My kids and I visited for the annual Santa trolley event. It was a unique experience but don't expect a lot of time with Santa. It was bitterly cold the day we went and Santa exited the trolley and went to a bench area in a doorway , but there was no organization, parents letting their kids photo bomb others photo ops....it was messy. The little craft room was cute with hot cocoa and cookies, but it was far too small to be enjoyable for the amount of people In the room. The miniature train was cute but kept coming off the track on our visit and needed repair. We did enjoy going in the train cars although it was freezing in that area. The trolley ride with Santa and Mrs. Claus was cute and fun. This was the whole purpose of our visit and also the favorite for both the kids and myself. It was really beautiful as it had just snowed the night before so it really provided that special atmosphere a recent snowfall brings to an activity. I loved feeling like we were riding through the forest and I know the kids did too. read more

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This is a great museum! My wife and our friend checked it out a week ago. They are open on Saturdays and do guided tours by the hour. The tour gives you a ride on a vintage trolley which was fun and the foliage was beautiful. You also get to see a number of vintage trolley cars as well as the exhibits inside that include a theater showing silent videos featuring the DC trolleys. read more

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It was cool to ride on a trolley. Overall the museum itself was a little limited. Could have used more information on trolleys in general beyond just in dc. read more

Excellent trolley museum, all operated by motivated, friendly volunteers. A great way to spend a couple hours; the displays are great for kids, too. read more

I mentor a young person who is super interested in transit. We went to the Trolley Museum in July, and while the museum has a lot of potential it's kind of a sad affair. There's a small room where you can watch a video about the history of trolleys in DC, a room full of old trolleys that you can't touch or really learn much about, and you can even take a ride aboard one. The train broke down trying to go up a slight hill during our ride, and the conductor had to put sand on the tracks to get it up the hill, which it did--eventually. The whole place just moves at a snail's pace and is lacking in educational content or any elements that might make the place interactive and interesting for children. I did see that they have a trolley ride with santa, and that might be the only reason to take a small kiddo here unless you want them to be bored to tears. Despite this rather boring experience, my mentee wanted to volunteer at the museum because he's interested in transit and wants to volunteer and build a resume that will help him land a job in a few years. He has some intellectual disabilities, so when we submitted an application we did so as a duo and I wrote a short note to the volunteer coordinator noting that I knew not all opportunities would be open to us and that I would love to find a role that would work for him and keep him safe. They wrote back in a very disparaging manner and instead of offering alternatives to cleaning up the tracks, which we had signed up as something of interest (and whose qualifications we met) the person told us we were a liability and couldn't volunteer. I am honestly stunned that in 2021 someone would speak about disabilities in this way. There are ways to ensure that volunteers are only doing tasks aligned with their abilities and that you and your organization are shielded from liability without being cruel. I cannot imagine how they treat kids with disabilities who visit. What an awful place. read more

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What a hidden surprise right in the middle of Montgomery County. The National Capital Trolley Museum, gives history of the streetcars/trolleys that use to roam the DMV, from DC, Baltimore and even the Frederick/Hagerstown area had one as well. We've driven by the museum many times on the ICC, but had never gone, but we finally got and surprise surprise we were able to get 2 hours out of this small, but unique museum that is mostly run by volunteers. The museum has a bit of literature on the history of streetcars/trolleys in the DMV area and has a model that you can interact with a few movies to watch and a car barn with about 10 or so old trolleys, from 100 years and younger from many parts places (England, Belgium, Canada to name a few). You're able to walk around on one of them (but I think this changes based on info that was shared) and the number of volunteers on site. Other nostalgia pieces as well and a cool museum shop that has some great stuff in there. Now this isn't a Smithsonian or anything, I believe it's county run, so it's local. But the museum has been around for 50 years and survived a fire back in 2003, so it's been able to last awhile I think with mostly donations and grants, which I find impressive. The best part was being able to ride an actually streetcar on a track that meanders through a forested area for a 20 minute round trip ride (yes 20 minutes) and you can ride as many times as you want. They call all the passengers and do their best to give you a feel for what it would have been like if in actually operation. The conductor comes by and clicks your ticket, they use the bell when they slow down or speed up or stop, just like they would have used to on an actually network. The volunteers dress as streetcar conductors and they let the kids pull the cord to ring the bell. Our boys loved it and it's a beautiful ride, seeing lots of white tail deer. The museum has lots of land and so much potential for additions, they also hold birthday parties for a decent price of $260 which can accommodate up to 45 kids, that is cheaper than a lot of places around this area. I'd love to see expansion on this place, because what they are trying to do is genius and such a unique idea, it would be cool to see meeting space or a restaurant on the property looking out over the forested area that is beautiful, perhaps a craft brew place, all in all, it's just a great local attraction if you love transportation you'll love this place and your kids will too. It was a super Saturday afternoon outing. read more

