New York Transit Museum, New York

Down on Schermerhorn Street—literally down—you’ll find the New York Transit Museum, tucked inside a bona fide 1936 subway station that hasn’t seen regular service in decades. Court Street Station may well be retired from the daily commute, but it’s been reborn as Brooklyn’s time capsule of buses, trains, and all things underground. If you’ve ever wondered what the city’s transit history looks like without someone pushing past you, this is the place.

The museum began life on July 4, 1976, as a temporary Bicentennial exhibit. The idea was simple: open for a couple of months, show off some preserved subway cars, and wrap things up after Labor Day. New Yorkers, however, had other plans. The exhibit turned into a hit, refused to fade away, and eventually became a permanent member of Brooklyn’s cultural line-up.

Walk down the station stairs, and you step straight into the wealth of transit heritage. Vintage subway cars stretch along the platform like they’re waiting for the next rush hour, complete with their original seats, signage, and that unmistakable “old train” charm. Alongside them, exhibits unpack how the city carved out its tunnel network, the workers who made it possible, and the street-level trolleys and buses that connected the whole system. Even everyday details—like ticket machines, fire hydrants, and decades-old metal signs—get their moment in the spotlight.

Up on the mezzanine, you’ll find rotating exhibits, a small screening room playing classic courtesy and safety campaigns, and a gift shop filled with transit-themed temptations. There are also restrooms, water fountains, and a bring-your-own-snack area for anyone who wants a break before diving back into New York’s subterranean past.

And here’s a seasonal perk: visit between Thanksgiving and New Year, and you might just catch the famous Nostalgia Train. It’s not a display—it actually runs. Climb aboard a 1930s R1/9 subway car, ride nine stops, and feel the city roll by the way it did nearly a century ago. It’s the rare moment on the subway when everyone onboard is actually smiling...