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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Happy Friday the 13th! 👻 Celebrate by signing up to be the first to know when Trolley Tales of Terror tickets go on sale this summer.
Our ghost tour returns on October 16 & 17, 2026! Discover what spirits haunt our collection, and then embark on a spooky streetcar ride through the forest. Also, try a delicious concoction from @firewhistlebrewing !
Sign up to be notified about ticket sales on our website (link in bio). Tickets will be released to Museum Members 24 hours before the general public.
This event is recommended for ages 13+. Returning visitors will delight in a whole new collection of ghost stories unearthed from legend.
#PATrolleyMuseum #VisitWashingtonPA #ThingsToDoPittsburgh
Today for #WomensHistoryMonth we’re remembering Caroline LeCount - sometimes referred to as Philly’s Rosa Parks.
Historically, segregation had been the norm in Philly through the Civil War, impeding the African American women traveling to provide medical care and other forms of relief work for wounded Union Army soldiers.
Tired of these discriminatory policies, LeCount and other local African American women regularly tried to illegally to board the city’s streetcars in protest. Over time, the efforts to fully integrate Philadelphia’s streetcars grew notably larger and stronger.
Finally, on March 22, 1867, Pennsylvania Governor John W. Geary signed into law a measure banning racial discrimination on public transit. The law was supported by Octavius Catto, a well-respected activist and educator who was also in a relationship with LeCount.
LeCount then took it upon herself to test the new law after it was signed. On March 25, 1867, she attempted to board a horse-drawn streetcar - and despite the law being on her side, was denied service. She alerted authorities, leading to the conductor’s arrest; making it clear to local transit companies that riders could no longer be discriminated against. #transit #history #trolley #streetcar
Grab your tickets for Bunny Trolley on March 27-29 and April 3-4! 🐰🌼
Lots of fun awaits at this spring-tastic event. Meet the Easter Bunny and:
🐣 Go for a trolley ride and look for giant easter eggs!
🐇 Pets bunnies with the 4-H.
🍿 Enjoy a holiday craft and snack!
🎨 Get your face painted by @facepaintpittsburgh
Tickets available on our website (link in bio).
#PATrolleyMuseum #ThingsToDoPittsburgh #VisitWashingtonPA
Visit us this spring! 🌼🌸🌼
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 #ThingsToDoPittsburgh
Did you know that we have nine PCCs in our collection? Today’s #MuseumMonday is about Pittsburgh Railways 1467, built four years after 1138 (which is the oldest PCC in our collection).
Pittsburgh Railways 1467 was built in 1941, and is an example of a wartime era PCC. This car has also worn at least two special paint schemes in service; this is because the 1400-series cars were chosen to display various public service advertising paint schemes, beginning in 1943.
In the 1960s, 1467 was sold to Westinghouse Air Brake Company (WABCO) for rapid transit equipment testing. After WABCO was finished with the car, they donated it to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. #history #streetcar #pittsburgh #trolley
Yesterday the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum hosted a well-attended special event!
Known as Winterfest, this event is an annual tradition shared by various transit museums. Each year, a museum in our NEATO network organizes a weekend of operations, tours, and more, providing a unique setting for our staff and volunteers to network, socialize, and celebrate the accomplishments and work being done at each museum.
Between our visiting sister museums and our own hard working volunteers, almost 270 people registered to attend Winterfest 2026!
We had a blast teaching our guests how to run different cars in our fleet; providing tours of our Display Building, Artifact Preservation Building, Restoration Shop, and Car House; and participating in nighttime photo shoots.
We also shared some of our (now not so secret!) volunteer activities with our guests, including our beloved Karaoke Trolley ride.
It was quite the memorable weekend! Whether this was your first Winterfest or your 28th (we did the math!), thank you very much to all who traveled to take part in Winterfest 2026. We hope you had as much fun attending as we did hosting!
🎥 Credit: PTM volunteer Larissa Gula took the clips used in this video! #VisitWashingtonPA #museum #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!