This museum located within minutes of Henniker offers an interactive experience showcasing the history of telecom. Exhibits show how communication technology has progressed from rotary phones to today’s mobile phones and even other forms of technology such as radio waves and broadband Internet connections.
Established by retired employees from ED TEL, this one-of-a-kind museum features antique telephones; working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; outdoor plant displays with poles, cables, and splicing equipment; as well as an impressive telecom book library – plus guided tours are also available!
Visiting Hours
The museum boasts an unparalleled collection of vintage telecom artifacts that spans the history of communication technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s workshop through today’s smartphones. Visitors can explore this vast collection on their own or take part in guided tours; additionally, outreach programs like Traveling Trunks provide historic artifacts into schools and communities.
The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton is the sole museum specializing in telecom. Established on December 3, 1987 in an old exchange building in Old Strathcona neighbourhood, it later relocated to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre downtown two years later. The Museum offers an immersive hands-on experience that is interactive, educational and enjoyable. Attractions at this museum include working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office-type switching systems; antique three-box wall phones; operating manual switchboards; outside plant displays of poles cables splicing equipment as well as an extensive library of telecom books. Operated by retired ED TEL employees as a non-profit volunteer-driven charitable organization.
Admission
The Telephone Historical Centre is an interactive museum where visitors can gain an understanding of communication technology’s history. This facility is one of the largest of its kind in North America, providing both group and individual tours that enable hands-on learning experiences that compare modern telecom to vintage equipment. Established by retired ED TEL employees and first opened on December 3, 1987 in Old Strathcona neighbourhood before moving two years later to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre, Edmonton’s Telecoms Museum includes working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches; manual private automatic branch exchanges that demonstrate step switch principles; wooden three-box wall phones and candlestick phones; antique line insulators; outside plant displays featuring poles cables splicing equipment tools as well as an extensive cataloged telecommunications reference library.
Additionally, the museum boasts knowledgeable docents (current or former telecommunications employees who offer their time voluntarily as docents), who offer guided tours of equipment and museum exhibits. It makes an excellent visit for children, school groups or business trips alike!
Gift Shop
Modern life makes phone calling easier than ever, yet the technological innovations responsible aren’t without their own share of hard work. Discover how the telephone has transformed from its beginnings in Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop all the way up until today’s smartphones at Edmonton’s one and only telecom museum.
Established by retired ED TEL employees in 1987, this museum is one of the largest of its kind in North America. Among its extensive collection of telecom artifacts are working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office type switching systems; manual cord boards and switchboards; antique solid wood wall-mounted operators’ phones from the 1950s; candlestick wall phones from that era as well as novelty Princess phones; outdoor plant displays featuring poles cables splicing equipment tools as well as an impressive cataloged telecom reference library.
Guided group and individual tours are offered throughout the museum. Additionally, there is a gift shop.
Tours
The Telephone Historical Centre is one of North America’s premier telephone museums and boasts one of the world’s most extensive collections of antique phones and related equipment, making this experience invaluable to anyone interested in the history of communication technologies.
The museum provides guided and self-guided tours to allow guests to gain an in-depth look at how telecommunications technology has progressed since Alexander Graham Bell’s workshop to today’s smartphones!
Exhibits at the museum include working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches, antique telephones, operator switchboards, outdoor plant displays with poles cables splicing equipment tools and one of the world’s largest cataloged telecommunications reference libraries. Our knowledgeable docents, many of whom are former ED TEL employees themselves, provide expert knowledge regarding each artifact on display throughout the museum.
Other highlights at the museum include antique wooden box phones, candlestick wall phones and rotary dialers; an accurate replication of an independent phone exchange from small town America with glass insulators; and one of the world’s largest collections of Antique Line insulators.
