Week! Thanks to their support, general admission to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum will be $5 during the event. A single admission ticket will not only get you access to our exhibits, but will also include Park ‘N’ Ride services to and from the Fair! It’s a great deal and the perfect opportunity to plan a full day out in Washington.
Save the dates and get ready for August 10th through the 17th; we’re excited to welcome visitors and Fair riders alike to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum! #VisitWashingtonPA
A big thank you to our friends from the EQT Qrew who volunteered yesterday and cleaned our Trolley Display Building and streetcars! We are now polished and ready for our visitors.
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum values its partnership with @eqtcorp and is grateful for its support!
#streetcars #trolleys #museums #history #volunteer
#volunteerservice #volunteersrock
Now available in our store: A Meet at County Home Siding print by J. Craig Thorpe.
This original artwork was produced by Mr. Thorpe exclusively for the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. It depicts Pittsburgh Railways interurbans 1613 & 1711 passing each other as a Pennsylvania RR commuter heads toward Pittsburgh circa 1951.
Prints are limited, so purchase yours today by contacting Connie in our store!
#streetcar #trolleys #museum #history #art #historicalartwork
#BehindTheScenes: There’s lots of activity in our Restoration Shop this month! Right now, our members and volunteers are helping us restore the following streetcars:
🚋 Philadelphia Transportation Company 8042 - Progress on 8042 is slow but steady, with volunteers Louie Mariano and Bruce Wells recently working on new baseboards for the car. Bruce also began laying out the location of the heaters and conduits for the wiring.
🚋 PAT PCC 1713, the “Terrible Trolley” - 1713 was recently lowered to the shop floor so that volunteers could work on installing its new floor! Multiple people have assisted with measuring, cutting, and installing wood panels in the car during this past week.
🚋 Red Arrow Lines 73 - Like 8042, work on 73 is slow but steady. The roof and motors are the next major areas of focus for this restoration project. In the meantime, between Terrible Trolley work sessions, volunteers have done small wood refinishing for 73.
🚋 Pittsburgh Railways M1 - M1 technically isn’t in our restoration shop yet...but it will be! Earlier this year we began fundraising to support the restoration of the very first car ever purchased by our founders. It is estimated that the cost of restoration will be at least $210,000. Fortunately, long-time PTM member John Wilkins will match dollar-for-dollar donations up to $100,000! Please consider contributing to this project and helping us restore M1 the pay car - you can make a donation at our website (link’s in our bio!).
Thank you again to the members, volunteers, and supporters who help to further our mission of creating a living history experience that educates visitors about life during the Trolley Era. Thanks to you, we can continue to restore and maintain our beautiful fleet of streetcars! #history #restoration #museum #streetcar #trolley #preservation
This #MuseumMonday we’re highlighting one of our special visitor experiences: birthday parties!
All of our birthday packages include a scenic trolley ride and time to celebrate with your group in one of our three beautiful events rooms. You can also add more fun to your party with a guided STEAM activity or a guided tour!
To explore our activity options and to learn more about party reservations and pricing, visit our website, visit the “Groups” page, and fill out our contact form! #museum #VisitWashingtonPA #BirthdayParty #history #transit #trolley #streetcar
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!