National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville, Maryland

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Colesville, Maryland · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Trolley and streetcar museumTrain ridesSaturdays 12 pm to 5 pm, plus seasonal Fridays and special events

The National Capital Trolley Museum preserves the streetcars that carried Washington and its suburbs for a century, and puts them back to work on a mile of woodland track in Northwest Branch Park.

  • Open to the public since 1969
  • Eighteen historic streetcars
  • Unlimited rides with admission
  • About one mile of woodland track
  • Trolleyween and Holly TrolleyFest
  • Free parking

National Capital Trolley Museum at a glance

Hours
Saturdays 12 pm to 5 pm; Fridays 10 am to 3 pm in season from late March; special event hours on the calendar
Admission
Adults (14 to 64) $15, seniors (65+) and veterans $13, juniors (2 to 13) $10, under 2 free, members free
Train rides
Unlimited streetcar rides on about a mile of track are included with admission
Seasonal events
Trolleyween Weekend, Holly TrolleyFest, Fall Fridays
Plan for
About 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and transit fans
Best ages
Ages 2 to 12
Parking
Free parking for all visitors; no direct public transit (Glenmont Metro station is about a 15 minute drive)
Accessibility
The museum posts mobility access information for its exhibits and Street Car Hall on its Plan Your Visit page; call (301) 384-6352 with questions.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to National Capital Trolley Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Colesville.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A century of Washington streetcars, saved by a few determined fans

Streetcars served Washington for almost a hundred years, from the first horse-drawn cars on July 29, 1862 to the last Presidents' Conference Committee (PCC) cars, which ended service on January 28, 1962. In that time the lines carried commuters into the city for work, carried families out to days at Glen Echo Park, and shaped where neighborhoods across the District, Maryland and Virginia grew up.

As service ended, a group of preservationists set out to save the cars. The effort eventually split in two: the National Capital Trolley Museum moved to its present site in Colesville, while a separate group formed the Baltimore Streetcar Museum to focus on Baltimore transit. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission provided land in what is now Northwest Branch Recreational Park, DC Transit leased trolleys to the museum for a nominal cost, and the museum opened to the public in 1969.

Today it is run by a private nonprofit whose mission is to preserve, interpret and promote the history of the region's urban electric street railways and interurban lines. Its volunteers and staff restore historic cars, operate them for the public, and connect that past to present-day conversations about sustainable transportation and how communities grow.

From the Visitor Center to Street Car Hall and the woods

A visit starts at the Visitor Center, where Street Car Communities features a model of the Rock Creek Railway and walls where local families can find their own neighborhood on the old streetcar map. Conduit Hall shows a piece of Washington's unusual underground conduit power system, which kept overhead wires off the capital's streets, and the small silent movie theater in Street Cars Go to the Movies plays Harold Lloyd comedies featuring streetcars.

Street Car Hall is an enclosed building holding most of the collection, some cars more than 100 years old, and on some days visitors can board and explore a few of them. The living collection of eighteen streetcars is grouped into a Washington Collection, a smaller American Collection with cars from New York City and Philadelphia, and an International Collection from five nations in Europe and North America. Then the best part: unlimited rides on whichever cars are running, out about a mile into the woods of Northwest Branch Park, where riders often spot deer, foxes, turkeys and pheasants.

Don’t miss

  1. The ride through Northwest Branch ParkAbout a mile of interpretive electric railway through the woods, included as unlimited rides with your ticket.
  2. Street Car HallThe largest collection of Washington, DC streetcars and transit vehicles in existence, under one roof.
  3. The boat tramWhen it is running, rides on this unusual trolley depart from Street Car Hall.
  4. Conduit HallExplains how Washington's streetcars drew power from a conduit beneath the street instead of overhead wires.
  5. Street Cars Go to the MoviesA silent movie theater showing Harold Lloyd films where streetcars play a starring role.
  6. The model Rock Creek RailwayPart of Street Car Communities, a look at life along the streetcar lines in the 1930s.