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Bottom Line: A hidden gem featuring streetcars/trolleys from DC and other locales. Before automobiles were common place people got around on streetcars, basically antique light rails. Washington DC had many streetcars, also commonly called trolleys, and this museum recalls that bygone era. The museum primarily has four components: 1. A ride on a historic streetcar. 2. A tour of the streetcar barn where various streetcars are housed. The collection includes restored models and models needing some TLC. 3. Exhibits highlighting local streetcar history, a scale model and silent films featuring streetcars. 4. A gift shop As the name implies, the museum has a heavy focus on streetcars in Washington DC. Their antique trolley collection includes several from the DC area and their exhibits almost entirely focus on DC region streetcars. However, their trolley collection also includes several cars from other states and from foreign countries. I had a great experience at this museum today and perhaps that is because management has taken into account feedback from visitors. They were running two different trolleys on the tracks, we had plenty of time in the car barn and the docents were friendly. The gift shop had some videos about streetcars and I wish those were playing in the museum. Admission is very reasonable at $7 for adults. I look forward to returning in the summer when different, warm weather cars are running on the track. read more

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The National Capital Trolley Museum has been operated for over 50 years in just about the same location. It predates the interstate and had to move so the State of Maryland could finish that construction. And it has not only endured as a lasting legacy to this wonderful mode of transportation, but has flourished and is a fantastic place to visit. That said, it's pretty small and easy to see in about an hour or two. I visited with my family and I was not able to watch the movies because my kids were going crazy running around--they are just too young for movies. But the museum was amazing! As you drive up along a long, winding paved road to a beautiful parking lot, you're greeted by the Barn. You can see a trolly car parked outside, ready to take off. As you enter you're surrounded by historical photographs in the foyer. The tiny gift shop--which I wish would offer more stuff--quickly takes ticket payments and you're on your way. We immediately got on the first trolly available that day, and then we rode another, open-air trolly afterwards (it looks like a boat). The amount of history we learned was incredible. The trolly ride is shockingly nice, through some woods with a stream. We watched the wildlife scitter around, including dear and woodchucks on this day, but also often including foxes, rabbits, and other local wildlife. At a lollypop turnaround the conductor stops the trolly and delivers a historical perspective that is just wonderful to hear. Many of the conductors were actual conductors for various transit authorities. Ours, Larry, was a wealth of knowledge and we could have listened to his stories all day--except for our little ones, ha ha! So back at the Barn, there's a little model display of a trolly line, various historical photos, a few pieces of trolly history, and of course a number of really unique trolly cars. We were not allowed inside most of the cars on this trip, but that might be because we had so many kids with us. Upon exiting, we noticed that the Trolly Museum is great for holidays! They have a hay ride/pumpkin patch thing for the fall, they run in the rain and snow, and they do something for the winter holidays as well. It's also a destination for kids birthdays and I must admit a twinge of jealousy of such a wonderful birthday destination. I checked prices on this and it's incredibly inexpensive, in my opinion, in addition to supporting what I think is a great cause. This off the beaten path museum took about 20 minutes to reach from downtown DC. It's a must-see in my opinion, especially if you have kids between 2-8 years old. It's not a long trip, but it's so worth it! read more

