Telephone Historical Centre boasts one of the most extensive collections of antique telecom equipment in North America, ranging from Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame Telephone and Thomas Watson’s Thumper Phone to working central office switchboards and candlestick wall telephones – offering visitors a glimpse into history.
Individual and group tours are both available.
Original Telephones
From Alexander Graham Bell’s acoustic telegraph to smartphones, this museum provides a fascinating peek into communication technology. Visitors to Edmonton can view manual system wall phones, candlestick desk telephones, operating operator panels and crossbar electromechanical central office type switching systems; plant displays featuring pole cables splicing tools and antique line insulators; two position Kellogg universal switchboards in working condition; as well as one of North America’s largest collections of telecommunications reference materials.
Western Electric’s nickel candlestick telephone, from around 1900, with its dial is seen here. Like early Bell system phones, this model required live operator assistance to make calls; later models (the 102 and 202) integrated mouthpiece and receiver into one handset, but still required a separate ringer box; additionally, newer models like the 202 featured an improved sound quality for long distance calling with solid back microphone technology.
Replicas
Alongside its collection of original telephones, the museum also housed several replicas. Ranging from Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame Telephone and Thomas Watson’s Thumper Phone to more contemporary models like those found today – each provided an insight into telecommunications history. Together they showed its development from early days until present day.
The Gridley Museum of Independent Telephone was established by active and retired telecommunications professionals passionate about preserving independent telephone history in their community. It features an innovative Step-by-Step Private Automatic Branch Exchange exhibit as well as plant displays that range from poles cables splicing tools and antique line insulators.
Audio Tours
Telephone Historical Centre was unlike many museums; instead of patrons merely viewing and learning about artifacts on display, visitors had an immersive experience at this museum. Tour guides gave a fascinating glimpse into the development of telecom technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame and Thomas Watson’s Thumper Phone through to modern day. Furthermore, its innovative step-by-step private automatic branch exchange exhibit and plant displays featuring pole cables splicing tools and antique line insulators were showcased within its exhibit halls – it opened to public viewing in Edmonton 1987 before moving over to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in 2004.
Exhibits
Few inventions have had as profound an effect on society as the telephone. Museums that succeed at educating their visitors do not simply store old equipment behind velvet ropes; rather they actively engage their audiences through engaging exhibits that combine historical research with an eye for today’s audiences bringing it all back to life.
Displays of historic phone equipment ranging from Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame Telephone and Thomas Watson’s Thumper Phone to modern smartphones like iPhones help communicate the history of communication technology. Working Central Office Step Switches and operator switchboards give visitors an immersive experience into how complex communication technologies used to function in the past.
Antique collectors purchase vintage phones for various reasons, from their design or historical interest to the nostalgia they evoke when using rotary dials. Modern museums allow their audiences to test out classic payphones and candlestick wall phones themselves — giving them the chance to imagine dropping two coins in a payphone to place a grocery list call home or placing an international call with just two clicks.
