Shoutout Daniella!! I came in a wheelchair and she was so accommodative and friendly! She helped me get around and advocated for me when people were in my way/staring at me. Her energy made the visit more enjoyable!! Thank you!! read more

The New York Transit Museum is a public transportation museum that opened in Brooklyn, New York in July 1976. It was founded by the Metropolitan Transit Authority. The museum is located underground in the decommissioned Court Street subway station. Opened in 1936, the station was built to serve as a terminus for trains of the IND Fulton Street Line. Due to the proximity of other stations in the Downtown Brooklyn area, the Court Street station never saw much traffic and was abandoned by June 1946. After it was abandoned, the station was used as a filming location for a number of Hollywood films that include "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" (1974). As part of New York City's United States Bicentennial celebrations in 1976, members of the NYC Transit Authority built a New York City Transit Exhibit at the station. Although the exhibit was meant to only be open until September of that year, it proved to be so popular that it remained open and eventually became a permanent museum. The museum displays historical artifacts of the New York City Subway, bus, and commuter rail systems in the greater New York City metropolitan region. Although the Court Street station is considered to be decommissioned, it is still technically an active subway station because it serves as a turnaround for the 6 line. My family and I recently visited the New York Transit Museum while we were spending the day in Brooklyn. To enter the museum, you need to descend a staircase that leads underground, just like you would at any subway station. This museum is so thorough at discussing the history of New York City's public transit system from the late 19th century right up to present day. Some of the artifacts that we saw on display included old subway turnstiles, bus fareboxes, subway tokens, payphones, train and trolley models, various types of vintage transit signs, and much more! The museum is also quite interactive, which was delightful for my two sons. They both loved riding on the various buses and subway trains. The platform level features two fully powered and operational subway tracks which contain many historic examples of New York City subway and elevated railway equipment on permanent display. This was the most fun museum that we've visited in a while and we highly recommend it to visitors to Downtown Brooklyn! read more

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Such a cool museum, and totally worth the trek to Brooklyn :] I loved all the displays of the turnstiles, as well as how each exhibit was set up. Touch everything and plan to spend at least a few hours there! read more

We went here for free with our town's museum passes. We found street parking for $7 or so right near the museum and there were parking garages too for more. The handicapped entrance is just for wheelchairs and not strollers so my husband and I really struggled with our 2.5 year old, 5 month old, and double stroller. The museum itself though is very nice and it's fun for the kids to run around the old subway cars, sit in them, sit in the buses, and do the free arts and crafts activity. It was just really annoying how difficult it was to get in and out of the museum with all the stairs. There were even stairs to the women's bathroom! Nice activity for kids but please be more clear how non-stroller friendly it is so families can plan. read more

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I would've never thought to go to this museum. It wasn't for my husband. He's interested in anything moving on wheels. So I went begrudgingly, but to my surprise was actually quite interesting to see the history of the subway system in New York City. I was also delighted to see that an African-American was instrumental in inventing something that actually helped the subway system get created in the first place. read more

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This was such a fun museum from start to finish, an old subway station converted into a museum for the public. Parking is a bit tricky in the area, we were very lucky to find street parking a block over. We spent 2 hours in the museum and feel like we still didn't finish. This museum talks about the history of NY transit, all the way back to the 1800s. From old turnstiles to seats on the bus, and vintage subway cars that you can sit in on the lower floor, there are a lot of exhibits that you can touch and sit in. It's nice to see the changes chronologically presented and what specific changes took place. There are models of old subway cars, and trams and different kinds of subway cards that we officially have stopped using. Great place to spend 2-3 hours here wandering around. read more

