The Shore Line Trolley Museum

Visit the oldest operating trolley museum in the United States.

The Shore Line Trolley Museum is located in East Haven, Connecticut. This historical attraction is a great place to learn about trolleys and how they were first used for mass transit in their historic context. The Branford Electric Railway opened in 1900 and is recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as the oldest continuously-operated suburban trolley line in the U.S. This place is on the National Register of Historic Places as the Branford Electric Railway Historic District.

You will see some amazing collections, including old equipment, photographs, documents, and artifacts to portray the history and heritage of the Trolley Era. The museum has almost 100 vintage transit vehicles, over 50,000 images, 4,000 books and documents, plus 1,000 artifacts such as hat badges, ticket punches, and tokens. Visitors can buy tickets at Sprague Station and look at the indoor exhibits. You can also board one of the restored trolley cars for a trip on the scenic Branford Electric Railway. If you love trains, be sure to stop by the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, Connecticut.