This museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of antique telephone equipment and memorabilia, dating back to before 1900. Exhibits showcase and commemorate over 100 years of communications technology development worldwide.
Established by retirees of ED TEL in 1987 and housed now within Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton, this fascinating museum opened to the public is one of North America’s largest phone museums – perfect for family outings or school field trips!
Visiting Hours
Telephone Historical Centre is one of North America’s premier hands-on museums, housing an expansive collection of telephones and other forms of telecommunication equipment spanning more than 100 years of communication technology. Opened on December 3, 1987 in Old Strathcona neighborhood before moving two years later to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre for better exhibit display; now considered among Edmonton’s premier attractions it makes a great family outing, school field trip destination, or group sightseeing tour stop.
The Museum showcases a diverse array of artifacts, ranging from simple wooden wall-mounted devices to complex ones of today. Visitors can witness how communication technology has developed over time; visitors can witness its influence on society. At the Telephone Historical Centre there is a collection of phones from all around the world dating back to as early as 1878 when Alexander Graham Bell first invented his phone!
Hours of Operation
The Telephone Historical Centre is one of North America’s premier hands-on telephone museums, featuring working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; operator switchboards; antique telephones and telecom tools; an outdoor plant exhibit with poles cables and splicing equipment as well as an extensive telecom reference library. Operated entirely by volunteers representing Southwestern Bell and AT&T employees both current and retired – it offers something for every phone enthusiast!
The museum is dedicated to preserving telephone history for future generations. It was founded when a group of AT&T retirees and current employees recognized that many historical items from AT&T buildings were being lost as they were demolished or put out of service.
Herb Warrick, a retired PBX operator and member of Charles B Hopkins No 30 Telephone Pioneers of America (a non-profit fraternal organization of long-serving and retired phone company employees). It opened for visitors on December 3, 1987 in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighbourhood but two years later moved to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre for better accessibility.
Admission
This museum boasts one of the finest collections of antique telephones in the nation, and showcases their evolution over one century from Alexander Graham Bell’s patent in 1876 until mobile technology. A great spot for family outings, school field trips or sightseeing tour groups alike!
Telecom Pioneers, a non-profit 501(c)(3) Bell System employee service organization, manages this museum. It features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches as well as antique telephones and switchboards. Furthermore, outdoor plant displays featuring poles cables splicing tools equipment as well as an exhaustive telecommunication reference library are also featured at this facility.
Established by retired ED TEL employees in 1987 and relocated two years later to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton, this museum ranks among North America’s largest telephone museums. Its engaging displays explore the development of phone technology from early phones through advanced smart phones of today; visitors will experience hands-on equipment demonstrations as well as guided tours from knowledgeable docents (current or retired telecommunications employees offering guided tours throughout the facility).
Tours
A museum dedicated to telecommunications history features working equipment that highlights more than a century of innovation, with working Central Office Step Switch, Operator Switchboards and hundreds of telephone-related items from its collection. Furthermore, this museum houses one of North America’s largest telecommunications reference libraries and also fosters enthusiasm for engineering by showing how technology has progressed from wooden wall phones to sleek cell phone technology over time.
This museum boasts an exceptional collection of Edison insulators, an electromechanical central office step switch working properly, antique telephones and many phone-related items – including tools! As one of the world’s premier phone museums it makes an ideal destination for family outings, school field trips or group sightseeing tours.
The museum is run by an enthusiastic group of volunteers from Pacific Northwest Bell – many current and retired employees alike – with Herb Warrick serving as its founding curator.
