Explore how technology has advanced since Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized communication in 1876! This interactive museum makes a wonderful family adventure, school field trip or group sightseeing tour!

The Telephone Historical Centre features an operational Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switch, antique phones, operator switches and outdoor plant displays with poles, cables and splicing equipment as well as plenty of materials related to telephone history.

Opening Hours

At Jefferson Barracks Park Telephone Building lies one of the world’s finest collections of telephones and related equipment. Operated by volunteers from Southwestern Bell, AT&T and Telecom Pioneers (a non-profit 501(c)(3) employee service organization), it features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches; antique telephones; outdoor plant displays with poles cables and tools to splice equipment as well as an extensive telecommunications reference library – plus knowledgeable docents (current or retired employees from phone company employees who volunteer their time) give visitors guided tours throughout.

The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was first established on December 3, 1987 in Old Strathcona neighbourhood and relocated two years later for increased accessibility to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre for better accessibility. Today it stands as one of North America’s premier hands-on museums providing visitors an entertaining way to learn how communication technologies have advanced throughout history.

Group Tours

This museum houses one of the world’s premier collections of antique phones and equipment from 1896. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more. Reservations should be made four weeks in advance.

Established in 1987 and relocated to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton by 2004 for improved accessibility, this museum provides visitors with an interactive phone experience. It includes working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches as well as operator switchboards – along with poles, cables, splicing tools and equipment from an outside plant exhibit – along with antique phones, switchboards and other communications devices from its collection.

Displays trace over 100 years of communications technology development both locally and worldwide, from solid wood wall-mounted phones with operator control to today’s sleek cellular phones.

Admission

No matter your reason for wanting to learn about communications history, The Telephone Historical Centre should be at the top of your itinerary. With interactive exhibits illustrating its progress from its early days through today’s advances, this museum showcases its development.

Visitors to the museum will discover everything from wooden wall phones and rotary dialers, to replicas of small town America independent phone exchanges with glass insulators; working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office step switches, antique telephones, switchboards, outdoor plant displays featuring poles cables splicing equipment tools as well as a cataloged telecommunications reference library – as well as knowledgeable docents, many current or retired employees from telephone companies offering guided tours through this museum.

This fascinating museum traces the development of communications in Central Florida from Alexander Graham Bell’s invention all the way up to smart phones today. There is also an impressive selection of artifacts such as operator switchboards, military telephones from World War I through Gulf War and novelty phones available to view here.

Contact Us

Our museum collects telephone-related material. Situated in Jefferson Barracks Park and run by volunteers from Southwestern Bell and AT&T (as well as Telecom Pioneers, a non-profit 501(c)(3) employee service organization), it houses one of the world’s largest collections of phones and related equipment.

This collection comprises working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, antique telephones and switchboards, outdoor plant displays with poles, cables and splicing tools, outdoor plant displays featuring poles for poles with cables attached, outdoor plant displays with poles mounted cables attached for outdoor plant displays, cataloged telecom reference libraries as well as knowledgeable docents (current or retired telecommunication employees who volunteer their time) who guide visitors around the museum.

The Centre traces the development of phone technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop to today’s wireless technology. Established by retired ED TEL employees and opened to the public in 1987 at its Old Strathcona neighbourhood location, later moving two years later to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in central Edmonton.

A group of retired and active telecom workers established this museum to preserve historical items that were being lost due to demolished buildings or departments no longer needing them. Visitors can view working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical Central Office switches, operator switches, antique telephones and switchboards; outdoor plant displays with poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools as well as outside plant displays such as poles for pole splicing equipment splicing tools etc.

History of the Telephone

Tracing the origins of any invention can be challenging, and that applies to the telephone as well. Although Italian innovator Antonio Meucci developed a basic telephone in 1849 and Frenchman Charles Bourseul published an account of his invention in L’Illustration in 1854, Alexander Graham Bell received his patent for modern telephones in 1876.

Early telephone technology often rendered long-distance calls unintelligible or garbled; having access to an effective long-distance line would revolutionize how we communicate and open up immense financial possibilities.

Established by retired employees of ED TEL in 1987, the Telephone Historical Centre is located at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Center in Edmonton and dedicated to preserving and exhibiting telecommunications history for all to enjoy. It features a working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switch as well as antique phones, switchboards, outside plant displays including poles and cables as well as cataloged reference materials relating to communications technology – even dial up an antique phone to experience how far our global communications technology has come! Play phone operators or dial rotary telephone to see just how far we have come since our global communications technology developed!

Early Telephones

The telephone was an ingenious invention that revolutionized society. From its humble roots in 1876 through to becoming the modern landline phone we use today, its history is long and rich with lessons for us to discover.

Early telephones were very large and heavy. They had only one opening for sound transmission, operated by placing your ear against the receiver and speaking into it – this method of dynamic transmission was very loud; many people therefore used headsets in order to hear and speak into them.

The Museum boasts an extensive collection of old phones, both wall phones and handsets that still ring, dial and work – many still do! This collection stands as testament to how far phones have evolved since they first appeared over a century ago. Additionally, this display chronicles how regional telephone companies organized rural America communications – starting small and local with prominent members of each community as pioneers or stock holders before eventually becoming larger enterprises; remaining independent even when becoming incorporated.