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There is no other place within 15 minutes of the capital beltway where you can hop on an antique trolley and go for a 20 minute spin. If you think about it, the ticket price into the museum, which includes unlimited rides on an antique restored trolley, is only about double what it may cost you to take the redline from Silver Spring to Metro Center, it is a nice opportunity to get away and step back in time. The cost of admission is basically a charitable contribution to assist in keeping things going. The smile on my son's face during the ride was well worth this visit. The museum has a warehouse with about 8-10 trolley's that can be viewed during a guided tour. You will likely never see these in person anywhere else. Our tour guide was knowledgable and enthusiastic about street car / trolley rail transportation. After leaving I was inspired to read more about the museum and trolley's which lead to learning of this interesting "tycoon" named O. Roy Chalk who helped get the museum off the ground. read more

Nostalgia. I wish I was older just so I could come to this museum and relive all the memories I could have had riding the trolleys. A wonderful place to take a parent or grandparent to, but just as great for kids and young adults. This is a great place to visit if you're looking for an adventure away from Downtown DC. I can't say enough, as many people have said, the ride on the trolley alone is worth the price (cheap!) of admission. A truly interactive museum that fleshes out an important but easily overlooked era of transportation. Great items in the gift shop as well. read more

This is a gem of a muesum that is off the beaten path in Silver Spring, but one that truly captures the area's rich history. Long before WMATA, many of the same routes were run by trolleycars all over the Washington Metro area. Today you can still see a number of the old cars, see the old system maps, including the old trolley amusement parks (Luna Park in Arlington and Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo). That all said, the muesum operates mostly on weekends and is often host for children's parties. The highlight of the trip is riding the trolley on the tracks outside. The 20 minute ride is worth the price of admission as you can ride it as many times as you want in one day. We covered the whole museum, including the trolley ride in about two hours without kids in toe, but if you have little ones who love to ride the trolley you could spend far more time just riding it around. read more

National Capital Trolley Museum - Museums Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Small, quaint museum dedicated to the trolley. I went today with 4 and 5 year olds. There are a couple of hands on activities for the kids, while waiting for the tour to start. The presentation before the tour is very quick, and young kids are not sitting too long, then quick tour of the main museum (again, very small), then onto the trolley room where there are several full sized trolleys on display. Very cool to look at. We took a ride on an open trolley, then another ride in a covered trolley. The rides were the best part. We ended with a quick trip to the little gift shop. It seemed most were in the $3-$7 range, so not too bad. Friendly and knowledgeable staff of volunteers. read more

Small but a cute museum. It costs $7 for entry, and the trolley ride itself is probably worth it. We rode in an old trolley from Canada, which had hilarious old-school ads in it. The museum itself seemed to be focused on very specific topics relating to trolleys (e.g., how the trolley line through Chevy Chase changed over time), and then also on really broad topics (e.g., trolleys in film). However, I felt like I was missing a lot of basic information- like, what is the definition of trolleys? How do they run? What years were they used? Where are they still located? It felt like the museum was built for and by trolley specialists. It is all volunteer-run by people who have an interest in this area, so I suppose that makes sense. Unfortunately, we were not able to see the trolley barn area with the preserved trolleys in it. We asked several times and they kept telling us a tour would begin "when the next trolley came back," or "in a few minutes." We waited about 45 minutes and then left. We were a bit bummed about that. The gift shop was fun though, and everything was well-priced! read more

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After my last one star review (grrr) I needed to find something to be a fan of and so here it is, the National Capital Trolley Museum. It's small with a little gift shop, a replica model trolley display, and a number of old cars in the "barn". There are a couple of movies, depending on how much you want/need to learn about the history of trolleys. You can take a short trolley ride--the museum moved in the last year or so because of the ICC so it seems the trolley tracks are a bit of a work in progress. It's pretty much a half-day, at most, trip depending on how into trains and trolleys you (and your young ones) are but it's a nice place to pay a visit, especially on a hot day when you want something low key. read more

Honestly kinda boring. Once you ride the trolley once and watch the replica streetcar set (which is really cool) you're pretty much done. There's just not much else to do nor enough to justify the cost. read more

