An impressive collection of communication equipment including working switching gear will provide an unforgettable family outing, school field trip or addition to any sightseeing tour.

Kids love playing with rotary phones and crank wall-mounted phones; parents may find themselves equally mesmerized. The archives contain vintage Edmonton telephone directories and technical manuals as well as stock certificates from legacy independent phone companies which later joined TELUS.

The History of the Telephone

The Telephone Historical Centre is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the development of the telephone from wooden wall phones and rotary dialers to the high tech smart phones of today. From working step switches and xy switches in its vintage Central Office to replicas of small town America independent phone exchanges complete with glass insulators, poles, cables and splicing equipment – The THC has something for everyone.

The telephone revolutionized human communication by merging electromagnetism with voice communications. Samuel Morse had already used electric signals to send coded messages; Antonio Meucci, Charles Grafton Page and Johann Friedrich Gauss all invented electromagnetic devices capable of transmitting sound or music; but Alexander Graham Bell created his speaking telegraph in 1876 – becoming the first device that combined these two forms of transmission together.

Since 1987, when it first opened its doors in Old Strathcona neighbourhood in Edmonton and relocated two years later for improved access, The Museum has become one of North America’s premier hands-on telephone museums. Tours for groups or individuals are offered, with its archives featuring vintage Edmonton phone directories as well as technical manuals and books related to telecom.

Exhibits

One of the best ways to learn about telecom history is by seeing and touching its equipment. From bank of switches from analog days that clickety-clack when dialed to equipment used by small one-town phone companies, the museum strives to bring communication history alive.

This unique space celebrates telecom technology from its early wooden prototypes through modern devices, from antique phones, switchboards and memorabilia that will captivate everyone from children to telecom workers.

Samuel Morse used electric signals to transmit coded messages while Antonio Meucci developed the teletrofono; Alexander Graham Bell is widely credited with inventing the speaking telephone, which combined electromagnetism and voice communication in 1876. At the museum, some of Bell’s key innovations can be seen alongside precursor equipment like Elisha Gray’s telegraph as well as wooden wall phones used by our ancestors; it also features working panel and crossbar electromechanical central office switches as well as outside plant displays with poles cables splicing equipment; plus an extensive cataloged telecommunications reference library of over 10,000 pages of cataloged reference information about our industry!

The Archive

The Telephone Historical Centre Archives are an invaluable source of knowledge about Edmonton’s telecom history. Their collection includes vintage telephone directories dating back to 1895 as well as technical manuals and books about technology and history related to telecommunications.

The Telephone Historical Centre Archives are unlike most museums where visitors simply observe artifacts; here you can physically interact with them too! From wooden box phones to candlesticks and classic rotary dialers, their collection of telephone equipment gives visitors a better understanding of how this revolutionary invention revolutionized communication.

Established by retired ED TEL employees, the Telephone Historical Centre opened its doors for visitors on December 3, 1987 in an old telephone exchange building in Old Strathcona. Over time it moved to its permanent home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton where tours could be provided both individually and collectively. Even after its foundation disbanded in 2019, its archives and artifacts continue to serve as reminders of Edmonton’s telecom history.

Events

The Telephone Historical Centre archives feature an impressive collection of vintage Edmonton telephone directories, technical manuals, and books on telecommunications technology and history dating from Alexander Graham Bell’s official invention of the phone in 1876 up until modern mobile phones – offering an insight into Edmonton’s communications past.

Edmonton Telephone Historical Centre was created as a labor of love by retired ED TEL employees and veterans to preserve Edmonton’s telecom heritage and ensure its relevance today. Unfortunately, its foundation decided to close shop due to relevance issues, financial strain, and structural challenges; but its legacy continues to thrive as the city modernizes its communication infrastructure. If you’re visiting Edmonton anytime soon – from family outings, school field trips or just for fun – be sure to make time for this unique North American museum; its many offerings make a visit worthwhile if only just once!

In Roseville Telephone Company’s old building lies the Roseville Telephone Museum with rooms packed full of wooden wall-mounted phones, classic rotary dials, novelty items and antique line insulators – as well as its impressive collection.

Established by retired ED TEL employees and accredited with Museums Alberta, this museum houses an operator switchboard as well as military phones from WWI through Gulf War as well as hundreds of phone-related items.

Admission

Making phone calls these days seems almost like magic: just pick up your cell phone, press a button, and suddenly you’re speaking with mom in Philadelphia or your best friend in New York! However, if you ever wondered how the magic worked behind this phenomenon then The Telephone Museum can be an excellent source of answers.

Established in 1987 in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighborhood and relocated two years later for accessibility purposes at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre, this communications history museum has quickly become one of North America’s premier hands-on museums. Exhibits include working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches; antique phones; switchboards; outdoor plant displays with poles cables splicing tools equipment as well as an expansive telecom reference library.

