Telecommunications equipment tells fascinating tales of innovation and culture. Teachers use this collection of items to ignite students’ intrinsic curiosity and foster an interest in engineering.

HBEC’s community-driven research approach is one of the hallmarks of its success, and this project illustrates how this method can be employed within pandemic situations.

Museum Exhibits

Our museum exhibits offer insight into technology, history, culture and people from many walks of life. With our large collection of telephones dating back from their initial use to contemporary models and equipment, come experience one of North America’s largest telephone museums!

Our exhibitions are enhanced by educational programs that educate visitors on the significance of nature. Students gain an appreciation of its value through a multi-sensory experience that includes touching, smelling and hearing about its treasures.

This groundbreaking app allows visitors to hunt for and collect plant and animal images from our William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings. Visitors can use the app to collect 69 images before using additional information about them once captured – creating an enjoyable interactive way for them to explore our exhibitions!

Museum Volunteers

The Museum Volunteers program is an engaging history program tailored specifically for your classroom, office, home or other group setting. Utilizing historic objects from our collections we can guide your students in developing observation and inference skills with object explorations, stories and activities from Ohio social studies standards as well as Common Core standards that can be delivered either remotely or physically.

Discover how Saratoga County residents celebrated holidays in the past through photographs and historical objects. Participants will discover traditions surrounding Christmas, Hanukkah, Halloween, Thanksgiving and other major holiday customs.

As part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, HBEC created a telephone outreach project in response to this pandemic to keep registry members engaged without physical events and programs. This initiative complements HBEC’s longstanding commitment to community engagement while still fulfilling their overall mission of supporting older adults and their caregivers across Texas.

Museum Archives

Telecommunication museums provide children and adults alike with an immersive history lesson of communication technology’s evolution from its original invention through today’s multifunctional smartphones. Museums preserve artifacts that illustrate its iterative design process while simultaneously stimulating visitors’ curiosity on how communication technology has profoundly transformed society.

Museum archivists are responsible for developing and upholding collections management policies that adhere to professional archival ethics and standards in their repositories. Where possible, they should adopt existing institutional policies and procedures as much as possible while when necessary creating tailor-made policies to fit their repository’s collecting scope.

Museum archivists should strive to collaborate with other manuscript collecting repositories when considering new acquisitions, in order to respect donor wishes regarding access restrictions and copyright. Furthermore, they will ensure their institutions can retain ownership of archival holdings while where applicable requesting that donors transfer copyright ownership through Deed of Gift documents.

Museum Collections

Telecommunication museums provide a tangible history of communication technology, offering visitors an easy way to understand its development in today’s interconnected world. By preserving rare models and prototypes, museum collections demonstrate how these processes shaped our connected lives.

This museum boasts operator switchboards and step-by-step automatic branch exchange systems as well as panel systems – an engaging destination for families, school field trips, and sightseeing tours of Edmonton. Its collection reveals how telecommunications have advanced since Alexander Bell first unveiled his phone in 1876 all the way up until mobile phones have taken their place as part of everyday life.

A museum’s governing authority serves as both a trustee and guardian of its assets, overseeing them for public use and respecting pluralism and diversity both inside the collection as well as among communities they serve. They must protect these assets as public resources while conducting all their activities for common benefit rather than private financial gain; museums that serve their local communities must find creative solutions to meet challenges presented to them by community service.

The Telephone Historical Centre Collections in Edmonton is a telecommunications museum. For over 10 years it has chronicled technological changes to telephones while collecting old models as reminders of how far we’ve come.

This exciting collection boasts an exquisite full-sized magneto switchboard, Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange and rare phone booths as some of its stars.

Telephone Sets

Few innovations have had as profound an effect on human communication than the telephone, and this collection explores its place within business, society and culture.

The collection of phones at the museum spans from Alexander Bell’s inaugural phone in 1876 to mobile technology today, and even features a Kellogg universal switchboard that allows visitors to simulate how operators would have connected circuits years ago – it even works!

Other exhibits at the museum include candlestick wall phones; the McKinley phone (1897), which was used to report President William McKinley’s assassination; an old Western Electric Model 21 wall phone that is often referred to as the “three jug phone”, and an attractive telephone from 1920. There is also a display of explosion-proof telephones used in mines or other environments where even minor sparks could spark disaster.