Unlimited rides, costumes and wildlife spotting

Because every regular ticket includes unlimited rides, kids can ride as many times as they like on the cars running that day, and seating is open. The Visitor Center has family-friendly, hands-on displays, and children under 2 get in free. Keep an eye out the window for deer and turkeys in the park.

Special events add to the fun: at Trolleyween, children in costume get a treat, there is a scavenger hunt with prizes, and families can paint wooden Halloween ornaments for a small extra charge. The museum also hosts birthday parties and school programs led by its museum educator.

Plan your visit: tips for National Capital Trolley Museum

  • Online reservations are recommended but walk-ins are welcome.
  • Fall Fridays offer quieter weekday visits, good for homeschool groups and little ones.
  • Ask whether any cars in Street Car Hall are open for boarding that day.
  • Send ticket questions to vs@dctrolley.org rather than the general inbox.
  • Sign up for the free From the Railway Post Office newsletter for event dates.

In late October, Trolleyween Weekend fills Street Car Hall with Halloween-decorated streetcars, a costume treat for kids and a themed scavenger hunt, all with unlimited rides; see more Halloween train rides in Maryland. From late November until just before Christmas, Holly TrolleyFest brings the holiday season to the museum, and it belongs on any list of Christmas train rides in Maryland.

Volunteers keeping the trolleys rolling

A private nonprofit runs the museum, with volunteers restoring and operating the cars alongside a small staff led by an executive director and a museum educator. Families can help by becoming members (members visit free), donating to the Keep the Trolleys Rolling restoration effort, volunteering, booking a birthday party or renting the museum for an event.

Pair your trolley ride with these rail stops

The Gaithersburg Community Museum is about 9 miles away, and the Bowie Railroad Museum about 15 miles. Streetcar fans should also make the 27-mile trip to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, which shares this museum's origins. See every train museum in Maryland.

Every train museum in Maryland

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

I love the idea of a streetcar rolling into the shade of the trees here, then coming back out into the sunshine. In our book, Rally's train goes into a dark tunnel, and then there's a big bright light and happy cheers from everyone aboard. My kids cheer at that page every single time. If yours do too, our train books for toddlers list has more for the ride home.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at National Capital Trolley Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

National Capital Trolley Museum: 20 questions families ask

How much are National Capital Trolley Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, tickets are $15 for adults ages 14 to 64, $13 for seniors 65 and up and military veterans, and $10 for juniors ages 2 to 13. Children under 2 are free, and members visit free. Unless a ticket is sold as admission only, it includes unlimited streetcar rides on the day of your visit.

What are the National Capital Trolley Museum hours?

As of October 2026, standard hours are Saturdays from 12 pm to 5 pm. Seasonal Friday hours from 10 am to 3 pm begin in late March, and special events like Trolleyween and Holly TrolleyFest have their own hours on the events calendar. Check dctrolley.org before you go.

Do I need to buy National Capital Trolley Museum tickets in advance?

No, but it helps. The museum recommends online reservations, and walk-in guests are welcome. For busy event days such as Trolleyween and Holly TrolleyFest, buying ahead is the safer choice. Ticket questions go to vs@dctrolley.org rather than the general contact address.

Where is the National Capital Trolley Museum?

The museum is at 1313 Bonifant Road in Colesville, Maryland 20905, inside Northwest Branch Recreational Park in Montgomery County. Parking is free for all visitors. There is no direct public transit; the closest Metrorail station, Glenmont on the Red Line, is about a 15 minute drive.

Is the National Capital Trolley Museum in Silver Spring?

The museum's address is in Colesville, Maryland, in the Silver Spring area of Montgomery County, so many people search for it under Silver Spring. Use 1313 Bonifant Road, Colesville, MD 20905 in your GPS. It sits in Northwest Branch Recreational Park, run by Montgomery Parks.

Can you ride the trolleys at the National Capital Trolley Museum?

Yes, and rides are the heart of a visit. Regular tickets include unlimited rides on any streetcars operating that day, with open seating. The track runs about a mile into the woods of Northwest Branch Park, and riders often spot deer, foxes, turkeys and pheasants along the way.

