From Alexander Graham Bell’s invention through to videophones, this museum’s collection provides visitors with an interactive journey through telecom history. Additionally, this tribute pays homage to those who worked tirelessly over generations to erect poles, lay cables and manage technology.
Exhibits at this museum chronicle telephone innovations from Edmonton through automated switching networks; its library holds unique phone publications.
Exhibits
This collection chronicles the history and development of telephones over time. Ranging from early rotary dial phones that allowed customers to order groceries via phone to today’s automated answering machines, this collection honors generations of workers who built America’s telecommunication infrastructure by erecting poles, burying cables, and designing technology solutions.
The museum boasts an electromechanical central office switch as well as outside plant displays featuring antique line insulators/poles and candlestick wall phones from an earlier era, novelty Princess phones, crank telephones, wooden box telephones and even a catalogued telecom reference library – all on a tight budget with only two full-time staff members on staff! They manage to house an impressive assortment of telephone artifacts.
Exhibits showcase the history of telecommunications from Alexander Graham Bell’s workshop to modern automated switching networks, from unique telephone publications and extensive research materials – such as an original telephone book first published in Edmonton in 1885!
Collections
The collections provide visitors with an engaging array of antique telephones, telecommunications technology and research documents which they can interact with through hands-on exhibits. They document the evolution of telecommunications while honoring early pioneers. Currently the collections comprise almost three and a half million documents dating back to late 1800s as well as 25,000 pieces of equipment dating from their collection.
From wooden wall-mounted telephones and rotary dial phones to novelty phones and working Central Office Step Switches – plus complete operator switchboards – and numerous tools used by telephone linemen, this collection spans the history of communications.
The museum boasts 32 telephone kiosks dating from 1912 to the 1990s. This collection is the largest of its kind in Canada.
Events
As opposed to many museums that rely solely on photographs and displays, Telephone Historical Centre Collections uses working equipment to demonstrate both social and technical significance of this evolving technology. This collection represents the skill, ingenuity and industry of generations of men and women who built poles, laid cables and designed technology solutions necessary to modern telecommunications services.
Starting with Alexander Graham Bell’s original “harmonic telegraph” and evolving to smartphones today, this remarkable museum provides a fascinating yet engaging glimpse into how communications technology has altered our lives. Kids will especially enjoy learning about the beginnings of modern communication technology from hand-crank wall phones installed in farmhouses to advanced digital communication networks like GSM/CDMA mobile technology and beyond.
Discover the incredible history of communications through one of North America’s largest collections of telephone artifacts! View working panel and crossbar electromechanical central office type switching systems, military phones from World War I through Gulf War, novelty phones and much more – it is sure to amaze all ages! It is truly worth seeing for all ages!
Education
Telecommunications museums play an invaluable role in educating both children and adults about technological and societal changes. Museums provide tangible equipment that demonstrates the iterative design process behind technologies we all depend on today; furthermore they record local telephone industries through directories, photographs and personal narratives.
This museum houses one of the largest collections of telecom equipment in North America, from Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop through modern pocket phones. Guided tours and an extensive library are both offered.
Visitors to this museum will experience rotary dial wall phones, novelty telephones and manual system phones imported to Edmonton in 1885. Furthermore, visitors will find electromechanical central office switches including panel and crossbar electromechanical switches as well as operator switchboards functioning optimally, outdoor plant displays of poles cables and splicing equipment as well as hundreds of related artifacts as well as an extensive library devoted to phones related books and catalogs available here.