Colorful painted backdrops decorate equipment displays like an operator switchboard and last step-by-step private automatic branch exchange system, along with panel systems. The phone museum is an engaging stop for history enthusiasts, families and school groups on field trips or sightseeing tours of Edmonton.

Operator Switchboards

Before automated systems made phone calls easier for callers, calls to non-local numbers (or between local lines) required a manual exchange where operators used electrical cords and switches to establish connections – usually operated by women.

Finding female operators wasn’t always easy, though. Male operators tended to roughhouse and often cussed out impatient subscribers; phone companies used door-knocking techniques in an effort to attract better-mannered operators by canvassing girls and young women at random addresses.

The museum boasts a working model of an early telephone switchboard that visitors can use to simulate how callers connected in the past. The switchboard comprises rows of female jacks wired as either individual subscriber extensions (to one subscriber at a time) or trunk lines; each of them also contains its own lamp.

Military Telephones

This collection includes a working central office step switch, operator switchboards, crank wall phones and hundreds of pieces of telephone equipment. In addition, the museum boasts one of North America’s largest telecommunications reference libraries as well as outdoor plant displays of poles, wire, splicing equipment and tools.

Docents, who are current and retired employees of the phone company volunteering their time, provide visitors with expert escorting through exhibits. Additionally, the museum features hands-on displays designed to spark children’s curiosity about technology and history; Boy Scouts can use the museum as fulfillment of Inventing and Engineering merit badge requirements.

This collection displays the development of telephone technology over a century, from manual system telephones to automated switching technology. Artifacts related to Bell’s contributions in furthering telecom are also present here, along with an original Kellogg Universal switchboard from 1940 which shows line switching performed manually at telephone exchanges prior to automated systems becoming commonplace.

Wall Phones

Our collection boasts nearly a century of items related to telephone technology. As a non-profit organization funded by membership dues, research fees, and grants we maintain one of the nation’s largest privately held telecommunication archives as well as operating two museums.

Our museum boasts an assortment of rotary dial phones as well as early switchboards from Lars Magnus Ericsson in 1878 – as well as an operational replica.

Many companies produced wall phones in the 1900s and 1920s. While some models were made from wood with intricate carvings, others featured simpler designs or were less ornate; others still came equipped with standard pony receivers and cathedral top designs that collectors commonly refer to. A rare find were double box or twin box phones containing magnetos that generated electricity to power it.

This collection traces the development of telephone and communications technology from its infancy up until today, featuring operator switchboards, crank wall phones and tools used by our ancestors among many other items.

This is a fun and educational family outing or school field trip destination.

General Admission

Herb Warrick, a longtime employee of Pacific Northwest Bell (now AT&T), founded and started this museum. It’s run entirely by volunteers; many of which are former or current Pacific Northwest Bell employees as members of Charles B. Hopkins No 30 Telephone Pioneers of America – a non-profit fraternal organization made up of long-service and retired phone company workers.

Roseville Telephone Museum provides an enjoyable and educational family outing, school field trip or group sight-seeing tour destination. It showcases a working Central Office Step Switch, operator switchboards and hundreds of pieces of telephone-related equipment and memorabilia.

This collection boasts the largest telecommunications reference library and outdoor plant displays of poles, wire, splicing gear and tools in North America.

Family Members

Family members can provide invaluable information and stories that assist genealogists, especially older relatives who may possess records that have yet to be collected by other genealogists. Family members also tend to possess objects from the past such as photographs, documents and old telephone equipment such as rotary phones or party lines which could prove invaluable for researchers. A visit, letter or telephone survey are all excellent methods of collecting such data.

Family members must comply with security procedures and visiting room rules when visiting. When an established visit pattern has been disturbed for more than one year, discretion should be used; any disruptions must be documented with written explanations provided to staff members.

Seniors

Ofttimes, those working at telephone museums are retired employees who possess firsthand knowledge about the equipment displayed. Their devotion to sharing that expertise ensures the history of landlines is kept alive as technology becomes less prominent in our daily lives.

Seniors can join other seniors in enjoying an array of activities and social opportunities offered at these centers, such as self-defense classes, health presentations, bingo, karaoke sessions and field trips. Many centers also provide meals or special events catered to older adults.