What is Holly TrolleyFest at the National Capital Trolley Museum?

Holly TrolleyFest is the museum's holiday season event, running from November 28 to December 23 in 2026. It is the museum's Christmas tradition and a popular time to visit, so book tickets early. Full details, hours and ticket links are posted on the museum's events calendar at dctrolley.org.

Does Santa visit the National Capital Trolley Museum?

The museum's holiday event is Holly TrolleyFest, from late November to just before Christmas. The museum's online event listing does not spell out whether Santa appears on a given day, so check the Holly TrolleyFest page on dctrolley.org or call (301) 384-6352 to ask before you promise the kids a visit with him.

What is Trolleyween at the National Capital Trolley Museum?

Trolleyween is a family Halloween event on select late October weekend days. Street Car Hall fills with Halloween-decorated streetcars, kids follow a themed scavenger hunt for prizes, and children in costume get a treat. Unlimited rides are included, and families can paint wooden ornaments for a small extra charge.

Was there a fire at the National Capital Trolley Museum?

The museum's current website does not describe a fire, and it is operating normally with regular hours, rides and events as of October 2026. For the museum's own account of its history, see the History page on dctrolley.org or call (301) 384-6352.

What do reviews say about the National Capital Trolley Museum?

Visitor reviews are collected on the museum's Tripadvisor page, which describes it as a specialty museum with eighteen restored streetcars and short rides on the museum's track. The unlimited rides and the woodland setting are what families tend to remember. Read recent reviews there before you go.

Where can I see photos of the National Capital Trolley Museum?

The museum's Instagram and Facebook pages, both under dctrolley, post photos of the streetcars, restoration work and events like Trolleyween. Its website also has a collection section with pictures of the cars in the Washington, American and International collections, and visitor photos appear on Tripadvisor.

How many streetcars does the National Capital Trolley Museum have?

The museum's living collection includes eighteen historic streetcars, and it holds the largest collection of surviving Washington, DC streetcars in the world. The cars are grouped into the Washington Collection, an American Collection with cars from New York City and Philadelphia, and an International Collection from five nations.

When did the National Capital Trolley Museum open?

The museum opened to the public in 1969 on land provided by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, with trolleys leased from DC Transit for a nominal cost. Its founders' effort also led to the separate Baltimore Streetcar Museum, which focuses on Baltimore transit.

When did streetcars stop running in Washington, DC?

Washington's streetcar era ran from the first horse-drawn cars on July 29, 1862 to the end of service on January 28, 1962, when the last PCC cars were retired. The museum tells that whole story, including the conduit power system that kept overhead wires off many of the capital's streets.

Is the National Capital Trolley Museum good for toddlers?

Yes. Children under 2 get in free, the Visitor Center has hands-on displays, and toddlers can ride as many times as they like on the streetcars running that day. Fall Fridays offer quieter weekday hours that work well for little ones who do better without crowds.

Can you have a birthday party at the National Capital Trolley Museum?

Yes. The museum offers birthday parties and also rents the museum for other events; details are on the Birthday Parties and Rent the Museum pages of dctrolley.org. Email contact@dctrolley.org or call (301) 384-6352 to ask about dates and what is included.

Does the National Capital Trolley Museum offer school programs?

Yes. The museum runs school programs led by its museum educator, who can be reached at educator@dctrolley.org. Fall Fridays are also open to homeschool groups at a relaxed pace. Check the School Programs page on the website for current offerings and booking.

How can I volunteer or become a member at the National Capital Trolley Museum?

The museum welcomes volunteers to help restore and operate streetcars and to staff the museum, and members visit free all year. Both are explained on the Support pages of dctrolley.org, where you can also donate to the Keep the Trolleys Rolling restoration effort.

What train museums are near the National Capital Trolley Museum?

The Gaithersburg Community Museum is about 9 miles away, Washington's Union Station about 14 miles, and the Bowie Railroad Museum about 15 miles. The Ellicott City Station Museum is about 17 miles, and the Baltimore Streetcar Museum about 27 miles for a second trolley ride.

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