The Telephone Historical Centre offers visitors an intriguing glimpse at various telephones and tools created over time since their invention. Children will especially enjoy seeing how far technology has advanced since first telephone was first invented!

The museum features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central-office switches, a Step-by-Step Private Automatic Branch Exchange system and hundreds of pieces of telephone equipment.

The History of the Telephone

Today, making phone calls seems effortless – with just the push of a button you are connected with your mother in Philadelphia or best friend in New York. But it wasn’t always so straightforward.

Early telephones weren’t great at working over long distances, but nonetheless were an incredible invention that helped people in many ways. For example, it allowed for improved privacy by replacing unexpected visits from relatives or door-to-door salesmen with calls on the telephone instead.

Alexander Graham Bell is often credited as being the one to invent the telephone, but other scientists were also working on similar technologies at that time. There has been much debate regarding who actually invented it.

Early Telephones

Starting as a simple handset that contained both transmitter and receiver components, the phone allowed for users to communicate without an operator being involved.

Chimu culture of Peru invented string telephones using gourds and stretched hide; an original example can be seen at the Smithsonian.

In 1876, Bell developed and patented an electromagnetic telephone that allowed for mechanically conveyed sounds over long wires and also featured a system for vocalization that enabled one person to speak over it.

Antonio Meucci and Phillip Reis worked on similar devices; however, their designs weren’t feasible on a commercial scale.

The telephone revolutionized communication, opening up real-time dialogue among individuals. This breakthrough revolutionised business and society alike; in 1915 the first long distance call took place between President of Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company (now AT&T) and Sir Evelyn P Murray from British General Post Office.

Modern Telephones

Visitors of the Telephone Historical Centre will discover a cavernous space filled with more retro telecom technology than an early James Bond movie. Tour guides don’t hesitate to let visitors try out everything from metal cans on wires to crank phones and multiple large switching systems – and allow visitors to explore each piece freely.

The museum features an impressive collection of phones, including an exact replica of Alexander Graham Bell’s first phone which played “Mr. Watson, Come Here! I Need You!,” modern videophones and working step switch private automatic branch exchange. In addition, there is a modern cellular phone exhibit which showcases how mobile technology has advanced from its early roots up until present day smartphones.

George Tanner, who established the museum, started collecting Knox County telephone memorabilia as a hobby at his own home. Over time his collection expanded to include wooden wall phones from 1890’s, various rotary dial and push button phones as well as old switches.

Switching Equipment

A large part of our collection consists of electromechanical switches. Thanks to volunteers who regularly exercise them, most remain operational.

We house one of only two functioning Strowger single-line step by step switches in existence – another can be found at the Telephone Museum in Ellsworth, Maine). Designed before modern automatic systems could recognize callers’ prefixes and join them into conversations seamlessly, this switch was built before we used computer programs to simulate calls in order to keep our equipment fit for service.

Sarah Autumn, one of our volunteer specialists, spent months reassembling this intricate panel switch system which covers several corridors with equipment racks. Sarah described it not as broken but as an example of “graceful engineering woven into an extraordinarily complex device.” Once used by a rural exchange and connecting up to 200 telephones simultaneously in a community.

This museum houses a wide collection of telephones and related objects. Visitors can explore on their own and enjoy this fun family outing or school field trip experience.

After public outrage over the disappearance of classic red telephone boxes, BT’s Payphone Division approached Avoncroft about funding an exhibition on their behalf titled Hello Montreal! which features the history and impact of telecom services on various aspects of society.

Manual Telephones

Early manual telephone services required customers to connect their handsets directly to a copper pair connected to a switchboard operated by an operator, with each line connected having one jack with an indicator light above each jack to indicate which number was being dialed. Operators answered customer calls by plugging the ring cord into its respective jack; otherwise they passed them onto an operator in another city who connected it directly with its trunk line leading directly to its destination switchboard or central office.

This collection honors generations of workers who built poles, laid cables, designed technology that transformed communication for us all. Visitors can experience what it was like to use rotary phones before the advent of telecom and learn how the invention of telecom has transformed how we connect. This collection contains numerous artifacts, photographs and records related to telecom.

Switchboards

Reliving telephone technology over the years is easy with our collection. The exhibits bring history alive by inviting visitors to physically interact with them.