The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton serves as a museum dedicated to telephone history. The centre’s collection includes antique and modern rotary dial phones, switchboards, and other forms of telecommunications equipment; additionally it maintains archives with old Edmonton telephone directories and technical manuals related to telephone history.

Students

The Telephone Historical Centre was an Edmonton-based museum specializing in the history of telephones. Established by retired employees of Edmonton Data Telecommunications Ltd (ED TEL), its home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre until April 2019 when its operations ceased.

The museum exhibited an exceptional collection of telephones and memorabilia that demonstrated the evolution of communication technology over time, such as working switching equipment. Artifacts ranging from liquid transmitters to modern mobile-telephone technology could also be seen here.

Explore technology’s development through experimentation with old-fashioned phones! Children will enjoy our Telephone Workshops which foster engineering skills using electricity theory and screw drivers to explore phone artifacts.

Military

Preservation of rare telephone models, prototypes and historical documentation provides a glimpse of the processes that created today’s intricately interwoven world. Collections like these are not only physically protected but also kept alive for future generations to discover and gain from them.

As part of their collection, these rare objects stand out: rotary dial phones and manual switchboards were essential pieces of telecom equipment before automated systems took over this task.

The museum features memorabilia from both the 1984 Olympics and past Albuquerque Balloon Fiestas, along with phone history in New Mexico and two-position Kellogg universal switchboards for visitors to experience connecting calls manually.

The Museum offers an intriguing journey back through history of communications with its collection of antique telephones, switchboards and related equipment. Colorful painted backdrops adorn displays including two switchboards (one from Plains’ last step-by-step private automatic branch exchange system and another from its panel system), antique line insulators and novelty phones.

Collections

Telephone Historical Centre stands out as a museum where visitors can actually touch and operate telephone equipment – making it truly interactive! Their impressive collections chronicle telecommunications history from its early manufacturing stages to research laboratories today. Skilled docents (current or retired Bell employees) guide visitors around exhibits with enthusiasm and expertise, helping make history come to life!

The museum’s telephony collection boasts an assortment of manual system telephones first introduced to Edmonton in 1885 as well as early automatic switching ones, dating back to when manual exchanges were still used until automated exchanges replaced them. There is also a Kellogg universal switchboard; an interactive visitor display which enables visitors to connect telephone circuits using toggle switches using cord pairs or lamp pairs; this recreates what used to happen prior to automated exchanges taking over their role.

The collection also boasts the McKinley phone (1897), which reported President William McKinley’s assassination; two rotary dial ‘Box’ phones commonly used at home; as well as panel systems from Brownsville Brooklyn and Mollendo Peru as well as Ericsson AGF500 phones from Ericsson AGF500 series manufactured between 1978-1987.

Exhibits

Telephone technology was once revolutionary; these spaces explore its journey from Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop through today’s multifunctional handsets. Technical manuals, patent filings and engineering notes offer insight into its incessant evolution as it became an indispensable piece of the global fabric.

Telephone Historical Centre features an expansive collection of antique phones and related telecommunications equipment from across time. Colorful painted backdrops add dimension to equipment displays such as switchboards (with one featuring an eccentric scene from Plains); Maine’s last Step-by-Step private automatic system; Britain’s iconic red phone boxes which have graced roadside verges since 1920; crank wall phones which clacked and ticked when people dialed; party lines where neighbors shared phone circuits while using different ring tones to identify who called; automated timers would warn users if they used too much;

Educational Programs

Museums and telecommunications enthusiasts play an integral role in inspiring future engineers by keeping records and artifacts of phone history. Doing so allows them to demonstrate the profound changes brought about by this invention’s pervasiveness in terms of connectivity, business practices, emergency services and much more.

The museum boasts an expansive collection of antique phones and telecom equipment dating back centuries, such as switchboards (one depicting an eccentric scene from Plains), private automatic branch exchange systems (PABS), and the telegraph display which demonstrates its transformation from wooden wall-mounted devices directed by operators into today’s pocket cellular phones.

