NYC Guide: The Transit Museum

One of my favorite things about New York is that if you are looking for something, you will find it. No doubt about it, there is SO much to do beyond the usual tourist stuff. And don’t get my wrong, the tourist stuff is GREAT. You have to do them once in your life (ah, if only I could experience Times Square only once…). But if you’ve made a few visits or you’ve extra time, branch out! 

The NYC Transit Museum is my new favorite recommendation for people. The MTA gets a lot of flack (that is rightly deserved in this moment of time) but the subway infrastructure is kind of fascinating. I read Forever by Pete Hamill the fall that I moved to New York and it totally stuck with me. Highly recommend, and maybe I’ll have to do a throwback review on it! 

The Transit Museum is located in Brooklyn, but not too deep in at all. You guys know, I don’t do Brooklyn lol and even I went and felt it was totally worth it. Bonus point, there’s a Barnes and Noble down the block! 

Here is my warning though: the museum is NOT stroller accessible. There’s handicap entrances, but strollers are not permitted in the elevator. It’s a pretty authentic museum because it’s in the old Clark Street stop, so you descend into the subway. 

You can go through the old turnstyles, see the tokens used before we had metrocards, and even actually go on the old trains. The ads are the things that are craziest! The “Miss Subway” ones and the cigarette ads were too much for me. It’s very Mad Men. 

The only trains are over 100 years old and they’re completely preserved. It’s such a fun stop! It’s interactive for kids, but only the kids room is air conditioned, so if you’re going in the summer be prepared. It’s just like the real subway, cause it’s HOT. And it’s important to note, there is no cell phone service!