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Stopped by yesterday 3/19. This is my third time at this museum, but the first time for my husband and son. I came on a field trip when i was in 6th grade and again around 21 in college for a project at school. Now as a mother and wife, and sister to a MTA employee, this experience means more. My son was able to not only learn the history of the transition system, but see it first hand. My son loved that fact that this museum is underground and inside an actual train station. I loved the fact that they have upgraded and added WiFi! I remember coming in my 20s and it was very hot and no WiFi. I'm glad i didn't wait until summer to come, it was very comfortable in there temperature wise during this time of year. I Loved that they also have a very nice and modern gift shop. Bathrooms here were very clean too. My son was amazed and how much things changed from when we were his age to now. From tokens, to metro cards, to omny. He loved being able to sit inside actual buses and trains. And seeing the trains that were around not only we were kids, but when his grandparents were kids. I still can't believe they had that red 2/5 line train we grew up on. Phenomenal experience here and i would def come back with my family, even my husband enjoyed it. read more

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Really informative museum set in a decommissioned subway station. I learned so much about NYC transit history. Admission fee is reasonable ($10.00 USD). Great museum for families and the staff were all very helpful. read more

Lovely visit to the New York Transit Museum (Downtown Brooklyn) on a Saturday morning in the winter. $10 Adults/$5 Children/Seniors. Although street parking can be tough, it is manageable , especially on weekends in the Cobble Hill and Manhattan Bridge areas. Entrance via the "subway" steps on Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street. Once down there, you can buy tickets at the ticketbooth although they recommend ticket purchase in advance online. You then navigate through the museum which includes lots of interesting and fun facts about New York Subway System...its origin, design, construction, and updates and maintenance over the last 120+ years. There are lots of interesting exhibits such as the evolution of the subway payment methods and turnstiles. A lovely exhibit pays tribute to the Metrocard and how it reolutionized the payment process. There are different machines on display as well as all of the "Special Edition" Metrocards throughout the years. Downstairs, on the tracks, there various train cars dating back 100+ years. You can see how each update fit the purpose of their time...given technological limitations of course. It was interesting reading a bit about each one. Finally, there is the Gift Shop with all kinds of interesting gift options...maps, magnets, toys, shirts, posters and other collectibles. Overall, I had a great time at the New York Transit Museum. Despite being a native New Yorker who has used its public transportation system since the 90's...it was very interesting learning all about it. I gained a new appreciation not of the system itself...but the employees who work hard to keep the system up and running. It was busy but not overcrowded....likely more crowds when the temperature warms up. I took about two (2) hours and was able to read most of the exhibits...I would allow around three (3) hours if you want to read everything. If you are ONLY interested in seeing the displays without reading...you can likely get through it in an hour. All staff throughout the museum were very friendly and helpful. read more

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This museum covers all facets of public transit: fares, signage on trains, models of train cars, construction of the system, and more. Kids have a fantastic time with the hands-on exhibits. I was lucky enough to go right after the metrocard had retired to see that special exhibit. I wish this museum was open for more hours! The main exhibit at the very start of the museum is narrow and windy, causing hold ups especially if there is a stroller. If there is a crowd there, I'd recommend going downstairs to the open old train cars until the line subsides. The entry price is very good value. If you arrive by public transit near the museum, you'll probably have a 5min walk to an AC line or a bus stop. Because the museum is the old Court Street station, you'll descend stairs to reach the entrance. At the entrance is also a nice gift shop. read more

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How could I have not yelped this amazing place ? We've been coming here every so often since 2019. My son was 5. He's 12 now. He still loves coming. His favorite area is obviously the "station" with all the trains. This is such an amazing place for kids who like to touch everything. Sometimes they let kids ring a bell. If the older trains are in use for events they have other fun trains to display. We are now finally moving to nyc and we will absolutely get a membership. read more

Cooler than I thought it would be because it's a repurposed subway station which is much better than a regular museum. It even had that warmth and tight spaces we all know and love from a subway station. But once you get passed the initial and thorough history of the subway creation, it opens up more as a space. There was a lot of interesting displays and information to learn. It's worth it for a few hours to learn about how the subway started and how it's developed. The best part was the lower level with the actual historic train cars you can go inside and see how the evolution of cars developed. Only downsides: an employee didn't let us use an outlet no one was near which seemed unnecessary. The gift shop was pretty good, but it didn't have seasonal items out (which they said were in storage but couldn't get them). Otherwise, for the price, it's a pretty unique albeit crowded museum that's interesting for adults and kids. read more

