Preserving telephone history allows us to understand its dramatic changes to connectivity, business practices, and emergency services since its invention. Museums and historical centres serve as invaluable repositories of this landmark technology; educational initiatives provide insights into its rich narrative.

During the pandemic, agencies serving older adults mobilized to decrease social isolation and provide necessary resources. This telephone outreach program from HBEC stands as evidence of our continued dedication to community engagement.

The Museum

The Museum offers an exciting historical glimpse into telephone technology and communications, from early designs by Alexander Graham Bell to today’s multifunctional smart phones – showing their impactful history of change worldwide.

The museum provides students with an immersive learning experience in electricity and engineering through hands-on exploration of its equipment and its components. Furthermore, it fosters enthusiasm for innovation by using the invention of the telephone to inspire young minds while cultivating entrepreneurial spirit that propelled telecommunications development.

This collection showcases an extensive array of manual system telephones used for telecommunications in Edmonton before the advent of automated system telecommunications, as well as a two-position Kellogg Universal switchboard that allows visitors to link telephone circuits between cord pairs and lamp pairs using stepping switches. Also featured is a rotary phone, candlestick telephones, wooden wall-mount telephones princess phones phone booths as well as Canada’s first ever mobile phone which was introduced during the 1930s.

The Archives

Nostalgic telephone directories and technical manuals provide invaluable insights into the development and evolution of telecom systems, with museums and historical centers around the globe safeguarding an impressive variety of early models and prototypes to trace its development as an essential means of connectivity and accessibility.

The Telephone Historical Centre archives include an impressive collection of Edmonton telephone directories dating from 1895 to present day* as well as books about the development of telecommunications technology. Furthermore, visitors to this special collection can use a two-position Kellogg Universal switchboard to connect cord and lamp pairs similar to modern automatic switching telephone networks.

Archives also house an impressive photographic archive documenting Edmonton’s telephone history, available for research. This unique resource offers an illuminating snapshot of communications development in Alberta; access is possible by appointment only.

The Workshops

Some Telephone Historical Centres feature hands-on equipment related to telephone technology such as rotary dial phones and switchboards for visitors to experience firsthand. Furthermore, museums may provide guided tours through their exhibits so visitors can gain further knowledge on telecommunications’ history.

Historic artifacts tell an intricate and interrelated narrative spanning culture, innovation and technology. Through archival preservation efforts, educational initiatives and interactive displays, these threads of history will continue to exist for future generations to discover and comprehend.

The Museum of Independent Telephony boasts a working panel and crossbar electromechanical central office switch, antique telephones, telephone kiosks and outside plant displays, featuring poles, wires and tools such as splicing equipment. Furthermore, Telephone Workshops give participants of all ages an experience engineering through activities like taking stuff apart and wiring components; additionally a longitudinal evaluation measures changes over time in interest in engineering as well as knowledge of electric theory and math concepts such as Ohm’s Law.

Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized our communication in 1876 when he introduced the telephone to society. See over 100 years of phone advances at this unique museum.

Play the role of a telephone operator or dial a rotary phone at this entertaining museum for all ages! There’s an impressive collection of crank wall phones, princess phones, and flip phones on display.

History

The museum boasts an extensive collection of telephone artifacts, such as wooden box phones, candlestick phones, classic rotary phones, novelty phones and novelty phones. There is also an assortment of cases containing different shapes and sizes of insulators as well as equipment used on telephone lines.

The Museum offers a display that chronicles the history and development of telephones in Edmonton. Furthermore, numerous historical documents and photos document its growth over time.

Early telephone usage caused much controversy. Eavesdroppers could easily listen in on private conversations using this new medium and privacy was regularly compromised.

Exhibits

Experience an engaging museum experience for all ages – from Alexander Graham Bell’s revolutionary gallows frame telephone to modern day cell phones – this collection takes visitors on an educational tour through innovation in telecom.

Displays include an interactive private automatic branch exchange demonstrating stepping switch principles; manual switchboards; candlestick and wooden wall phones, antique line insulators, as well as antique line insulators from their collection of line insulators and antique telephone books. The collection also boasts an extensive library on telephony literature.

As opposed to many museums where exhibits are meant merely for viewing, this one actively encourages visitors to interact with technology. They can test their skills on a crank phone and become operators for a day at the manually operated switchboards – as well as use an old-fashioned handset to place calls! In addition, the museum pays homage to generations of men and women who contributed in creating telecom infrastructure: from poles being put up, cables being laid underground and designing and managing technology until answering calls themselves!

Events

The Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum provides an exciting family adventure, an educational field trip for students and an entertaining group outing all in one. Boasting an extensive collection of telephones and related equipment and memorabilia located within a beautifully restored 1896 building, it is operated by Telecom Pioneers; a non-profit 501(c)(3) Bell System employee service organization.

