School Programs
Give your students direct access to local and national history with a school program at the National Capital Trolley Museum! Our programs for grades Pre-K through 6th, designed to meet the needs of diverse classrooms, encourage students to think critically about the past and connect with topics such as transit history and community development while continuing to build skills in social studies, science, mathematics, and the arts.
To book your program, please read the following and submit a booking request at the bottom of the page.
Program Availability
Thursdays + Fridays from 10am - 12pm.
Fall 2024: October 1st - November 15th
Spring 2025: March 15th - May 31st
Fees
$5 per student, teacher, or chaperone
$50 program fee per class. See Booking Policies for additional information.
Capacity
Up to 35 students per class, up to 3 classes per day.
Each class may have up to 5 adult chaperones, including their teachers for a total of 40 people per class. Per safety regulations, we can accommodate 40 people total per street car ride, with a total capacity 3 street car rides. At least one teacher is required to accompany students on their street car ride.
Accessibility
Our programs are created with diverse students with a range of abilities, challenges, and needs in mind.
At this time, we regret that the antique natures of our street cars do not yet allow for wheelchair accessibility. We are working to change this and in the meantime will make every attempt possible to provide access to your students. For more information, please contact us at coordinator@dctrolley.org.
Booking Policies
Educator Fee
A $50 program fee per class must be made fourteen (14) business days prior to your booking date as a deposit, with the remainder of your balance due on the day of your visit. Program fees are non-refundable to support the cost of our staff in the case of a no-show.
Confirmation
Within three business days of submitting a booking request, your contact will receive an email with confirmation of your booking. The coordinator may also ask clarifying questions before confirming. IMPORTANT: Your booking is NOT complete until you receive your confirmation invoice from our coordinator!
What’s Included?
Street Car Rides
Every program includes a ride on one of our historic street cars down our interpretive railway in beautiful Northwest Branch Park. Students will be encouraged to watch for wildlife as they experience what it might have been like to use transit like street cars and interurban railways in the DC area between 1862 and 1962. (Up to 40 people, including educators and chaperones, per street car ride. 3 rides, or 120 people maximum per group. These numbers are based on our railway safety guidelines. Classes may be split to accommodate all members of your group).
Museum Exploration
Students will be led by one of our dedicated docents to explore Street Car Hall and our collection of historic street cars dated from 1896 to the 1970s. Students will see and compare street cars from six different nations and learn about the history of transit, the engineering behind DC’s special conduit system, and the transit workers who made it all possible. Students may also have brief time to enjoy our Rock Creek Railway model, silent movie theatre, and other exhibits in the Visitors Center.
Classroom Activity
Experiential learning continues in the classroom where students will create, think critically, and work together while exploring topics such as ticket systems, urban planning, and social movements all in the context of street car history. Classroom activities last about 20-30min. Choose one of the options below!
Classroom Activities
Please note that only one activity can be chosen for your entire group, as there will be no adequate time to prepare for multiple activities for different classes during your visit. All activities take 30 minutes, unless otherwise noted.
Grade levels are suggested — if you feel a different activity would better suit your group, please select that instead.
Preschool + Kindergarten Activity
Our classroom activity for Pre-K and kindergarten students is designed to engage young learners through collaborative play, art, and movement. During September - November, students will enjoy a seasonally-themed story and craft. In March - May, students will enjoy a transit story and sing-along. To accommodate the needs of young children, this activity will be 20 mins.
Your Ad Here (Grades 1-6)
Advertisements have been a part of transit decor for as long as transit has existed. Students will compare advertisements from across DC’s 100 years of street car service, then design their own ad based on real products from everyday life in the 1930s!
Street Car Communities (Grades 3-6)
Students will work together as a class to brainstorm, design, and then build a community served by street car lines in this very hands-on activity. Featuring a custom building table and wooden tracks, students are challenged to respond to the diverse needs of their imagined community based on the actual historical development of Chevy Chase and Rockville, MD.
Street Cars + Social Justice (Grades 3-6)
Street cars were more than just transit, they often participated in — or were the backdrop for — major social movements toward justice for all. Students will work in teams to learn about some of these movements and then create persuasive posters targeted at street car riders to get the word out! Topics include but are not limited to suffrage, labor rights, and segregation.
Book Your Program!
We are looking forward to welcoming you and your students to the National Capital Trolley Museum! Please complete the form below to submit a booking request.
If you are booking trips on multiple days, please complete one form per day.
Within 3 business days of submitting a booking request, your contact will receive an email with confirmation of your booking. The coordinator may also ask clarifying questions before confirming.
IMPORTANT: Your booking is NOT complete until you receive your confirmation invoice from our coordinator!