Visit the Telephone Historical Centre for an immersive history experience of communication technology. From wooden three-box wall phones and manual switchboards to today’s sophisticated automated switching networks, visitors will quickly appreciate just how far we’ve come as an industry.
Edmonton’s one and only museum dedicated to telecom features an interactive exhibit of working panels and crossbar electromechanical central office switches; an outside plant display of poles, cables and splicing equipment; as well as one of North America’s largest libraries dedicated to telecom literature. Group and individual sightseeing tours are offered.
Hours of Operation
Modern phone calling may seem like magic; just press one button, and mom in Philadelphia and BFF in New York are instantly linked up. But this wasn’t always so straightforward! Discover the history of communication technology at one of North America’s premier telephone museums, which specializes in its display.
Established by retired employees of ED TEL, this collection provides a tangible history of telecom and can be explored on guided or self-guided tours. It boasts working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange that illustrates its stepping switch principles; antique wooden box phones and candlestick wall phones from yesteryear; as well as numerous line insulators of every shape and size – as well as much more!
In addition to equipment, the museum also serves as a library with vintage telephone directories and technical manuals dating back to the 1800s, as well as an extensive collection of books related to telecom technology. Researchers can visit Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; out-of-towners should contact staff beforehand for guidance and planning purposes.
Admission
The Telephone Historical Centre is an innovative museum offering visitors an engaging, hands-on learning experience about telecommunications history. Established by retired ED TEL employees, the Museum specializes in collecting, researching, organizing and documenting historical telephone items relating to phone service as well as group and individual tours that allow visitors to experience this tangible history of telephone telephony first-hand.
From Alexander Graham Bell’s workshop to modern smartphones, the Museum displays an outstanding collection of telecom artifacts dating from Alexander’s workshop all the way up to smartphones today. These include wooden box phones, candlestick wall phones and classic rotary phones; operating manual switchboards; working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office type switching systems; pole cable splicing equipment displayed outdoors as well as outside plant displays featuring poles cables splicing equipment and an impressive library of telecom books and catalogs.
This Canadian museum houses one of the largest collections of its kind in North America. Established in 1987, this venue offers many antique telephones and memorabilia that visitors can view during guided or self-guided tours. These exhibits include manual cord boards; step-by-step private automatic branch exchange that illustrates stepping switch principles; an 1885 wooden three-box telephone; as well as other rare items like solid wood operator switchboards and antique line insulators.
Gift Shop
The Museum is an exhibition of the inventiveness, craftsmanship and ingenuity that made telephone communication possible. Through educational programs that compare modern telecommunications with vintage technology and encourage young adults’ interest in engineering careers.
This museum is one of the largest of its kind in North America and provides an entertaining experience for people of all ages. Established by retired employees from ED TEL in 1987 and first open to visitors on December 3rd 1987 in Old Strathcona before moving to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre.
From Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame Phone to classic rotary phones, visitors will see telephones of all shapes and sizes on display at this museum. Visitors can also see working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; manual private automatic branch exchange that illustrates stepping-switch principles; candlestick wall phones; outside plant displays featuring poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools as well as an extensive collection of antique line insulators.
Tours
The museum provides guided and self-guided tours to educate visitors about telecommunication technology. Its collection consists of wooden box phones, candlestick wall phones and classic rotary telephones as well as working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches as well as outside plant displays showcasing poles, cables and splicing equipment; working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches (working panels are working between three poles), pole insulators from antique line insulators from several families including Violette/Bartlett families/Garry Mitchell who are all actively involved with telecom industry veterans; its collection is due to donations from several families ( Violette/Bartlett/Mitchell).
Exhibits at this museum trace telecommunications innovation from Nova Scotian Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone to modern cell phone technology. Volunteers who were former ED TEL employees provide detailed information about each piece of telecom equipment; visitors can engage with artifacts like manual cord boards where they can experience being a telephone operator by “putting a caller through.” Furthermore, this museum houses an original book collection about telephone history and technology.
