Explore how technology has advanced since Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized communication in 1876! This interactive museum makes a wonderful family adventure, school field trip or group sightseeing tour!
The Telephone Historical Centre features an operational Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switch, antique phones, operator switches and outdoor plant displays with poles, cables and splicing equipment as well as plenty of materials related to telephone history.
Opening Hours
At Jefferson Barracks Park Telephone Building lies one of the world’s finest collections of telephones and related equipment. Operated by volunteers from Southwestern Bell, AT&T and Telecom Pioneers (a non-profit 501(c)(3) employee service organization), it features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; antique telephones; outdoor plant displays with poles cables and tools to splice equipment as well as an extensive telecommunications reference library – plus knowledgeable docents (current or retired employees from phone company employees who volunteer their time) give visitors guided tours throughout.
The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was first established on December 3, 1987 in Old Strathcona neighbourhood and relocated two years later for increased accessibility to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre for better accessibility. Today it stands as one of North America’s premier hands-on museums providing visitors an entertaining way to learn how communication technologies have advanced throughout history.
Group Tours
This museum houses one of the world’s premier collections of antique phones and equipment from 1896. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more. Reservations should be made four weeks in advance.
Established in 1987 and relocated to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton by 2004 for improved accessibility, this museum provides visitors with an interactive phone experience. It includes working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches as well as operator switchboards – along with poles, cables, splicing tools and equipment from an outside plant exhibit – along with antique phones, switchboards and other communications devices from its collection.
Displays trace over 100 years of communications technology development both locally and worldwide, from solid wood wall-mounted phones with operator control to today’s sleek cellular phones.
Admission
No matter your reason for wanting to learn about communications history, The Telephone Historical Centre should be at the top of your itinerary. With interactive exhibits illustrating its progress from its early days through today’s advances, this museum showcases its development.
Visitors to the museum will discover everything from wooden wall phones and rotary dialers, to replicas of small town America independent phone exchanges with glass insulators; working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches, antique telephones, switchboards, outdoor plant displays featuring poles cables splicing equipment tools as well as a cataloged telecommunications reference library – as well as knowledgeable docents, many current or retired employees from telephone companies offering guided tours through this museum.
This fascinating museum traces the development of communications in Central Florida from Alexander Graham Bell’s invention all the way up to smart phones today. There is also an impressive selection of artifacts such as operator switchboards, military telephones from World War I through Gulf War and novelty phones available to view here.
Contact Us
Our museum collects telephone-related material. Situated in Jefferson Barracks Park and run by volunteers from Southwestern Bell and AT&T (as well as Telecom Pioneers, a non-profit 501(c)(3) employee service organization), it houses one of the world’s largest collections of phones and related equipment.
This collection comprises working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, antique telephones and switchboards, outdoor plant displays with poles, cables and splicing tools, outdoor plant displays featuring poles for poles with cables attached, outdoor plant displays with poles mounted cables attached for outdoor plant displays, cataloged telecom reference libraries as well as knowledgeable docents (current or retired telecommunication employees who volunteer their time) who guide visitors around the museum.
The Centre traces the development of phone technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop to today’s wireless technology. Established by retired ED TEL employees and opened to the public in 1987 at its Old Strathcona neighbourhood location, later moving two years later to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton.
