Onsite trolley collection

Street Car Hall & Washington Collection

At the museum campus

The same admission used for unlimited trolley rides also opens the visitor center, exhibits and enclosed Street Car Hall—the largest collection of Washington, D.C., streetcars and transit vehicles in existence.

The place

About Street Car Hall & Washington Collection

Street Car Hall is the collection half of an operating museum day. It houses the majority of the museum’s historic transit vehicles, including Washington cars and examples from other American and international systems, some more than a century old.

The hall is not a promise that every vehicle can be boarded. The museum opens selected cars occasionally, while the separate operating lineup depends on maintenance and the day’s program. Visitors can still use the displays to compare conduit-powered Washington equipment with PCC cars, work vehicles and foreign designs.

Current exhibitions in the visitor complex include Street Car Communities, Conduit Hall and Street Cars Go to the Movies. Together they explain how electric transit shaped suburbs, work, recreation and the design constraints of the Nation’s Capital.

What stands out

Washington’s largest surviving collection

The hall spans a century of local streetcar service and the communities it connected.

Conduit power explained

A preserved conduit section shows how Washington electrified cars while avoiding overhead wire downtown.

Living and preserved collection

Display vehicles and the day’s operating cars show different sides of the same preservation program.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a National Capital Trolley Museum trip

Visit Street Car Hall before or after the operating ride. It is on the same 1313 Bonifant Road campus and adds the technology, community and preservation context that turns a trolley ride into a complete museum experience.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • IncludedMuseum exhibits and Street Car Hall are included with general admission; most tickets also include unlimited operating rides.
  • Standard hoursSaturday noon–5 p.m.; seasonal Friday hours are 10 a.m.–3 p.m. beginning March 27. Special events use listed hours.
  • Admission$15 adult age 14–64; $10 junior age 2–13; under 2 free; $13 senior 65+ or military veteran; members free.
  • Vehicle accessSelected display vehicles open only occasionally. Ask staff what can be boarded and what is running.
  • AccessibilityMuseum exhibits, Street Car Hall and restrooms are ADA compliant; antique operating cars are not currently wheelchair accessible.
  • ParkingFree onsite parking; the museum says it is not directly accessible by public transportation.

Continue the rail day

Add Gaithersburg Community Museum

Add a free historic B&O complex with a freight house, steam locomotive, RDC and caboose.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

Is Street Car Hall a separate admission?

No. It is part of the National Capital Trolley Museum visit at 1313 Bonifant Road.

Can visitors board every car?

No. Selected vehicles are opened occasionally, and the operating lineup varies.

Is the hall wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum states that its exhibits, Street Car Hall and restrooms are ADA compliant, although the antique ride vehicles are not currently wheelchair accessible.

Does admission include trolley rides?

Unless a ticket is explicitly sold as admission only, current tickets include unlimited rides on the streetcars operating that day.

How can I confirm a collection question?

Call 301-384-6088 or email contact@dctrolley.org.

Trust and accuracy

Sources

Source checked 2026-08-12. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.