Seashore Trolley Museum
Time Needed: 1-2 hours, half-day
Experience Type: innovation, museum
Founded in 1939, the Seashore Trolley Museum is the world’s oldest and largest electric railway museum. Spread across 350 acres, it celebrates the golden age of streetcars through hands-on exhibits, scenic trolley rides, and fascinating glimpses into transportation history and innovation.
MUST-DO CHECKLIST
- Ride a Historic Trolley – Climb aboard a restored streetcar for a 1.5-mile ride on the museum’s heritage railway—unlimited trips are included with admission.
- Explore the Exhibit Barns – Step inside massive display halls to see vintage trolleys, rapid-transit cars, and buses—many open for visitors to walk through and photograph.
- Visit the History in Motion Exhibit – Discover how trolleys shaped Maine life through murals, photos, and artifacts in this engaging 1,600-square-foot gallery near the museum entrance.
- Marvel at the Model Railroad – See Maine’s largest HO-scale model railway, complete with miniature lighthouses, mills, and coastal towns once served by the Maine Central Railroad.
- Be a Motorman for a Day – Take the controls of an antique streetcar during a guided session and experience what it’s like to operate a real electric trolley.
Recommended Reading: Explore When Trolleys Ruled the Earth, a photographic history of streetcars, cable cars, and classic trams. Packed with restored archival images and expert insights, it offers a colorful look at the vehicles that once shaped urban transportation.
Photo Credit: Seashore Trolley Museum Collection