Explore one of North America’s finest collections of antique telephone equipment at the Telephone Historical Centre. With everything from wooden box phones and candlestick phones to working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, visitors can explore a fascinating piece of Canadian history at this stunning facility located in historic Old Strathcona since 1987 – eventually moving to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre later that same year due to relevancy and structural issues affecting its foundation that managed it.

Donations

If you have an item that might be of interest to the museum, don’t hesitate to get in touch – donations are tax deductible and staff may recommend it be given elsewhere if we cannot accept it directly. Unfortunately, The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton closed down last year due to relevance, financial problems, and structural issues; its foundation voted this year to disband; its Telecommunications History Group continues under Connections Museum Seattle/Denver/THG Archives’ both physical and digital archives continue in place as of now.

The Telephone Historical Centre in Roseville, California boasts one of the world’s largest collections of antique telephones and is managed by active and retired telecom employees who donate their time for this museum.

Displays feature wooden box phones, candlestick phones and classic rotary phones made of wood and other materials; also present are working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches.

Public Tours

The Museum is housed in a landmark phone building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Displays include antique telephones and related equipment from different eras; owned and managed by Telecom Pioneers a non-profit 501(c)(3) Bell System employee service organization.

The collection encompasses a range of telecom artifacts, such as operator switchboards, manual and automated switching systems, phones and kiosks – which demonstrate how communications technology has developed from its early days up until present day mobile phones.

This museum is extremely fascinating, featuring an impressive selection of vintage phones – even some quirky novelty ones! Their knowledgeable guides were eager to answer all of our queries about telecommunications history and culture in society and culture! I highly recommend it for group tours; just call ahead.

Education Programs

The Museum is committed to collecting, researching, organizing and displaying historical materials related to telephone communications technology in Edmonton and beyond. As an accredited member of Museums Alberta.

Our collections range from Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop all the way through modern wireless technology that we all take for granted. In addition, there is also a technical library containing telecom related books, catalogs and journals.

Roseville Telephone Museum boasts one of the country’s most extensive collections of antique telephones and memorabilia. A visit is an engaging family outing, school field trip or group sightseeing tour destination; our docents are current and retired ED TEL employees who take pride in sharing history.

Special Events

The museum features an impressive collection of telephone-related artifacts. Exhibits document how the telephone has developed from its early stages to present day communications technology and explore how electricity, sound waves and magnetism interact.

From Alexander Graham Bell’s original gallows frame phone to rotary dial phones, the museum boasts an unparalleled and fascinating collection of telephone history. Additionally, exhibits include manual switchboards and step-by-step private automatic branch exchanges illustrating stepping switch principles as well as candlestick and wooden wall telephones and antique line insulators.

The Telephone Historical Centre is dedicated to the acquisition, research, organization, documentation, exhibition and storage of historical materials pertaining to telephone technology and related telecommunications devices. First opened its doors for public viewing in Old Strathcona in 1987 before moving to its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre in 2004. However, its foundation that owned and ran it disbanded due to relevancy and structural concerns earlier this year.

Today, calling someone is often like performing a magic trick – but that wasn’t always the case.

The Telephone Historical Centre provides visitors with an exhibition of manual switchboards and an early private automatic branch exchange, and also hosts workshops designed to develop young engineers’ engineering abilities. Furthermore, engaging young people with old telephones fosters their intrinsic curiosity.

Exhibits

This collection takes you on an immersive tour of communications technology over time. Discover a working switchboard and how the telephone transformed lives for the better, meet those behind its development from smoke signals to text messages, learn about linemen who erected poles, buried cables, and created equipment designed specifically to run networks, as well as learn more about who the linemen themselves were who designed equipment that ran them all.

THG is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and preserving antique telephone related items. Operating two museums as well as an extensive archive, its collections comprise one of the world’s largest collections.

Archival holdings at the museum feature phones from all around the world as well as historic telecom items like working Strowger phone exchange, manual switchboard, and Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange demonstrating how switching stations operated. Furthermore, displays of glass insulators and recreations of independent exchanges honor rural and small town Midwest communities served by independent phone companies prior to being acquired by Bell System.

Events

The museum provides an ideal venue to learn about telecommunications history. Its collection covers more than 100 years of communications technology – from Alexander Graham Bell’s original telegraph machine through modern mobile phone networks and their innovations.

The collection features antique rotary dial and magneto phones, manual switchboards, as well as a two-position Kellogg Universal switchboard that allows visitors to easily connect cord pairs and lamp pairs via toggle switches.

The museum provides hands-on “how-things-work” exhibits designed to foster an appreciation of science and engineering. Group tours of 10 or more people may take a guided tour through this historic 1896 building housed at Jefferson Barracks; tours may also be arranged by appointment. Established by retired employees from ED TEL in Old Strathcona on December 3, 1987 before moving its current location Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre on April 6, 2004.

Donations

Our collections continue to expand thanks to the generosity of donors. The Museum and Archives accept any material related to telecommunications history – artifacts, photos, manuscripts, documents, maps, architectural drawings and sound recordings are welcome – plus all donations are tax deductible!