NEC defines a switchboard as an assembly of panels, frames and enclosures containing switches, control, measuring, protective, regulating and other equipment that is interconnected by busbars; including associated electrical and mechanical equipment as well as wiring. Switchboards often include current-using equipment like circuit breakers, fuse and ceramic fuses lamps pushbuttons meters and indicators.

Early days of telephony saw people going out and installing poles, burying cables, designing technologies to allow us to communicate across networks. Our collections honor those generations of workers who laid this groundwork, with an amazing exhibit featuring old and vintage switchboards to commemorate them and their contribution.

Mobile Telephones

From early mobiles to an array of cell towers and smartphones, visitors can witness how cellular telephony has developed over time. Cellphones have quickly become the go-to device for personal communication in many countries around the globe.

This exhibit honors those generations of individuals who helped bring telephony to reality – those who installed poles, laid cables, designed telephone systems and managed them; in short, those who helped change our world as it is known today.

This hands-on museum exhibit boasts an extensive collection of artifacts to delight people of all ages. Test your skill with the working switchboard or test out a display telephone to witness first-hand how PBX technology revolutionized business and personal communications, respectively. Children will love exploring interactive displays, background projections and songs while adults will find historic artifacts engaging. Many displays come equipped with QR codes so visitors can connect their smart phone directly with information regarding these pieces – creating an enjoyable learning experience for everyone who comes through its doors!

Electronics

As well as phones, our collection also encompasses an assortment of electronic devices like computers, tablets, printers and much more. In particular, our “Telephone Workshops” serve as an engaging and educational way for young minds to discover electrical engineering through older and newer telephones.

Children of all ages will love taking on the roles of 1920s rotary dial operators or seeing how loudly they can speak on wind-up phones. Novelty phones such as Coke bottles, Hershey’s chocolate bars or Garfield the cat may also be available for guests to try.

Established by retired employees from ED TEL, the museum first opened on December 3, 1987 in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighbourhood before moving to its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. Boasting an expansive array of equipment such as Alexander Graham Bell’s gallows frame telephone and Thomas A. Watson’s thrumper phone as well as an operational hands-on switchboard, its collections contain many historical pieces dating back over three decades.

From early rotary dial phones to modern mobile phones, our collection covers more than a century of technology and business. Additionally, it honors generations of men and women who created telephone networks by erecting poles, burying cables, and developing technology platforms that make everything possible.

Visits to the museum are exciting and educational family trips, school field trips or group sightseeing tours.

The History of the Telephone

At its heart lies human communication: few inventions have had as profound an effect as the telephone. People could speak face to face across long distances; businesses could expand customer bases instantly; and individuals could easily share information instantly.

No matter your view on Alexander Graham Bell as being the inventor of a working telephone (which may or may not be true), no doubt its invention revolutionized our world.

The Museum’s collection of telephone history includes an array of manual system telephones and switches used at telephone exchanges, along with 32 kiosks of various designs and an operator switchboard from Winter Park Telephone Company.

At the Museum, its exhibits explore how telephone technology evolved and its effects on society. Furthermore, its Telephone Workshops encourage interest in engineering by giving children an opportunity to experiment with electricity and engineering using old and new telephones. Furthermore, the Museum holds a rare archive of telephone directories dating back to late 19th century.

The Evolution of the Telephone

The telephone was a revolution in human communication. Within 50 years of its invention, it had transformed how people connected with friends and family; businesses could grow their customer bases faster; consumers stayed in contact instantly via social networks like Facebook; thus giving rise to modern tools such as Twitter.

Prior to the invention of the telephone, telegraph wires were the predominant means of long distance communication. Antonio Meucci is widely credited with inventing the first simple phone in 1849 while Charles Bourseul also pioneered an early design, but Alexander Graham Bell would ultimately win the first U.S patent for it in 1876.

Early telephones employed various technologies, from liquid transmitters and sound-powered devices involving metal diaphragms vibrating in magnetic coils, to metal diaphragms vibrating using sound. Our Telephone Workshops give children and adults alike a hands-on opportunity to learn electricity and engineering using old and new telephone artifacts.