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I've there a few times when my kids were young ( years ago) and more recently with friends. It's a wonderful space with great exhibits and great old subway cars. Definitely worth seeing. read more

We came to the Transit Museum after reading the very positive reviews. I had high hopes for the museum and I was still very impressed with how much history and the superb presentation of the NY City subway system. The museum is located in the decommissioned Court Street station at the Corner of Schermerhorn St. and Boerum Place. To enter to go down the steps into the station and purchase a ticket at the old ticket booth. The fee is totally reasonable. The displays take the visitor from the origins of the subway and how it was created. There are amazing pictures of city streets with deep trenches creating the underground tunnels used by the trains. There are excellent descriptions of how the workers relocated gas and water lines allowing these services to continue uninterrupted while construction continued. There are many artifacts from the construction period including the tools that they used, ID's of the workmen, and so much more. Frankly, there is so much to take in, it requires more than one visit to really absorb all that is on offer. There are old turnstiles that you can go through. It's amazing to think that people didn't hop them way back when. There is an incredible display and description of the tokens that were used including the cost increases. There is also a presentation of slugs that were used to get through the turnstiles without paying. And how they messed up the turnstiles. Then of course a great exhibit of the electronic paying system including a display of the Metrocards through the years. There are amazing old signs from the subway that bring you back to how it felt to navigate stations. One thing that I would have really appreiciated and I did not see, was a discussion of the three subways systems-IRT, IND, and BMT that were finally merged. On the lower level on two different tracks are multiple old subway cars. The display has the cars from the when the subway began and all of the iterations until today. The cars include when each car was used, the kind of material used to make the seats and the advances each represented. There is also information about how the system is 'overseen' and the painfully slow technical improvements to make the subway more efficient while remaining safe. The museum has something for everyone who has taken a ride on the subway. It is a truly worthwhile visit for people who want to learn more about the texture of what makes New York the city that it is. read more

The Transit Museum is having another great-sounding online program (via Zoom) - on January 8, from 6-7 p.m. - and it's free. The title is "Transit Tourism" - and the author of a new book called "Transit Tourism: The Iconic Art and Design of 22 Subway Systems Around the World" will be showing many highlights from his travels throughout the world. Here's the link to register: https://51281.blackbaudhosting.com/51281/Transit-Tourism read more

Inside the Grand Central Terminal Station, one of the security guards pointed me to the right way. The museum is located inside the gift shop, and is a cute miniature of NYC honoring the subway and train system. During the holidays, there is a Holiday Train Show. It's free to visit, and a family-friendly activity to do. read more

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Very cool and nostalgic museum. This museum is located in a decommissioned subway station (Court Street). You can see all the vintage turnstiles, old forms of payment and see all the trains. You get the whole experience, you can walk from train to train, sit inside, see the ads and stay as long as you want. It felt like traveling through time. Very interesting, fun and informative museum. Highly recommended for kids and adults. read more

Nice museum. It's hot though, so I guess it's very true to the NY subway experience lol. It's kinda cool, youre basically in a subway station looking at the history of the subway and artifacts. The main draw is the lower level, where they have the subway cars throughout the years and you can go inside. Those were cool and they even had ads from the timeframe. It requires a lot of walking and steps, so just fyi. It's a fun time. I had more fun there than I thought. I liked being able to see the old subway cars the best. read more

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This museum has been on my bucket list for years. I was in the area and decided to check it out since I was in the area. The entrance looks like a regular train station. The fee to get in a reasonably priced. I was shocked how large the museum was and how many exhibits were displayed. The beginning of the museum was a comprehensive history of how public transportation started with pictures and small summaries of events. There were large groups of immigrants who played a big role in the development of our train system. The stairs leading to he historical trains resembled a train station with a regular platform. Downstairs had a variety of trains on display from over the years. There is alot to see and read in this museum. There were several cool spots to take pics. There were some interactive activities for the kids. This is definitely a spot to check out. read more

