The National Capital Trolley Museum was founded in 1959 after the abandonment of streetcar service in the District of Columbia had become a certainty. The Museum opened to the public in 1969 at its present location in Northwest Branch Park in Montgomery County, Maryland.

The Museum's mission is to preserve and interpret the history of Washington's electric street railways. The Museum holds its collections in trust for the public and is accountable to the public it serves.

The collections consist of 17 streetcars from Washington D.C. and other cities. Many of these are operated on a one-mile demonstration railway. In addition, there is an O-scale model layout representing a Washington streetscape from the 1930's, a film program, and traditional exhibits of street railway artifacts and photographs.

The Museum's volunteers have constructed and maintained a visitor's center, car houses, and demonstration railway. These volunteer efforts continue with maintenance and on-going development of the Museum's facilities.

The Museum receives no government support for its day-to-day operations, which are funded solely by fares sold, gift shop sales and donations. The Museum does from time to time receive government grants for specific capital and restoration projects, and is grateful to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission for the free use of parkland and support of its development efforts.

Your donations help:
To support the renovation and maintenance activites for our street car collection, and for our educational activities.

http://www.dctrolley.org

There are many ways you can get involved.

Click here to learn more:

http://www.dctrolley.org/volunteers.htm