Each collection donated to the Society comes complete with a Gift Agreement which details when, by whom and transfers ownership of material. Furthermore, copies are scanned and archived digitally so they are readily available for research on our website.

The Telephone Historical Centre offers hands-on exhibits that illustrate communications principles, as well as a world-class multi media Historical Telecommunications Theatre Show. Housed within Prince of Wales Armouries and accredited by Museums Alberta, its Museum and Archives are operated by non-profit charitable organization Telecommunications History Group; under this umbrella lies physical Museum & Archives as well as Connections Museum Seattle/Denver locations as well as online archives like Telecommunications History Archive.

Volunteers

Volunteers form the backbone of our Society’s daily operations. Volunteers range from students, workers and retired persons donating their time for no financial return – or medical or legal professionals working pro bono as professionals who offer pro bono services to us.

Museum volunteers welcome and inform museum visitors, give tours of the Museum and Depot and assist with special events and exhibits. Office volunteers assist staff members with data entry, filing, filing maintenance tasks as well as curatorial volunteers in filling artifact catalog worksheets as well as performing other maintenance and data entry duties.

Photographic volunteers capture digital photos around Bloomington to accompany Social Media posts, newspaper articles and displays. Once taken, identify and download digital images onto Museum computers or back-up media.

Membership Development Volunteers assist the Society’s efforts to recruit new members by reviewing mailing lists, drafting fundraising letters and thank you letters, phone solicitation and performing other administrative work. Special Event Volunteers support annual festivals and special museum events by serving food, greeting guests, registering people for activities and providing any assistance necessary for participants.

The Telephone Historical Centre Collections showcase a variety of antique phones, switchboards and related telecommunication equipment. Colorful painted backdrops adorn equipment displays like two switchboards (including one featuring an eccentric scene from Plains), the last Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange system and panel systems.

Subject Files contain letters and diaries written by Alexander Graham Bell that cover various subjects, such as his scientific research, aviation and deaf education.

The History of the Telephone

The telephone has long been one of the world’s most iconic pieces of technology. It paved the way for convenient communication across great distances – even across countries!

Not always easy to determine the inventor of an invention, the telephone was no different. In fact, it took years before it became clear that Alexander Graham Bell invented it.

Gray and Bell filed separate patent applications on February 14, 1876; however, due to an oversight on behalf of their lawyers, due to heavy patent office congestion Bell’s application was registered first.

Gray was instrumental in developing the telephone, while Bell may have come up with the microphone idea. Our collection contains items from telecom history such as rotary dial phones and manual switchboards – and future plans call for an exhibit devoted to switchboards in a dedicated building! These goals can only be accomplished with your help!

The Bell Collection

The museum houses an abundance of telephone-related objects spanning the history of telecommunications. Key highlights include an operator switchboard, step-by-step private automatic branch exchange system and mobile phone exhibit that displays how this technology has advanced from 1980s car phones to modern cellular phones.

George Tanner began collecting Knox County telephone communications equipment and artifacts early in his career at Mount Vernon Telephone Company. His collection of photographs, memories and equipment tells the tale of over one century of telephone communications in this region.

The Telephone Historical Centre’s collection also boasts an eclectic range of antique telephones and telecom technology dating back to 1920, such as phone kiosks that have long defined Britain. One of its specialities is BT KX100 Plus Internet Kiosks which make for fascinating viewing as well as opportunities for interactive playback by visitors; such an approach makes the Telephone Historical Centre truly different than any other museum experience.

The Telephone Experience

This collection presents an assortment of antique telephones and related telecommunications technology from Edmonton’s telephone history as it evolved from manual switching to automatic switching. Artifacts and replicas in this display showcase its significance.

The museum features an interactive Kellogg universal switchboard – an engaging visitor exhibit enabling guests to connect telephone circuits using toggle switches – using cord pairs and lamp pairs, similar to what was used until automated systems became popular in the 1920s.

This collection includes several of Britain’s iconic red telephone kiosks – a feature of British roadsides since their first standard design was unveiled in 1920. These iconic icons of our cultural heritage remain an integral part of local communities today with many being regularly in use by regular users.

The Archive

The Museum features an expansive collection of telephones, equipment and other telecommunications technology ranging from early manual system phones that first arrived in Edmonton back in 1885 to more contemporary automatic switching telephones – something to please every telecommunications enthusiast!

This collection of Canadian telecom history is one of the largest. It documents the development of phone technologies from their early manufacturing stages to current research laboratories.

This collection is truly fascinating and unique; almost a museum within a museum! There are endless lit glass racks containing candlestick phones, box phones and rotary dial phones; the McKinley phone (1897), used to report President William McKinley’s assassination; Hush-a-phones used for private conversations (Hushu-a-phone); as well as an actual manual switchboard that operators would once use in telephone exchanges – it even works!