The Museum’s Telephone Workshops provide young adults and children alike an interactive learning experience through ancient telephones and modern day telecommunications equipment. By drawing upon America’s rich telephone history and comparing contemporary semiconductor architecture with vintage technology, these hands-on programs encourage an abundance of curiosity that led to this groundbreaking invention and continues to fuel today’s inventors and innovators.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers provide vital support for Society programs, events and activities throughout the year. Opportunities available to volunteers range from museum tour guiding to working with children at youth activity tables, helping out at hearth kitchen functions or performing administrative work at Society office. Docents are specially trained volunteers who lead tours of Museum and historic site that engage visitors of all ages while offering educational experiences that promote cultural understanding.

Docents undergo training at the Museum to become experts on its exhibition themes and Moravian contributions to local, regional, and world history; then share this passion for our collection with visitors. Visitor Services volunteers are also on hand at both stores – one storing merchandise while the other outside offering information or services cart – offering enhanced visitor experiences.

Register museum artifacts using registration methods such as accessioning, numbering, minor research, inventory and document processing. This position is ideal for museum management/studies or registration track students and serves as an excellent introduction to non-profit historic sites.

Visits to Telephone Historical Centres offer visitors the chance to witness the development of communications technology over time. These museums preserve an extensive collection of early models and prototypes as well as advertisements, photographs, personal narratives and personal accounts which help us better comprehend their development within their broader context.

The museum boasts a working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switch, antique phones, switchboards, outside plant displays with poles and cable, cataloged telecommunications reference materials and more.

Visiting Hours

The Telephone Historical Centre is one of North America’s premier hands-on museums, providing visitors with an engaging museum experience. Situated in Edmonton, Alberta it features a wide variety of phone items dating back to early 1900s through today as well as interactive displays and a cataloged telecommunications reference library. Established by retired ED TEL employees in 1987 and opened for public access two years later at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre located central Edmonton.

The museum features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central-office switches, outdoor plant displays featuring poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools, antique telephones as well as crank wall phones, decorator phones and switchboards which tell a compelling tale of how communication technology has revolutionized human lives over time.

Admission

The Museum at Jefferson Barracks Park is housed in a beautifully restored 1896 telephone building and houses one of the world’s finest collections of telephones and related equipment. Operated entirely by volunteers from Southwestern Bell and AT&T as well as Telecom Pioneers (a non-profit 501(c)(3) employee service organization), it boasts one of the world’s best telephone collections and related equipment collections.

The museum features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, antique telephones and switchboards, outdoor plant displays with poles, cables, splicing equipment tools and other communications devices, along with a cataloged telecommunications reference library. Knowledgeable docents – current or retired employees from the phone company who volunteer their time – offer their guidance through the museum to visitors.

Parking spaces are available both in a large public lot and nearby streets. Street parking is generally free; just make sure not to park in residential zones (look out for blue spaces that belong only to residents). If no lot is available, pay-to-park meters may also be found throughout the block.

Parking

This museum provides an intimate history of telecomms, featuring vintage equipment that would rival any James Bond flick. Furthermore, there is an organized library full of references on the subject for researchers.

Visitors to the Phone Museum can explore exhibits spanning more than a century of communications technology in Roseville and worldwide, from working central office step switches such as Panel and Crossbar electromechanical Step Switches, outside plant displays such as poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools as well as antique telephones, switchboards and various telephone related machines and artifacts to modern day phones with working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical Step Switches on display at both museums.

This accessible history museum is housed in a restored 1896 building that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, within Jefferson Barracks Park about 15 minutes south of St. Louis. With hands-on exhibits designed to spark children’s interest in engineering and history, Jefferson Barracks Park Museum makes for a fantastic family outing or school field trip destination.

Tours

Collections offer an insightful narrative about the technology that enabled breakthroughs in connectivity and emergency services. They preserve physical instruments like Alexander Graham Bell’s liquid transmitter from his attic workshop as well as historical documents like advertisements or personal narratives to give contemporary audiences greater context for understanding these devices’ operation over time.

Visit Telephone Historical Centre is an engaging experience. Offering both guided and self-guided tours led by knowledgeable docents who are current or former telephone workers themselves, their passion lies with preserving phone history through preservation and celebration of its past.

Visitors to the museum can explore everything from wooden wall phones and rotary dialers, to recreations of independent phone exchanges in small town America with glass insulators, poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools – even outside plant displays! It also houses one of the world’s largest collections of antique telephones and memorabilia!