To help celebrate its 50th anniversary, the New York Transit Museum will turn back time by hosting historic shuttle rides along one of Brooklyn’s major corridors next month.
Museum rail cars will revive the spirit of the original HH Shuttle, a short shuttle service that once ran between Court Street and Hoyt–Schermerhorn in Downtown Brooklyn. Passengers will ride vintage train cars along the same route that connected Brooklyn commuters during the 1930s and 1940s.
Rides will be available on July 4 and 5, with boarding at the Transit Museum, located at 99 Schermerhorn St. Tickets are free with museum admission ($10; $5 for seniors, children and visitors with disabilities; admission is free for children younger than 2).
To help celebrate its 50th anniversary, the New York Transit Museum will turn back time by hosting historic shuttle rides along one of Brooklyn’s major corridors next month.Credit New York Transit Museum Collection
Registration for the rides is now open.
The shuttle rides are just one way the museum is celebrating its birthday this year. It also has planned an exhibit about the anniversary, opening on June 17, digital storytelling and a disco-themed party fundraiser on Sept. 26, reminiscent of the 1970s.
Photograph documents signage for the closing of the Court Street (IND Fulton Line) Station.Credit New York Transit Museum Collection
Most recently, the Transit Museum launched a citywide scavenger hunt on June 1, which so far has attracted 1,000 people who have downloaded its app to explore 50 transit history sites across the boroughs. Spanning subways, buses, railroads, bridges, and tunnels, the hunt unlocks hidden stories and surprising transit facts at each stop, along with trivia about the MTA. As players navigate the city, the experience turns New York itself into a living museum, revealing the people, places, and vehicles that keep it moving.
“New York’s transit system is one of the great engines of city life, and the New York Transit Museum exists to share the stories behind it,” Regina Shepherd, acting director of the museum, said. “Our 50th anniversary is a chance to celebrate the people who built, operated, and rode the system, and to spotlight the vital role transit plays in New Yorkers’ lives today.”
The New York Transit Museum was founded in 1976 as part of America’s BicentennialCredit New York Transit Museum Collection
Janno Lieber, MTA chair and CEO, said the museum is a go-to spot for anyone who loves anything about transit.
“Fifty years since opening, the Transit Museum has claimed its place as a New York destination,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “New Yorkers of all ages are passionate about transit, and they deserve a place where they can participate in the city’s ongoing romance with our system.”
More information about the museum’s anniversary events and programs is at nytransitmuseum.org/50years.