Shore Line Trolley Museum

The Shore Line Trolley Museum holds nearly 100 restored streetcars on a 1.5-mile track in East Haven, Connecticut. The vehicles span more than a century of American transportation history, from horse-drawn cars to modern electric trolleys.

The museum was established in 1945 as the oldest continuously operating trolley museum in the country. It was created to preserve streetcar history before this form of transportation disappeared from most American cities.

The collection shows how people once moved through New England cities on streetcars and how transit shaped daily life in the region. The vehicles on display represent different periods and routes, reflecting the role of trolleys in connecting communities.

The best time to visit is from April through October when most rides are offered and the weather is pleasant. Arriving early in the day gives you more time to explore the vehicles and enjoy a full trolley ride on the track.

The museum preserves Horsecar 76, the oldest surviving horse-drawn streetcar in the world, and the oldest operating streetcar still running in America. These two vehicles demonstrate the dramatic shift from animal-powered to electric transportation.