Took my 2 year old and infant. The 15 minute trolley ride was fun but not super kid friendly. (My toddler unfortunately had a tantrum on the trolley and it was clear that he interrupted the driver's announcement). There was a fun toy trolley track, but my son was frustrated because it didn't seem like the levers or buttons actually and an effect on the train. There was apparently a tour of other trolley cars, but we waited 40 minutes and no docent came. The only other offering was a tv with some old black and white films. All in all, a bit expensive for what it was. ($10 for an adult and $8 for my 2 year old. Infant was free.) read more

Great for people who live in the area and tourists. Fantastic for history lovers, trolley and train enthusiasts of all ages! History of DC's transit system, expansion into surrounding MD counties, & more! Trolley cars from the Wash DC Historic collection, American Streetcar collection and Int'l Streetcar collection. Rare gem "606 Pleasure Beach" boat trolley; 1 of 4 in U.S. (other 3 in San Francisco). Trolley rides included with admission ($) Museum wall's / displays are well done with history, small theatre (movie). Gift shop's amazing, over 500 books (kids / adults), posters, prints, etc. read more

As far as transit museums go it's well maintained, but the staff was somewhat rude and don't seem to want you to photograph anything. It's all about the gift shop. read more

National Capital Trolley Museum - Museums Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

As someone who is a life member of a trolley museum and enjoys visiting other trolley museums, this museum is a massive let down. The collection is not on open display, and can only view it with a tour guide. Trying to take pictures here is difficult because the volunteers seem not to be patient enough to let you get the shot you want. I understand this is a all volunteer operation, but the day I visited the volunteers seemed interested in playing with the trolleys and not on the guests. The ride is short and scenic, but plan on only riding on one type of streetcar. read more

National Capital Trolley Museum - Museums Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This is a very small museum. You've got basically four things going on here: (1) There is a trolley barn with about half a dozen preserved trolleys in it. Most are from Washington DC, but a few are from Germany, Belgium, and even Florida. Several times a day a tour guide opens up the trolley barn and gives a talk about the different trolleys inside. The trolley barn isn't much if you go in there without a guide, but the guide can really make it come alive and point out small details you don't notice yourself. (2) Inside the museum itself, there are a bunch of signs with information about the trolley lines that used to run between Washington DC and its suburbs. In my opinion, this information is poorly organized and sparse, but there's enough there to be interesting as you wait for the next trolley ride. (3) There are at least two trolleys that you can ride. One trolley formerly ran in Toronto, the other formerly ran in a seaside town in England (and is shaped like a boat). The trolley rides on a 2 mile long loop through the woods and it takes about 20 minutes. The trolley operator stops in the middle and gives a talk about the trolley. The rides are every 40 minutes. This is the highlight of the museum. (4) The gift shop is pretty good. There are lots of cheap magnets and pens and t-shirts with the museum logo. There are also a million books about trains and streetcars. The museum can be fun if you approach it realistically: it is a place where you can see some old trolleys and ride one or two of them. Don't expect something on par with a Smithsonian: this is a small, all-volunteer museum. Make sure to talk to your tour guide and ask questions, they know a lot about trolleys. Our tour guide, Larry, used to drive Green Line trains in Boston and was very knowledgeable and passionate about streetcars. All the kids seemed to love riding the trolleys. read more

Our son loves this museum! The key is the trolley ride. Not many places like this where you can ride a 100-year-old trolley through the woods. They have around a dozen different trolleys for you to ride (they run one each day) and you can see all of them at the end of your ride. Great for rainy or cold days. All the staff are volunteers and are very knowledgeable about the history of each trolley, read more

Becareful the Director was extremely rude to me. I was trying to buy 40$ work of stuff at the gift shop and my credit card magnet was having trouble being read by their old machine. When I asked him if he call in the approval (which I know they can do) he said no. I asked why he said because he didn't choose to do it. I said "why are you being so rude" he responded "because I can" when I asked to speak to the person in charge I was surprised he responded that he was the director. I will never go there again. My son and nephew left crying upset because of not being able to buy the books and trolley toy I was trying to buy them. Apparent my card was not the problem but the machines age. I bought him the toy online thru Amazon. read more