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This mta run museum is a immersive experience in the history of transportation in nyc. What I noticed is people seemed to be smaller in the past. My wife and I traveled through time decade to decade exploring thus underground experience. Lots of information on this tour. read more

New York Transit Museum - Museums Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This surprised me, actually. You enter through what looks like an ordinary subway station entrance, which sets the tone perfectly for what's inside. Admission was very reasonable, and I was genuinely surprised by how big the museum is. It's packed with exhibits, starting with an in-depth look at the early days of New York's public transportation. The photos, stories, and timelines give a real sense of how the system grew, especially with the contributions of immigrant communities who helped build and shape it. Heading downstairs feels like stepping into an actual station platform from decades past. There's a whole collection of historic train cars, each from a different era, and you can walk through many of them. It's one of those places where you think you'll skim a few things but end up reading every sign because it's all so fascinating. There's a lot to explore, great photo spots, detailed exhibits, and even some hands-on activities for kids. Whether you're a transit nerd, a history fan, or just looking for something unique to do in the city, this museum is absolutely worth a visit. It's grown my appreciation for how amazing NYC really is. read more

Good place to come on a rainy day. Upon entering there is a gift shop and the left. You start from the beginning where you get a history of the trains. You will see old turnstiles. Bus and train you can get on for photos. An actual live old train station below with mutiple old trains you can get on. Very nice. Kids can get on a station bus and be on the driver seat. Can easily go through this in one hour. read more

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What a fun place to check out the NYC passenger train cars throughout the years. The museum is big but not huge and is packed with a ton of great information about everything related to NYC transit - the history, the workers, the pioneers. My favorite are the train cars you can explore in the lower level of this still "active" train line. It's like stepping back in time and it's awesome to see the changes that have been made. I highly recommend a visit to the New York Transit Museum, it's a fun time for adults and kids! read more

Loved this museum! Have been wanting to go for a long time and went on this cold November day. Love how it's set in an actual subway station and you get to walk into all the older subway cars with their original ads. Great seeing the photos of all the men who built the subway system with their bare hands and how much they risked their lives. Something we're so used to now - going underground to transport ourselves - was a revolution. Recommending to everyone. 5 stars!!!! read more

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This museum is absolutely fabulous. Worth the trip into Brooklyn to see it. The old trains brought back memories of a time that you could take the subway at 2:00 AM , and feel safe. Hard to believe, that this city and state, used to be a fabulous place to grow up in and live. Go early, because the parking lots can fill up, because it's near the courthouse. read more

The New York Transit Museum is a fun visit. It's a great run through history of both subways and busses that have kept New York moving. I really enjoyed the old subway cars spanning the last 100 years. You can walk through each one and get a feel for what it was like in the past. It's good for 1+ hours. Great for a rainy day! read more

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One of the coolest museums I've ever been to. Was way bigger than expected but we were able to see all of it in an hour but definitely wish we could have spent some more time here. Very informative and educational. The basement room with all the trains was super cool. Bathroom was gross. read more

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So great! Huge and full of fun and very engaging for all ages. Lots of hands on stuff for kids.

Who'd ever have thought to make a museum out of a subway station? It seems a little surreal that this used to be a real station (Court St) and now it's a showcase for the history of mass transit in NYC. It's authentic from the street entrance, down the stairs onto the mezzanine level and all the way down to the platform level with the signature porcelain tiled walls, giant I-beam support columns and subway tracks. There's even an old styled token booth that now serves as the ticket booth. The exhibits start with the early history of construction of the transit system in the 1800's when electric trolley street cars ran at street level and trains ran on tracks elevated above the street. At the turn of the century, the underground subway system first opened and most above ground structures were soon eliminated and later buses would run on the streets in place of the trolley system. The above ground trains still run in the outer boroughs transitioning from the tunnels crossing the East & Harlem Rivers and the history of digging of those tunnels are an interesting read. I really enjoyed learning about the pre-MetroCard history of the subway token and the exhibit of old turnstiles, many of which I still remember in service when I was a kid. There's something about trains that kids really enjoy and they bring out the kid in adults as well. There are mockups of trains and buses that the kids can pretend to drive. When you descend to the lower platform level, that's where the IRL stuff are located. There are real examples of subway cars from the last 120 years and it's real kick to see the ones from 1907 into the 60's & 70's. You'll notice that almost all of them only had overhead fans for the comfort of their passengers during NYC's heat waves and air conditioned subway cars & buses didn't start showing up until the 70's. The vintage subway cars here are working examples and they do take them out into the tunnels on special occasions. There are safety rails installed between cars and tracks, but just be careful of your kids running and there are a lot of kids running around. I just love this piece of NYC history and hope to return and maybe ride on a 1907 subway car for real rumbling down the tunnels like a century ago. Don't forget to visit the gift shop! read more

