Exhibits
This collection traces the development of technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s 1876 patent through today’s cell phone technology and their impact on business and society over time.
The museum features many different vintage telephone models, from wooden box phones and candlestick wall models to rotary dial telephones with classic twirl dials and magneto cranks, such as the Kellogg Universal switchboard allowing visitors to simulate how operators connected circuits manually before automated technology became prevalent. There is also an older Western Electric model 21 wall phone commonly known as three jug phones as well as explosionproof telephones used in mines on display.
The museum boasts one of North America’s largest telecommunications reference libraries and a full-scale outdoor plant display complete with poles, wire and splicing equipment. Complementing its collection are active and retired Bell System employees who volunteer their expertise by supporting museum programs or serving as expert guides during field trips, school group visits or sightseeing tours.
Events
Telephone museum collections generate curiosity about technology, innovation and culture – from Alexander Graham Bell’s solid wood wall phones that required operator direction to today’s multifunctional smartphones. They document local telephone industries through directories, photographs and personal narratives while inspiring entrepreneurial spirits that drive technological advances into the future.
Telecommunications museums often provide educational outreach programs designed to familiarize children and youth with technological and societal changes over time. These programs may align with school curriculum requirements or even extend to off-site community educational events.
For instance, Seattle’s Museum of Communications hosts a Traveling Trunk program to bring resources directly into communities that cannot afford or access its services. They also hold hands-on workshops, training and teleconferences designed to keep people connected when separated by distance or illness – serving both as pride sources and vital community resources. Telecommunications museums serve their local communities both humbly and effectively.