The Jefferson Barracks Park Telephone Museum is an accredited member of the Association of Museums Alberta and features one of the world’s finest collections of original telephone-related materials. Housed in an 1896 building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, volunteers from Southwestern Bell, AT&T and Telecom Pioneers (a non-profit employee service organization) maintain its collection.

Exhibits

Experience the history of communication innovation at this exquisite museum, from smoke signals to text messages; you will be amazed to see just how far society has come in just 150 years!

Established in 1987 and relocated to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton by 2004 for improved accessibility, this museum is managed by Telecom Pioneers (a non-profit 501(c)(3) Bell System employee service organization). Their extensive collection features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches; antique telephones and switchboards; replicas of small town America independent phone exchanges featuring glass insulators; outside plant displays featuring poles cables splicing equipment tools as well as cataloged Telecommunications reference library items.

This remarkable collection of communications history celebrates the innovation, craftsmanship and industry of telecom workers and its evolution since Alexander Graham Bell’s accidental invention of telephone in 1876 up until today’s smart phones. Discover fascinating tales such as switchboard operators who stayed put despite flooding floodwaters or mothers who warned troops in New Mexico of an invasion! This impressive compilation celebrates all that makes telecom so dynamic!

Docent-led Tours

Established in 1987 in Old Strathcona and relocated two years later for greater accessibility, this hands-on museum houses one of North America’s premier collections of antique phones and equipment. Featuring working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, operator switchboards, antique telephones, outdoor plant displays with poles cables splicing tools equipment as well as a comprehensive Telecommunications Reference Library; knowledgeable docents (both current and retired AT&T employees) provide guided tours throughout its collection.

Enjoy a thrilling family outing, school field trip or add the museum to your group sightseeing tour experience for an engaging visit. The museum’s impressive collection of memorabilia offers an intriguing look into how communications technology has advanced since Alexander Graham Bell invented telephones until today’s sleek cellular phones; also depicting how telephone networks impacted communities in great ways.

Group Tours

This museum boasts one of the world’s premier collections of antique telephones and equipment, making for an enjoyable family outing, educational field trip or group sightseeing tour experience.

The museum features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; original phone booths; operator switchboards; military telephones from WWI through Gulf War; novelty phones; plus outside plant displays featuring poles, cables and splicing equipment as well as an extensive telecommunications reference library.

Telecommunications Heritage Gallery was established by current and retired telecom employees in 1990 as a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization to preserve this important part of local history, share it with the public, and receive accreditation by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Historical Resources. Guided tours for groups of 10 or more can be booked ahead. Plus, THG features wheelchair accessibility.

At North American Telecom Museum we offer an enjoyable experience through one of the largest collections of telephone artifacts ever assembled in North America, from Alexander Graham Bell’s basic box-shaped telephone to today’s pocket-sized cell phones. Additionally, there are working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, outside plant displays of poles cables splicing equipment tools as well as an extensive telecommunications reference library available here.

Visit Our Museum

Visit the Museum of the Telephone Historical Centre and gain an in-depth sense of history and technology! It features an outstanding collection of artifacts – including working switching equipment – which provide a glimpse into its past.

The museum was established by former employees of independent telephone companies who wanted to preserve their legacy. Over time, their collection has grown into a well-regarded repository for telecom history, housing thousands of items that showcase communications technology’s development over time.

The 4,500-square foot museum showcases 100 years of communications technology through one of the finest collections of antique telephones and equipment available today. Displayed are wooden wall-mounted phones as well as novelty phones that will offer visitors of all ages an entertaining and educational experience.

Visitors will discover a working panel and crossbar electromechanical central office switch, original phone booths, Princess phones, displays of linemen’s tools such as pole climbing stirrups; an outside plant display featuring poles, cables, splicing equipment as well as much more – making this museum the ideal spot for family outings, school field trips or group sightseeing tours!

Participate in a Telephone Workshop

The Telephone Historical Centre was founded on December 3rd 1987 to collect, research, organize, document, exhibit and store materials relating to telecom history. Operating as a non-profit all volunteer charitable organization.

Proponents of the telephone saw it as providing both profit and comfort; opening up rural communities by connecting to centers of culture, commerce and power; sometimes even acting as an instrument of divine service. Such disparate depictions demonstrate that telephony’s meaning was often debated; something often missed in descriptions of new media. Our Telephone Workshops give kids and adolescents an immersive, hands-on way to learn electricity and engineering through America’s remarkable phone history in an engaging, safe, empowering setting. Workshops encourage participant curiosity and self-motivation while developing knowledge of electric theory and engineering. A multi-year longitudinal evaluation measures changes in participants’ engineering interest, history and mathematics knowledge as well as self-efficacy levels over time.

Attend a Special Event

Preservation of phone models, prototypes and artifacts allows people to observe the technological development that produced today’s intricate communication system. This is particularly meaningful for children who can witness technology’s growth through hands-on experimentation with old fashioned phones in our Telephone Workshops.

