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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We`ve been nominated for BEST Museum and BEST Place for Kids by @pittsburghmagazine! Please vote daily and spread the word! Check the link in bio to vote now!
Throwback to Winterfest 1996... wait, that`d be *2026*, filmed on a 1996 camcorder!
Car 606 is one of the single-unit stainless steel cars built in 1960 for the Market-Frankford line. Normally powered by a third rail, this car is usually a static display at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, but for a brief moment in March, PTM powered this Philadelphia car with a trolley pole. One of the perks of volunteering is getting to see and ride some of the lesser-operated equipment during events like Winterfest, like our "Almond Joy" car (see the shapes on the roof)!
While car 606 won`t be running again anytime soon, our 1996 camcorder will make an appearance at this weekend`s Vintage Tech Fest!
#ThrowbackThursday #tbt #philadelphia #vintage
Archives are a vital part of any museum, and we are no exception!
Our volunteers regularly work to catalog and care for the artifacts preserved in our Kathryn & David Black Transit Archives. Together they’re working to organize and preserve photographs, maps, blueprints, records, and many more materials from the Trolley Era!
If you enjoy behind-the-scenes work and uncovering pieces of transportation history, this role might be right up your alley. Learn how you can join our volunteer team at our website (link’s in our bio!)! #NationalVolunteerMonth #museum #trolley #streetcar #history
Have you visited the cottage? The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s ‘Trolley Cottage Reinterpretation’ will receive an Institutional Achievement Award from the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations (PA Museums) this month.
Rescued after being swept away in the floods of Hurricane Agnes, Jersey Shore & Antes Fort Railroad car 3 has been preserved and reinterpreted as a ‘summer cottage’ available for view in the Trolley Display Building. #VisitWashingtonPA #trolley #streetcar #history
This weekend, join us at Vintage Tech Fest! 🎥☎️📺
Explore antique typewriters, radios, telephones, computers, music-players, and more! Also, new this year: play some retro video games! 👾
This event is included with General Admission. Read about all the tech that will be there on our website (link in bio).
#PATrolleyMuseum #VisitWashingtonPA #ThingsToDoPittsburgh
We`ve been nominated for BEST Museum and BEST Place for Kids by @pittsburghmagazine PghMag! Please vote and share, your support means the world to us! Check the link in bio for the link to vote.
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!