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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🚗 Join us on June 26-28 for a weekend filled with cars, trucks, trolleys, and more! 🚗
At the West Penn Trolley Meet (Friday 6/26-Saturday 6/27), shop from rail-themed vendors and see our trolley parades! During Anything on Wheels (Saturday 6/27-Sunday 6/28), see classic cars, special-use trucks, construction vehicles, and more.
Both events are included with General Admission, which means they`re free for Members! Learn more (or register your vehicle) on our website (link in bio).
#PATrolleyMuseum #VisitWashingtonPA #ThingsToDoPittsburgh
Learn about space travel at the Museum! 🚀
On Saturday, June 20, visitors can explore booths run by our community partners including @allegheny_observatory, @cmuastroclub, and @challenger_learning_center!
We`re also excited to welcome Pittsburgh Space Command, Tripoli Pittsburgh, and Francis Graham from Kent State University and his exhibits on Moon Trains!
This event is included with General Admission and is free for our Members. Learn more on our website (link in bio).
#PATrolleyMuseum #ThingsToDoPittsburgh #VisitWashingtonPA
For #ThrowbackThursday, we’re sharing a postcard that shows theatergoers boarding trolley cars after a show at Riverton Park in Portland. (Source: the New England Electric Railways History Society.)
100 years ago, this was a common sight across the nation! Riders would board a streetcar to travel to and from their favorite picnic site or amusement park. Not only that: the picnic grove or amusement park was often owned and operated by the very transit company carrying riders to their destination. These were known as “trolley parks”.
How common was this, exactly? By 1919, there were an estimated 1,000 amusement parks around the country, and most of them were trolley parks – meaning that they were founded by, and were often still owned by, a transit company. Pittsburgh alone had nearly two-dozen such trolley parks between the late 1800’s and mid 1950’s! #history #transit #trolley #streetcar
🌞 Summer is here! Still trying to make plans for summer vacation? We still have a few spots left in our Lego Engineering Camp from June 15 - 19th for ages 9 - 12. Create a mini golf course, build a working claw hand, and then finish the week by building sets, props, and characters entirely out of LEGOs® to create a stop motion movie masterpiece! Check out the link in the comments for more info and to register!
Quick: what comes to mind if we bring up amusement parks? A local staple in the Steel City is Kennywood; but you might have also thought of Knoebels. Today’s #MuseumMonday post highlights our own connection to Knoebels: Shamokin & Mount Carmel 33.
This 1906 semi-convertible streetcar was built by J.G. Brill for the Shamokin & Mt Carmel Electric Railway Co., and served the anthracite coal communities in Northumberland County.
When its service was no longer needed, the car avoided being scrapped by being repurposed - in 1938, it became a cottage at Knoebels Amusement Resort (formerly Knoebels Groves).
This car came to us from Knoebels in 2023, and while it is currently not on display, it is safely stored indoors awaiting future work. #museum #history #transit
☀️Visit us this summer! ☀️
We’ll be open Thursday - Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Stop by and enjoy a four-mile round trip along our scenic track, discover our trolley collection, and explore our interactive exhibits and playground!
The last full experience begins at 3 PM.
Also, check out our upcoming special events on our website (link in bio).
#PATrolleyMuseum #VisitWashingtonPA
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!