Our 4,500 square-foot museum commemorates over a century of communications technology with exhibits that span four centuries, offering visitors an educational yet entertaining family outing, school field trip or group sight-seeing tour experience.
The Telephone Historical Centre first opened its doors on December 3, 1987 in an old telephone exchange building located in Old Strathcona neighborhood of Edmonton. Later, in 2004 they relocated to its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre located centrally.
General Admission
The Telephone Historical Centre in Edmonton is one of its most beloved attractions, opening to the public in 1987 by ED TEL retirees and providing an exciting attraction suitable for visitors of all ages. As one of North America’s premier facilities of its type, it draws many people each year.
Admission is valid during general operating hours on the day of your visit (timed entry tickets may be necessary for special exhibitions). We advise setting aside at least three hours to explore fully.
This museum was created through the volunteer efforts of current and retired employees from Southwestern Bell, AT&T, Telecom Pioneers (a non-profit 501(c)(3) employee service organization), with their goal being to honor New Mexico’s legacy telephone industry while honoring those who built it.
The vast collection of telephones and equipment on display retraces over 100 years of communications technology, from wall-mounted solid wood phones with hand cranking operation, operator directed simplicity to pocket sized touch screen phones used on cellular networks today. Visitors will find it fascinating to witness their evolution over time!
Special Event Admission
Today, making a phone call seems almost magical; simply pick up your cell and presto! you are talking with Mom in Philadelphia or your best friend in New York. At the Comporium Telephone Museum you can go back in time and witness this fascinating array of machinery which made phone calls possible in their day.
This museum boasts an impressive collection of telephone equipment dating from Alexander Graham Bell up through current mobile phones, with hands-on exhibits that demonstrate communications principles. Furthermore, it boasts an outstanding multi-media Historical Telecommunications Theatre Show that makes for great group tours.
This museum first opened its doors on December 3, 1987 in Old Strathcona before moving to its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre on April 10, 2004. Established by retired ED TEL employees, and accredited with Museums Alberta, its goal is to gather, research, organize, document, display and store historical materials pertaining to telephone development in Edmonton.
Self-Guided Tours
Today, making phone calls seems effortless: all it takes is picking up your mobile and pressing a button on it to connect with someone in Philadelphia or New York instantly. But things weren’t always this convenient in years past; witnessing how equipment used back then functions is truly fascinating.
The museum features working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical central office switches, antique telephones, switchboards, outside plant displays including poles, cables, splicing equipment and tools, plus an extensive telecommunications reference library for researchers.
The Telephone Historical Centre first opened on December 3, 1987 in an old telephone exchange building in Old Strathcona and relocated to its current location on September 14, 2004. Since 1987, its focus has been collecting, researching, organizing, documenting, exhibiting and storing Edmonton telecommunications history as an accredited member of Museums Alberta; run by retired ED TEL employees and volunteers.
Group Tours
No matter what the occasion may be – school field trips, business outings or tour groups alike – the Telephone Historical Centre provides a memorable learning experience and is the largest facility of its type in North America.
This museum houses working equipment and displays from early dial phones to modern cellular technology, from genuine mechanical switchboards, Step-by-Step private automatic branch exchange, and wall phones – all still functional today.
THG was established by a collective of current and retired telecom employees, along with their families, after realizing much of telecom’s history was being lost due to building relocation, demolition or changes within departments deeming items no longer useful or needed. Following this realization, a nonprofit organization called THG was created and now runs two museums as well as an extensive archive in Denver and Seattle.