There really isn't much to the museum. The building is new and well maintained but features very few exhibits. Frankly you could see the whole inside of the museum in five minutes, ten if you listen to the presentations that are on demand on phones hanging on the wall. From there you board one of the museum's restored trolleys for a 15 or 20 minute ride. The ride is VERY loud due to the sound of the rails and little kids on our train seemed pretty unhappy about the noise. Once you return to the main building, a guided tour of the trolley barn commences from there. It's about what you would expect. It's worth noting here that I did find the staff to be polite and engaging, but the museum just isn't much. Frankly the whole experience might be worth doing once at half the price. It isn't worth the full fare in my opinion and I see nothing that would draw us to go back. read more

Great museum for kids, they have a great kid focus. As others have mentioned there isn't a ton here. But certainly enough to entertain and wear out a toddler. My son and I come a 3-4 times a year, and he always screams "yay" when we hit the parking lot. Some of the volunteers can be grumpy old men/women but most are great. And let's remember they are volunteers and always very very knowledgeable. They would probably prefer if more adults came to educate! But alas they are stuck with mostly little kids. We brought my FIL once and they descended on him filling his brain with street car knowledge. read more

Went to the National Capital Trolley Museum for a birthday, what a great idea. The museum was great and the kids could run around. The party room was sufficient, but it was not "our" birthday party, so dont ask me the value or cost. The trolley ride was amazing, and if you like history, it is well worth the trip. read more

Not a "kid" friendly museum. Despite a supposed target audience of toddlers and grade school children - the museum fails to recognize that children don't want to wait in a non-descript lobby with limited activities and many restrictions on what they can do. For example, we were one of only two groups visiting on our day - but we couldn't have our children observe or tour the trolleys until the designated tour time (30 and 50 minutes later). Moreover, instead of letting the kids explore - we were told to hold their hands the entire time, sit on benches and listen to a series of mundane "briefs" about what we couldn't really see and explore on our own. $24 for two adults and two toddlers for about 15 minutes of actual activities - pretty expensive for what little fun our boys had. The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore or the Strasburg RR in Pennsylvania are far better family options for younger children. read more

Very nice little museum inside with model trolleys and a small area to watch movies. The 20 minute trolley ride is a blast on a nice day. Very enjoyable for everyone, including the adults. And you can ride as many times as you like for the day. After the trolley ride, you can go back inside and look at the museum's collection of vintage trolleys. Good place for 2hrs or so of entertainment. Worth the $7 admission. The all volunteer staff were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. read more

Great little place. A true hole-in-the-wall gem. I visit a few times per year and always enjoy it. The only thing I wish is that the exhibits inside the museum would change around a bit. That would keep everything a bit more fresh. read more

This is an extremely cool place featuring antique trolley cars from across the U.S. and around the world. All the guides/conductors are volunteers who love to discuss the hardware and take you on a charming 20+ minute ride through some very pretty Maryland countryside. They also offer a reasonably priced venue for large birthday party groups. It's worth the trip and highly recommended! read more

Great museum. I regret not having gone sooner. Our tour guide (Hermes) was terrific. He gave a very nice talk on the two trolleys we rode plus interesting details of each trolley in the "barn". The admission fee is a real bargain and the museum store has some interesting books that you don't usually run across. The only snag during our visit was courtesy of Google maps, which seems to think the museum is located on the ICC. It's not. Ignore the ICC directions and continue past the ICC and make a left on Bonifant Rd. It'll be on the right after a couple of miles. read more

A great place for kids. My wife and I visit with our granddaughter a few times each year. She enjoys the trolley ride and watching the silent movies. The new building is much improved over the old station and parking lot. read more

This museum is walking distance from where I live. Before it's relocation and improvement, it was really old and outdated. It it a bit pricey to go on a ride that seriously has no scenic views but if your child loves trolley trains, it may be worth it. No air conditioning on trolley though when we went. read more

Was initially put off due to the highschool kid manning the register not knowing shit about shit concerning trolleys or the museum period... If you need to ask anything, ask one of the volunteers dressed as conductors as they are the ones that actually care about the museum and selling it to visitors, for instance if you want to get a tour of the boxcar hall ask one of them about it. Part of the visit includes a trolley ride about 20-30 minutes long through the woods behind the museum with seasonal car types relative to the time of year. read more