It is dedicated to the study, conservation and restoration of trams that were used in Adelaide or built there, and likewise with a small bus and trolleybus collection.Trams provide unlimited free rides for visitors on payment of the entrance fee.

They operate along a 1.6 kilometres (1.0 mile) purpose-built track between the museum and a large adventure playground.

[1][2][3] Staffed by volunteers, the museum relies mainly on visitor admissions to fund its work.

The council crucially secured funding from a 1972 state government unemployment relief scheme to lay the all-important tramway from the museum site alongside St Kilda Road towards the sea, and to erect poles for overhead wiring.

[5] The tramway commenced trials in 1973 and was officially opened in 1974, coinciding with St Kilda's centenary.

294, was built in Adelaide by Holden's Body Builders, the predecessor of General Motors-Holden; the other (W7 class 1013), which offers a comparison with the MTT's fast-loading Type F cars, has been modified for easy wheelchair access.

During the severe COVID-19 pandemic restrictions of 2019 and 2020, the museum ceased running trams while it undertook the major task of upgrading its operational documentation and procedures to meet the requirements of the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator.

During that period, the Salisbury Council was able to undertake some major improvements on the line: easing and re-laying the curve at a level crossing in new grooved rail, and re-laying a second level crossing; replacing some overhead poles; and re-hanging overhead wires to match the new track alignment.