Outdoor Telephone Cables

From their inception until roughly late 1940, telephone cables were constructed from lead. Insulated with paper mulch to protect their tip and ring wires from interference from outside interference, their outer sheath/jacket provided insulation against water damage while providing space for the splices.

These cables were utilized in duct runs and as buried cables; sometimes even protected further against interference by being placed within pipes or conduits, protecting from squirrels chewing on them.

At this time, many telcos adopted color-coded telephone cables to aid their technicians when installing or repairing it. A two pair cable would feature two sets of two conductors while four pair cables feature four sets. Tools necessary include a modular crimper as well as some sort of tester to identify its wires (known as conductors).

Modern Telephones

Today we carry phones in our pockets, yet it’s hard to imagine their revolutionary impact when first introduced. This museum preserves and honors this history with antique phones, an operator switchboard and glass insulators used to transmit signals long distances.

Modern telephones are increasingly electronic; wire coils that served multiple functions on older sets have been replaced with integrated circuits powered by line voltage. Mechanical bell ringers have also been phased out in favor of electronic vibrating diaphragms which can be electronically switched to generate pulses like those found on a rotary dial or dual tone signaling such as AT&T’s Touch-Tone system.

The museum boasts one of the world’s best collections of telephone equipment and memorabilia, operated by the non-profit 501(c)(3) Telecommunications History Group founded by current and retired AT&T employees. Visitors may explore on their own or take guided tours led by knowledgeable docents. Working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches as well as outdoor plant displays such as poles, cables splicing equipment tools and other communications devices can all be found within its walls.

The Telephone Historical Centre’s collection includes wooden wall-mount phones, candlestick telephones, and phone booths as reminders of our technological development.

Bell Canada also boasts one of the last operator switchboards and step-by-step private automatic branch exchange systems available, in addition to an extensive collection of papers, photographs and equipment tracing its history – with an emphasis on Bell Canada specifically.

The History of Telecommunications

From Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone call in 1876 to our mobile phones in our pockets today, this collection explores key milestones of telecommunications history. It pays homage to all those who erected poles, buried cables, designed and managed the technology that made telecommunications possible over the centuries.

The Collection houses a full-size magneto switchboard and step-by-step private automatic branch exchange, along with rare candlestick wall phones (such as McKinley’s assassination phone), Kellogg universal telephones and working models of early rotary dial phones allowing visitors to try their hands at connecting circuits like operators did years ago.

The Collection features early telephone directories and indexes which document exchange openings, subscribers and rates, with plans underway to microfilm these binders as well as scrapbooks of news clippings. Furthermore, Britain’s iconic red telephone kiosks can be found here; we currently possess eight of nine types introduced by British Telecommunications from 1920 – 1983.

The Telecommunications History Group (THG)

The Telecom History Group (THG) is an association of collectors, museum professionals and other interested individuals who share an interest in communications history. THG members are dedicated to preserving historical communications technology while informing the public of its importance and significance in our modern world.

The Collections contain documents, photographs and equipment documenting telephone manufacture from its early factory in Brantford to modern research laboratories. Furthermore, these collections house extensive files on telecommunications abroad.

THG features an extensive collection of telecom artifacts as well as exhibits and hands-on interactive stations that will engage visitors of all ages – wall-mounted hand-crank magneto phones, manual rotary dial phones and two Kellogg universal switchboards are sure to excite. A variety of educational programs is also offered for schoolchildren and other groups.

The Telecommunications Historical Centre Collections

Edmonton’s Telephone Museum provides visitors with the chance to witness how telephones have evolved from early rotary-dial models through mobile technology and beyond. It pays tribute to all those who built its networks through pole erection, cable burial and designing equipment used for running phones.

The museum holds numerous interesting pieces, such as a Kellogg Universal switchboard from 1940, which illustrates manual line switching at telephone exchanges before automated systems became the norm. There’s also an antique candlestick wall phone, McKinley phone (used to report President William McKinley’s assassination in 1897) and Western Electric model 21 handset from 1920 that are all featured.

The museum maintains a collection of early directories on microfilm and indexes that are being digitized so they may be shared among libraries and institutions. A similar process is being completed with early press clipping binders and scrapbooks so they may also be preserved under archival conditions.

Hello, Montreal!

Alongside telephones and telecommunications technology, this collection includes postcards that document Montreal history such as those featuring Montreal hospitals from the 1880s through 1960s – providing “snapshots” of what life was like before mobile phones and emails existed.

From magneto switchboards used at phone exchanges in Montreal in 1895 to battery switchboards from early 1900s, this exhibition presents an array of artifacts. There is also a wide variety of models of telephones on display here from rotary dial phones up until 1960’s pushbutton model telephone.

Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex and Bell drew upon their vast collections to present Hello, Montreal!, an engaging exhibition that shows how telephony has revolutionized how people communicate. More than 250 items including photos, documents and musical excerpts will be on display – this exhibition promises to enthrall anyone interested in its fascinating history!