Shore Line Trolley Museum

The mission of the Shore Line Trolley Museum is to share with a diverse audience the story of the trolley and related forms of public transportation in their historical context.

The Branford Electric Railway Association/The Shore Line Trolley Museum was founded in 1945 when the Connecticut Company went in to their final phase of replacing the New Haven trolley line with bus service. The trolley line that serves the Museum opened July 31, 1900 and connected the City of New Haven with the state's eastern shore line as a commuter rail line. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1984, It remains open as the oldest continuously operated suburban street railway in the United States.

The Shore Line Trolley Museum houses 98 street rail cars (dating back as far as 1861), over 65,000 archival photos and nearly 300 rail journals in it's collection. The museum has over 100 active volunteers and nearly 1,000 members. Located on over 70 acres, the historic rail line runs along the Farm River Tidal Marsh and is home to dozens of species of native plants and wildlife.

The museum sees nearly 25,000 visitors each year with an emphasis on educational tours and programs.