New York Transit Museum

The New York Transit museum, located in an actual, now defunct, underground train station in Brooklyn is a hidden gem for those on the museum trail in New York city. Initially opened as Court Street station in 1936, it was subsequently shut down due to low traffic. It was then mainly used for film shoots until it was turned into a temporary exhibit for the New York Transit Authority. The exhibit proved so popular that it was made permanent and the station is now a full fledged museum showcasing not just the colorful history of the New York subway system but also all other forms of public transit.

From vintage signage and light fixtures to equipment and even a 1930s subway control room, the Transit museum has a spectacular collection which gives visitors the experience of going back in time. Since it is still a functioning train station, different vintage trains are regularly brought in and taken out for various exhibitions and excursions. The museum also manages an extensive vintage bus collection which can be explored at various bus depots around the city. Despite being overshadowed by more popular museums, the New York Transit museum narrates a very detailed history of one of the city’s most iconic aspects, its public transport systems.