The museum features working switching equipment in its vintage Central Office Step Switch as well as operator switchboards, crank wall phones and hundreds of pieces of telephone-related equipment and memorabilia. There is also an impressive reference library as well as outdoor plant displays featuring poles, wire and splicing equipment.

Established in 1987, this museum is housed in an old phone company building on the grounds of Jefferson Barracks park. As an independent telephone museum managed by volunteers from former and current local phone companies, this collection boasts one of the nation’s largest collections of telecommunications history – featuring an impressive array of telephone insulators. Open to self-guided tours from members of the public.

Volunteer

Volunteers assist the museum in opening and greeting visitors during tours/event days, and also offer wayfinding assistance in Historic Richmond Town. This position is perfect for retired teachers as well as others looking to continue working with children.

Telephone Historical Centre is a non-profit, volunteer-operated museum of historic telecommunications equipment that illustrates tangible history through hands-on exhibits. As Canada’s sole museum of its kind, it showcases wooden wall-mount and rotary dial phones; antique manual, candlestick and novelty phones as well as switchboards – as well as its world renowned working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office exchange; an operating Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange which showcases its stepping switch principle; line insulators as well as outdoor plant displays of poles cables and splicing equipment splicing equipments!

Museum volunteers assist staff with cleaning, cataloguing and researching the Society’s artifact collection. In the Genealogical Library volunteers assist researchers uncover their family roots using documents in the Society’s extensive document library. As a vital community resource, museums rely heavily on volunteer support.

Telephone collectors, hobbyists, and historians converge at this museum – one of the largest of its kind in North America – to display their equipment. There is also an incredible assortment of insulators on display!

This center first opened its doors to visitors on December 3, 1987 in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighbourhood before later moving to its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. A visit here makes for a fantastic family outing or group tour destination!

The Bell Collection

The Bell Collection is an expansive and diverse collection that holds many significant items, including letters from Alexander Graham Bell and his family as well as laboratory notebooks.

These notebooks contain scientific experiments and explorations in fields like acoustics, deaf education, aeronautics and chemistry as well as handwritten drafts of articles or speeches.

The Bells were passionate collectors, and the museum now houses their remarkable collection of British studio pottery from 1920-1980 by such masters as Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada, David Leach Richard Batterham Tatsuzo Shimaoka Marianne de Trey Michael Cardew Seth Cardew William Marshall Janet Leach Ladi Kwali & Alan Wallwork among many others.

This collection also comprises numerous bird specimens collected by the Bells and later donated to Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Of these specimens, most (239 of 917 glass plate negatives) were taken during their mission to Lhasa – copies have been identified through close scrutiny under magnification.

The Daubendiek Collection

The lower level is home to one of the first museums dedicated to telephone history in the country. Many items were collected by Jim Daubendiek’s family – General Manager of Jefferson Telecom – who in turn created his own mini “Cabela’s Wall” with animal trophies from hunting expeditions undertaken by our CEO himself.

Hush-A-Phone was an adorable attachment that allowed users to whisper into their phone mouthpiece in private and keep secrets out of reach of prying ears, becoming popular during the 1920s but eventually breaking with Bell System’s hold over telephone equipment. Ericofons were another popular mid-20th Century Jefferson phone, designed in Sweden and produced between 1956 and 1982 as an early precursor of cell phones today; there is even one donated from an ex-Jefferson Telecom employee used in the White House – making for an invaluable collection that any collector, historian or anyone interested in communications technology should visit.

The Roseville Telephone Company Collection

Rarely will you come across a museum that seamlessly blends history, entertainment and education. However, Roseville Telephone Museum presented by SureWest Communications makes an exception!

The 4,500-square-foot museum houses one of the nation’s premier collections of antique telephones, spanning more than 100 years of communication technology innovation both locally and worldwide. Ranging from early switchboards to novelty phones, its exhibits provide visitors with an engaging look into history.

The museum welcomes school field trips and group sight-seeing tours. Their expert staff will lead visitors through its displays, offering insights into the technicalities of telecommunication devices from Morse code telegraphs to modern cell phones – this museum showcases innovation. Also featured is an extensive collection of antique telephone tools such as linemen’s pole climbing stirrups and office telephone computer machines; additionally there’s even a magneto switchboard from Roseville Telephone Company from 1914.

The Virtual Museum of Telecommunications

The Virtual Museum of Telecommunications is an online portal and database featuring digital artefacts related to telecom. The project was undertaken as a collaboration between Connected Earth, museums and heritage centres across North America.

Visitors to this website will gain a wealth of information on the history and impact of telecommunications. Furthermore, an interactive world map allows users to search objects located across collections worldwide.

No matter your interest in history, science, or telecoms – whether history buff, science enthusiast, or collector – the Virtual Museum of Telecommunications should not be missed! Open to everyone around the globe, this resource provides accessible learning resources. With its potential to redefine museum roles in digital societies it should also offer high levels of interactivity and rich content not achievable at traditional museums – this necessitates new standards in object documentation and data enrichment to meet user demands.