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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#OnThisDay: 72 years ago today, we came to Washington!
On February 7, 1954, the Pittsburgh Electric Railway Club (PERC) moved three streetcars out of the city of Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Railways M1, West Penn 832, and Pittsburgh Railways 3756.
All three cars operated under their own power from Ingram Car House to Arden (in Washington County). They were the last cars to make the trip along the Washington Interurban (the interurban line was dismantled shortly after the move).
72 years later, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s collection has grown substantially; and we continue to do the restoration and preservation work that our founders in the PERC started! #VisitWashingtonPA #history #transit #pittsburgh
You don’t have to hide your love of volunteering! 😉
Join us for our Volunteer Open House on Saturday, February 21! Go behind-the-scenes, operate a trolley, and learn what it’s like to volunteer with us! Sign up for free on our website (link in bio).
#PATrolleyMuseum #VisitWashingtonPA #ThingsToDoPittsburgh #MuseumVolunteers
FOUR DAYS LEFT to vote for Pennsylvania Trolley Museum to earn USA TODAY @10best Best Small Town Museum! We are so proud to be nominated, and ask you to vote daily at the link in bio. Thank you for your support!
Vote once per day, per category, per person until Monday, February 9 at 11:59AM EST. The top 10, as ranked by USA TODAY 10BEST readers, will be announced on Wednesday, February 18th.
Don`t forget to visit for Free Kid February! ❤ Thanks to Alex E. Paris Contracting, kids can visit for free all month long.
Go for heated trolley rides and play with our interactive exhibits. Also, on February 14 & 15, wear your PJs and bring a stuffie for a day full of special activities for Teddy Bear Trolley. 🧸
Learn more on our website (link in bio).
#VisitWashingtonPA #ThingstodoPittsburgh #PATrolleyMuseum
Long before buses became symbols of the Civil Rights Movement, horse-drawn streetcar riders were already standing up for equal treatment on public transit.
For example, Elizabeth Jennings Graham took a case to court in the 1850s - a time when transit companies were private and typically operated segregated cars. Her case was decided in her favor in 1855, and it led to the desegregation of all New York City transit systems.
And in the city of New Orleans, after the initial actions and arrest of William Nichols, hundreds of African Americans came together in the Streetcar Protests of 1867. The city’s horsecars were desegregated as a result, and the city transit system remained integrated until 1902 (when state-level laws mandated segregation).
History is riddled with milestones, stories, and heroes like these who fought against inequalities aboard public transit. These are not just moments in Black history, but in American history; and it is our job as a history museum to preserve and learn from these stories.
📷: The Clay Monument, Canal Street, New Orleans. Attribution to William Henry Jackson based on listing as photo no. 8102 in Catalogue of the W.H. Jackson Views (1898). Part of the Detroit Publishing Company photograph collection (Library of Congress).
#BlackHistoryMonth #transit #trolley #streetcar #museum
WE NEED YOUR VOTE! The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has been nominated for USA TODAY @10best Best Small Town Museum! We are humbled by this nomination and ask you to vote at the link in bio!
Vote once per day, per category, per person until Monday, February 9 at 11:59AM EST. The top 10, as ranked by USA TODAY 10BEST readers, will be announced on Wednesday, February 18th.
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!