Telephone Museums

For years, telephones have been a vital part of communication around the world. From Alexander Graham Bell"s first telephone in 1876 to the iPhone 4 released by Apple in 2010, telephones have evolved dramatically over the centuries. In order to display the tremendous progress that has been made on this basic device over the years, telephone museums have been established around the world.

The purpose of telephone museums is to exhibit the evolution of the telephone and provide visitors with an in depth look into history. Each museum contains hundreds of telephones and detailed descriptions of their inventors, time period of use, and directions on how each type of telephone is used. Most museums also have antique telephones that can be used by tourists to provide for an interactive experience.

Why visit a telephone museum? People can spend hours, walking amongst the exhibits at world famous museums such as the Smithsonian's. Telephone museums are no different. When you step into telephone museums, you are instantly taken back in time to the beginning of one of our most commonly used pieces of technology. The science and development is truly fascinating. Telephones are often times taken for granted, seen as a right, not a privilege. These museums will leave tourists with a greater appreciation for a device that today, millions would be lost without.

Museum of Communications (http://www.scn.org/tech/telmuseum/): The Museum of Communications, located in Seattle, Washington, showcases the history of the telephone, from 1876 up to modern 21st century models. Many digital interactions and hands-on exhibits are provided. Self-guided tours as well as group tours by volunteers are offered. Georgia Rural Telephone Museum (http://grtm.org/): At the Georgia Rural Telephone Museum, tourists are taken back into history and shown a clear display of the progress that telephones have made over the years. This museum houses the largest antique collection in the world. The rarities found in this museum provide for a one-of-a-kind telephonic experience. New Hampshire Telephone Museum (http://www.nhtelephonemuseum.com/): At New Hampshire’s finest telephone museum, visitors can explore over 130 years of telephone history. With an introductory video to begin the tour and replicas of the very first telephones, the New Hampshire Telephone Museum leaves tourists knowing more about how one of the most used devices around the world came to be.