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A very good deal for only $10. Situated in an former subway tunnel that is currently inactive but totally functional. There is a whole level on the history of subway/bus/and carriage transit in the city of New York, then a whole other level beneath that full of subway cars of yesteryear. This is actually the best part: there are probably two dozen subway cars going back to pre-WWII. Very cool indeed. read more

It's amazing! It has all the history of the New York City transit bus and subway, has a lots of real subway cars, the old ones and the new ones. The only things bad is it's a little bit hot in the museum. read more

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I'm unsure the reason why it took me so long to get to this museum while I live in the area (for now) but it was nice to visit recently. They have a few sections including some exhibits and what I presume, the stuff in front might change up but the vast majority of the exhibit stays the same. The price is reasonable for a museum being $10 for adults or $5 for kids and as expected for trains, there's a lot of kids here and they're open from Wednesday-Sunday from 10am to 4pm so not too long each day. The staff in front are friendly. It's inside of an old decommissioned subway station so expect the temperatures inside to not be the best; especially downstairs. There's a nice gift shop in front which also has a Grand Central and FiDi location which has better gifts than the usual stuff you find in most places. BTW, there is a handicap accessible access a couple blocks away which you have to press a button to get downstairs or call them. The current exhibit upstairs goes through the construction of the subway and the (bad) worker conditions and has some of the old equipment and photos of folks. It's short but nice with some facts I didn't know. Past this is the main floor going through things such as the history of the subway, some interactable stuff such as the old turnstiles, and some buses in back which is great for the kids. The bottom area is the best part including many old subway cars. Fun to go through and sit in them and take photos and there's a whole lot of them. Expect to spend a while there especially with kids unless the temperature is bad as it'll be quite cold or hot down there as it is not temperature controlled. Expect to take around an hour to an hour and a half; possibly more depending on interest. Closest subways are the 2/3/4/5 (on weekdays,) and R train from Borough Hall (5 minute walk) and close enough as well to the F/A/C at Jay Street Metrotech (would be a ~10 minute walk.) It's cheap and a good museum which makes it different and better than a lot of the other smaller museums in the city. read more

New York Transit Museum - Museums Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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If you only have time to visit one museum in New York, go to the New York Transit Museum. As the name suggests, it's a museum all about the history of transit in New York. There are numerous exhibits, including photos and the history of the construction of the NY subway, displays of the various turnstiles used in subway stations, and actual subway cars and trams which you can enter. One of the exhibits we saw was of various transit etiquette signs and artwork from around the world, including etiquette signs from Vancouver during an ad campaign from about 10 years ago. Talk about a blast from the past! The New York Transit Museum is an interesting museum that will appeal to all ages, and at $10 a ticket for adults, it is very affordable. They also have an awesome gift shop! Note that it is located in an old subway station, so there is no cell phone service, which is mentioned on their website. [Yelp collections: East Coast 2022; NY Summer 2022; Museums and Art Galleries; Cheap Thrills] read more

