New York Transit Museum: Transportation Museum in New York

What You Need to Know About the New York Transit Museum

• The New York Transit Museum is dedicated entirely to transportation in New York. The museum occupies a former subway station in Brooklyn, built in 1936 and later abandoned. It’s a unique and original setting for a museum.
• The museum was founded in 1976 by the MTA, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York’s transit system. It’s also supported by Friends of the New York Transit Museum, a nonprofit organization, as well as by the City and State of New York.
• The museum holds an impressive collection of more than 28,000 photographs, posters, transit maps and objects. It also maintains an incredible garage of buses and subway cars in excellent condition. Not everything is on display, but the highlights are presented through five permanent exhibitions.
• The museum also features rotating thematic temporary exhibitions. There are typically three to four temporary shows each year.
• One more thing to know: cell phone service doesn’t work inside the museum. If you’re visiting with friends, plan to meet outside.

What to See at the New York Transit Museum

• The entrance to the New York Transit Museum is worth the trip on its own. Walking along Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn, you’ll spot a small, discreet sign on the sidewalk and the stairs of a subway entrance. That’s it. Head down the stairs and you’ll find yourself in a former subway station converted into a museum. It’s a truly remarkable place.
• The museum begins with the construction of the New York City subway in the early 1900s, presented with realistic scenes of workers on the job. You’ll then follow the expansion of the subway and bus networks through numerous documents, photographs and videos. You’ll also see how the equipment evolved over time.
• Don’t miss the token collection—the old coins used to pay for rides. This system was replaced by the MetroCard, which itself was replaced on December 31, 2025 by the contactless OMNY system. You’ll also see a lineup of different generations of turnstiles.
• The station platforms display subway cars from every era, including the BU Car 1407, an elegant 1907 model. You can freely board each car and take as many photos as you like. Even the vintage advertisements are original. It’s a great opportunity to snap photos inside a completely empty subway car. Exploring the vintage subway cars is definitely the highlight of the museum visit.
• The museum shop is the largest store dedicated to New York transit-themed merchandise. The selection of souvenirs is enormous.

Practical Information

• Address: 99 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn.
• Subway: Borough Hall (lines 5 and 6), Jay St-MetroTech (lines A, C and F) or Hoyt St (lines 2 and 3).
• Hours: The New York Transit Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
• Admission: $10 for adults and $5 for seniors over 62 and children ages 2 to 17. The New York Transit Museum is not included in New York passes, including the New York City Pass or the Explorer Pass New York.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to visit the New York Transit Museum?

Plan at least one hour for the New York Transit Museum. You can easily spend more time, especially if you read all the explanations. Add extra time for photos and selfies inside the vintage subway cars. Two hours is a comfortable pace for a thorough visit. Also budget time to browse the shop.

What's the minimum age to visit the New York Transit Museum?

The MTA has no age restriction for the New York Transit Museum, so you can bring children of any age. That said, very young children won’t get much out of the exhibitions and vintage trains. Children ages 10 and up, however, will likely be fascinated by the buses and subway cars.

When should I visit the New York Transit Museum?

Plan your visit to the New York Transit Museum as part of exploring Brooklyn. You can easily combine it with visits to Brooklyn Heights Promenade, the DUMBO neighborhood and a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

New York Transit Museum in Photos

Location Map