Pennsylvania Trolley Museum || 1 Museum Rd, Washington, PA 15301

If you’re looking for a family activity near Pittsburgh that genuinely works for both little kids and older kids, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum surprised us in the best way.

As a mom with kids who are 17 and 10, I’m constantly searching for places that don’t feel “too little kid” for my oldest or “too grown up” for my youngest. That balance can be hard to find, but the trolley museum ended up being one of those rare attractions we all enjoyed together.

What made this visit even more special was that our last trip here was about 12 years ago. Returning now felt completely different… especially with the addition of the museum’s massive new 21,000 square foot Welcome & Education Center that opened in 2023!

The new building completely transformed the experience.

Inside, you’ll find a modern welcome center filled with interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and a museum gift shop. There are over a dozen exhibits for kids to explore, making it much more than just “looking at old trolleys.” My younger child loved all the interactive elements, while my teenager appreciated the history and vintage atmosphere.

One thing I really appreciated is that admission includes so much:

• Scenic trolley rides
• Guided tours
• Exhibits and video presentation
• Museum store access
• Picnic areas
• Free parking

The trolley rides themselves were definitely the highlight.

Trolleys leave about every 30 minutes, and there are usually two different trolley cars operating. Even better, there’s no limit to how many rides you can take during your visit.

When it’s your turn to board, a conductor punches your ticket and welcomes you aboard, which instantly makes the experience feel nostalgic and immersive. The restored vintage streetcar takes visitors on a scenic ride lasting about 20 minutes, complete with a guided tour along the way.

One of the coolest moments? Getting the chance to ring the trolley bell.

Outside, there’s even more to explore, including a trolley-themed playground, picnic areas, and the historic Wexford Trolley Station. 

After our ride, we headed into the Trolley Display Building. Honestly, this was the part that made it feel like stepping back into old Pittsburgh.

The enormous building houses dozens of historic trolley cars, and visitors can actually climb aboard many of them. Instead of just viewing history from behind ropes, kids get the chance to explore inside the trolleys and imagine what travel once looked like around Pittsburgh decades ago.

There’s also a small indoor play area with wooden train tracks for younger visitors, plus some really fun photo opportunities throughout the building. One of our favorites was recreating the iconic Fred Rogers trolley image.

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum feels both educational and genuinely fun. It’s nostalgic without feeling outdated, interactive without being overwhelming, and somehow manages to appeal to toddlers, elementary-aged kids, teens, parents, and even grandparents all at once.

For Pittsburgh families looking for something different (especially if your kids are spread across multiple age groups like mine) this is absolutely worth adding to your list.

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum || 1 Museum Rd, Washington, PA 15301

Our Visit from 2014 

Intrigued after seeing pictures, I had to pay a visit to the Pennsylvania trolley museum to feed my son’s love of anything with wheels. Little did I know what an amazing, unique, look back into local history we would experience.

After an afternoon trip to Sarris Candies, we visited the Pennsylvania Trolley museum. The main facility looks very industrial from the curb; a metal building with minimal signage. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place! Upon entering the building, you’ll find a small ticket counter and a gift shop to the left. There was a large selection of unique, train/trolley related gifts and toys.

We strolled around the gift shop, purchased our tickets and headed out the back doors into the back yard. There were freestanding trolleys that children are welcome to climb and play upon. After a few minutes of exploring, we were warmly greeted by a volunteer who enthusiastically explained he would be our guide. We had time before the next tour, so he tour us for a tour in the trolley warehouse behind the main building… AMAZING! There were a couple dozen trolleys inside, each with a unique history and look. Each trolley had an amazing story and reason about how it came to be in the collection. The guides were very entertaining and patient with my son’s offbeat questions and catered to his fast pace and short attention span. It took about 10-15 minutes to tour the back building, however more thorough/detailed tours are available for older audiences.

Next, we hopped upon a real trolley to take a ride on the closed track. The scenic ride takes patrons a couple miles down the track to another bigger warehouse where it stops for guests to tour. The second building is absolutely enormous, housing a few dozen trolley cars. We were escorted inside and were both excited to find the variety of trolley cars- even a trolley from the 1800s that was originally pulled by horses! After the second tour in the large warehouse building, we hopped back on the trolley and headed back to the museum’s main building.

Tips on Planning a Playdate

While there’s plenty to see and do, I think the interesting anecdotes will hold the attention of older children. I recommend visiting with children ages 5+ years old. Nonetheless, there are special events throughout the year that may appeal to families with tiny travelers (including Easter Bunny and Santa trolley rides). Be sure to look for the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum on the Play Pittsburgh event calendar for upcoming events.

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum || 1 Museum Rd, Washington, PA 15301