All Aboard the Boogie Train: NYC Transit Museum Throws a 70s Disco Bash for Its 50th Birthday

On Thursday, September 26, the New York Transit Museum will transform its subterranean home at the old Court Street Station in Downtown Brooklyn into a glittering 1976-style disco, marking half a century since its founding. The one-night-only fundraiser, dubbed ‘Dancin’ in September,’ promises a time warp to the city’s Studio 54 heyday—minus the velvet rope, but with all the flash. Revelers can expect a soundtrack spun strictly on vinyl, a nod to the era before streaming and smartphones, and enough mirror balls to make even the Q train sparkle.

The setting itself is a time capsule: Court Street Station, first opened in 1936, has long since closed to straphangers but gained new life as the city’s beloved archive of transit lore. On Thursday evening, the tiled platforms will pulse with dance moves, not train schedules, as guests sip cocktails under the original station lights and pose for photos beside vintage subway cars.

The event isn’t just a party. It’s a fundraiser supporting the museum’s education programs and ongoing preservation work—a mission that has only deepened as New York’s transit history grows ever more layered. Museum director Concetta Bencivenga says the 70s theme is more than nostalgia: “1976 was the year we opened, and the city was in flux. Disco gave New Yorkers a reason to celebrate together. We want that spirit tonight.”

Tickets, which start at $100, went on sale last week and are moving fast, with the local vinyl DJ collective Discodelic headlining. Costumes are encouraged: sequins, bell-bottoms, and platform shoes are expected to outnumber sensible sneakers. For one night, subway delays will mean more time on the dance floor.

As autumn settles in across Brooklyn, the museum’s anniversary bash offers a rare chance to experience a piece of city history—while embracing the city’s talent for reinvention, one beat at a time.