I love the Transit Museum. I've been twice now (including with family) and feel like I takeaway so much from each visit. Both times were on the weekend, and the museum is really decently busy. If you think you'd enjoy it with less people, maybe go during the weekday. I was a bit worried about it engaging everyone, but my family loved it. The museum itself is actually an old subway station, and you down like any subway to get inside. Tickets are EXTREMELY affordable at $10 per person. An extremely underrated part of this museum are the ads that they show in the old subway cars. It is such a fascinating peak into history and consumerism, even brand evolution! Some of my other favorite parts of the subway include the collection of subway poems, the antique subway cars that you can walk and sit inside (of course), and well as the exhibit on reefing red birds. You could easily spend 2-3 hours here and still want to come back. My one small gripe is that the bathrooms can be pretty gross. The staff are also very knowledgeable on the museum, so take the opportunity to ask any questions! This is a great museum for any history buff, transit enthusiast, and New Yorker :) read more

New York Transit Museum - Museums Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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One of my favorite museums in New York City. The New York Transit Museum is devoted to the history and significance of public transportation in NYC. It's fun and affordable. It's only $10 for adults. Great for adults and kids alike! I know I was running around with the little ones while exploring vintage trains. I would suggest arriving as soon as they open because it can get quite crowded. BTW, the Transit Museum hosts a vintage bus festival in June. Yay! I will definitely be back for this event. The biggest attraction is the exhibit of train cars. I like how the original advertisements were still on the cars. Five stars for such a great museum! read more

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Overall a good experience with plenty of space and vehicles for kids to explore and enough information to keep parents entertained as well. My son had a ton of fun pretending to drive buses and sitting in all of the different eras of subway trains. My biggest gripe is that for a museum that targets families with children, this museum is not accessible. There is no elevator to get strollers into or out of the museum which was extremely inconvenient. We had to physically lug our stroller up and down the two flights of stairs into the museum and then back up on our way out, which is not easy with a rambunctious toddler. read more

Came here with my favorite transit nerd (my boyfriend). This was the one thing he really wanted to do while we were in NYC. Located in Brooklyn, its entrance is absolutely adorable. The museum is located underground in an authentic 1936 subway station. Any question you have about New York transit can be answered here. It's filled with endless information and has a lot of interactive components. Tickets were $10 per adult. Walking through and looking at the old train cars was the best part of this museum for me. The old advertisements and maps inside them were an extra surprise. The New Yorker that came with us told me that some of the train cars were used for the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel which was even more fun. Old train cars are not the only thing you'll find here. You can walk through old turnstiles, see old metro coins/cards, read about how the first metros were made, and more. The gift shop also has a million things to satisfy the transit nerd in your life. I'd highly recommend visiting if you enjoy public transportation. You can spend a good 1-2 hours here. read more

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Just took the members only tour of Old City Hall station, which has been closed to the public since 1945. This spot serves as a turn around spot for the 6 train now, but NYTM does tours at least twice per year (mine was the first tour since COVID). You must be a member (my membership for myself and my husband is 100 dollars and is tax deductible). They send out emails with notices and sale dates and you must act quickly, as they usually sell out within a day or less. I think my ticket was 50 dollars. It's a beautiful example of arrested decay and a partial restoration of the ornate architecture of the early 20th century. Also wonderful Guastavino tiles. Yes, some urban explorer groups encourage you to stay on the 6 train to get a free gander, )which isn't as easy as it seems and can lead to problems), but this is the only way you'll get a worthwhile look. read more

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We went to check out the Transit Museum in Brooklyn and it was ok. They aren't equipped to handle people with disabilities and strollers. This was rather sad. Because you are underground, there isn't much cellular service. We had to pull up a voucher for our admission and that was annoying. The actual museum was decent. I am interested in the history or the subway and how the subways were constructed but was not overly engaged with the information or the artifacts. The coolest thing was the older train cars that you could check out. That was fun. Altogether I wasn't too impressed. read more

Sometimes being a tourist in your own backyard pays off. In this case, making the trek to BK to check out this museum was well worth the $10 ticket and travel time. Its a true hidden gem. So much so, that you enter on the corner via an older subway stop. give yourself a solid 90 mins to truly explore. dont forget to head downstairs to check out about 20 older train cars that range from 1904 to modern times. this was my favorite part because you can see the transition in subway cars and learn about them. the museum is kid and adult friendly, very clean (surprise surprise for a subway stop), a bit interactive, and organized. read more