This museum showcases working Step-by-Step and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches as well as antique wooden box phones and candlestick wall phones, one of the largest telecommunications reference libraries in North America and outdoor displays of poles, wire and splicing equipment.
Established in 1990 by active and retired telephone employees who feared that historic items were at risk due to building demolition or departments deeming them redundant, the Telecommunications History Group seeks to preserve such pieces of telecom history for future generations.
Hours
The Telephone Historical Centre is a museum dedicated to collecting, organizing, documenting, exhibiting and storing material related to Edmonton’s telecommunications history. Established in 1987 and relocated in 2004, its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. Operating as a non-profit organization accredited by Museums Alberta.
Roseville Museum boasts one of the world’s largest collections of telephone equipment and memorabilia. Exhibits document over one century of development and innovation within Roseville itself as well as working crank phones and manual switchboards in its exhibits.
Docents from current and retired employees of Southwestern Bell, SBC, AT&T, and other phone companies guide visitors through the exhibits at this museum, answering any questions and providing explanations about how the equipment works. Their hands-on approach makes the museum truly special for families and school groups; children often enjoy ringing one of the vintage phones themselves!
Admission
The Telephone Historical Centre was established on December 3, 1987 to preserve Edmonton’s telecommunications history through collecting, organizing, documenting, exhibiting and documenting materials related to it. After opening in Old Strathcona neighbourhood initially for improved accessibility reasons, by 2004 they relocated to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre location to improve accessibility even further.
Museum of Telecom operates as a non-profit charitable organization accredited by Museums Alberta, providing hands-on exhibits that focus on communications principles as well as multi-media historical Telecommunication Theatre Show experiences for visitors.
The Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum is an interactive history museum with self-guided access. Displays include a switchboard, crank wall phones and decorator phones; located in an historic 1896 building it houses a vast collection of telephone equipment and memorabilia from 1896 onward. Operated by Telecommunications History Group Inc a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization comprised of active and retired employees founded in 1990 who were concerned about losing such items as buildings were torn down or departments no longer needed them
Exhibits
The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton, Alberta collects, organizes, and displays telecommunications history. The museum showcases antique phones and equipment dating from Alexander Graham Bell’s original invention until today’s iPhones. Group and individual tours are offered at all times by knowledgeable docents – either current or retired telecom employees – who provide additional insight into the artifacts on display.
From solid wood wall phones with rotary dials to an electromechanical central office switch, the museum provides a fascinating look into telecommunications history. Other features include recreating a small town manual exchange, display cases filled with telephone-related tools and catalogued reference materials for reference materials in the field.
Tom Baker, a museum board member and longtime telephone company employee who recently retired, noted how people thought phones were miraculous when first introduced in 1876. Most modern users don’t realize when telephone use began!
Events
At a time of rapid technological development, this museum chronicles over one century of communications history – boasting one of the largest collections in North America.
Visits to museums are great family outings, school field trips, and group sightseeing tours! Volunteer docents can offer hands-on experiences for visitors of all ages at this educational experience.
At a time when cell phones have become almost ubiquitous, the museum provides visitors an opportunity to interact with old telephones by touching and handling old telephones. Also visit to enter working panel and crossbar electromechanical central office switches or see outdoor plant displays such as poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools!
The museum can be found at the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in Edmonton; please take 108 Ave east to reach it and park in their parking lot.