The Telephone in New Mexico

The Telephone Historical Centre Collections tell the tale of telephone technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s early design through to modern cell phones. Additionally, this exhibition honors generations of individuals who worked tirelessly to construct the telephony network by erecting poles, burying cables, designing platforms to run them and offering telephone services directly to customers.

The museum boasts a vast collection of equipment for visitors to view, such as an original mechanical switchboard that they can actually operate and a Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange that illustrates the stepping switch principle. Additionally, the museum holds numerous telephone books from each New Mexico town since 1916 – adding another layer of historical knowledge!

The museum features audio stories about various events from Texas history, from Pancho Villa to NASA. They may feature slightly creepy mannequin models but the drama of their tales more than makes up for any potential creepiness. Furthermore, telephone workshops for kids provide an ideal way to foster their inherent curiosity about this technology that led to its invention in the first place.

The Telephone in Oklahoma

At present, telephone technology may seem mundane; but 100 years ago it was cutting-edge innovation. This collection of manual system telephones (such as crank wall phones and decorator phones ) together with a fully functioning hands on switchboard will delight phone enthusiasts.

Archives hold an impressive collection of vintage directories and books about telecom history and technology, as well as one-off volumes such as 1877’s The Telephone: An Account of Electricity, Magnetism and Sound with Instructions for Making a Speaking Telephone written specifically to meet public demand for explanations about how this new invention worked.

Telephone Workshops provide children with an engaging and fun way to learn about electricity and engineering using the principles that led to its invention. These workshops foster their natural curiosity about electrical innovations while nurturing it further.

The Telephone Historical Centre offers an incredible journey into communications history from Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop through to modern mobile phones. Explore a manual switchboard or step into an impressive Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange to experience its stepping switch principle, or browse their extensive library of books and technical manuals related to telecom.

The museum pays homage to all non-Bell System phone companies that served rural and small town Midwest communities outside of Bell System phone exchanges. It hosts an impressive collection of glass insulators as well as recreations of independent phone exchanges.

Classroom Outreach

School outreach programs engage students in community issues and skills that directly affect their lives, with an aim of amplifying students’ voices by connecting them with economic, political, and societal forces that influence daily lives.

Museum educators work directly with classroom teachers to conduct lessons that meet social studies standards. Students learn from historical artifacts while engaging in hands-on activities like wool spinning and quill writing to develop visual literacy, historical literacy and critical thinking abilities.

THG includes two museums and one of North America’s largest telecom archives, dating back to Alexander Graham Bell’s attic workshop. Established by telecommunications employees who were shocked to find many historical artifacts being discarded when buildings were demolished, THG has grown into a nonprofit supported by membership dues, research fees and volunteer assistance, with its goal being preserving telecom history while educating the public about it.

School Field Trips

Our educators can come directly to your school to teach lessons using the museum collection and building as learning tools, from Pre-K through college. We can tailor content specifically to each group of students.

Field trips at The Bishop offer two-hour, guided experiences showcasing The Bishop’s most popular exhibitions and exhibits. Students also visit Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat and participate in a Planetarium show.

Students explore the cultural, social, and economic changes taking place during California’s Victorian Era through this interactive program aligned to California curriculum standards.

Your students are guided through our Victorian Village by historically dressed interpreters wearing period clothing, who offer insight into home life, technology, and activities of Rockford residents from 1899-1910 (The turn-of-the-century to 1910 period). This tour stimulates critical thinking and analysis among your pupils.

Community Outreach

The Telephone Historical Centre is one of North America’s premier telephone museums. Dedicated to collecting, researching, organizing, documenting, exhibiting and storing historical materials relating to telecommunications development both locally and worldwide, it was founded by retired ED TEL employees in December 1987 in Old Strathcona before moving its location in 2004 to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre for permanent exhibition. Here you can experience hands on exhibits illustrating communications principles as well as an outstanding multi-media Telecommunications Theatre Show!

The Museum’s collection boasts artifacts ranging from Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame Phone and Thomas A Watson’s Thumper Phone to rotary dial telephones, manual switchboards and working telecommunications equipment – as well as tools of the trade for linemen such as copper cabling and manhole covers plus an outstanding display of telephone insulators.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Telephone Historical Centre at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre provides a fascinating history lesson of telecommunications technology and systems. Featuring antique telephones and other pieces of telecom equipment from its extensive collection, as well as interactive displays to demonstrate this science behind communication systems and technologies, its exhibits also serve to educate visitors.

Volunteers play an integral role in museum operations, from giving tours and assisting with programs and fundraisers, managing youth activity tables and cataloging artifacts, to handling them professionally or cataloguing artifacts themselves. Some volunteer positions require formal artifact handling training or experience working in libraries or teaching environments – volunteers with such credentials often are in high demand!

The Telephone Historical Centre first opened its doors to visitors in December 1987, initially located within an Old Strathcona telephone exchange building. Since 2004, however, it has been located at its current site – one of Edmonton’s most beloved museums and an entertaining way for both students and adults to gain insight into how and why telephone technology was invented and its impactful evolution throughout human history.

This volunteer-run museum located inside an actual telephone building provides visitors with an enjoyable trip down memory lane. From vintage switchboards and old directories, to oral histories from former telecom workers and more.

Sheldon Hochheiser is responsible for this vast archive, and we recently interviewed him to gain more insight into The Herschel Collection (THC) and its various holdings.

Museum of Independent Telephony

The Museum of Independent Telephony pays homage to those often forgotten heroes of telecommunications–non-Bell System telephone companies that provided service in rural and middle America outside the Bell System. Exhibits at this museum include recreations of an old telephone exchange, displays of glass insulators and vintage phones from these pioneering firms.

Established in 1987 in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighbourhood, and relocated later to its present site within Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. Now one of North America’s largest collections for group tours.

The Telephone Museum traces the development of telephone technology from Alexander Graham Bell’s first message to Watson up through its development into modern mobile phones, featuring many interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and oversize models that make learning fun for visitors of all ages. There’s even an automatic branch exchange complete with step-by-step instructions as well as an early telephone office replica! In addition, there’s a collection of open wire five and six arm ARA structures as well as other odd items!

Roseville Telephone Company Museum

Roseville Telephone Company Museum boasts one of the world’s premier collections of antique telephones and memorabilia, chronicling and honoring over 100 years of telecommunications history both locally and nationally. Knowledgeable docents (current and retired employees from Roseville Telephone) guide visitors around this 4,500-square foot museum that houses everything from early telephones from Alexander Graham Bell’s workshop all the way up to wireless phones that we all recognize today.

Roseville Museum is an invaluable destination for any individual or group interested in history, old gadgets or learning more about how we use technology every day. Ideal for family weekend outings, school field trips and group sightseeing tours alike!

Bell Canada’s Telephone Historical Collection

This collection comprises over three and a half million paper documents and 25,000 pieces of equipment dating from the late 1800s to today, dating from late 1898 until today. This research archive puts particular focus on Bell Canada’s role in telephone history; yet does not comprise an exact company archive.

At the turn of the 20th century, Bell was expanding its presence across Canada. Because the Canadian government regulated telephone rates, their corporate genealogy chart illustrates how slowly they acquired competing operations in British Columbia, Nova Scotia and prairie provinces to gain greater market dominance.

Photographs form an essential part of the collection, depicting internal and external events as well as Bell products and services. Many photographs come complete with press notices and advertising copy to complement them, serving to inform employees through Tielines of activities in other divisions or regional Bell offices.

Hello Montreal!

Adrian Morillo has made it his mission to capture the many aesthetics that make up Montreal life since moving here in 2015. An experienced photographer and multimedia designer, Adrian has worked in cinema productions, press coverage, advertising campaigns, social media posts and audiovisual courses as part of his interdisciplinary practice.

On 22 March 1928, when the first two-way radio telephony signal crossed from Ottawa to Montreal for transmission across the Atlantic Ocean, it made headlines worldwide and propelled Irving Berlin’s hit “Goodbye Broadway, Hello Montreal”, an infamous period novelty song about crossing into Canada for an alcohol break during American Prohibition.

Pointe-a-Calliere is proud to host Hello Montreal!, an engaging exhibit which highlights the history and role of telephony in our lives. The exhibition showcases an exquisite magneto switchboard used in an exchange in Montreal in 1920, an impressive battery switchboard of staggering size and complexity; as well as numerous rotary dial telephones, pushbutton models, cell phones and more!