Connected Earth facts for kids

Connected Earth was a special group of museums and organizations in the UK. Their main goal was to save and share the amazing history of how people communicate. This includes everything from old telephones to giant satellite dishes! They worked together to make sure these important stories and objects could be seen and learned about by everyone.

What Was Connected Earth?

Connected Earth started in 2001, created by a big company called BT. BT wanted to make sure that the UK's history of talking to each other, or "telecommunications heritage," was kept safe. They also wanted to make it easy for people to learn about it. By teaming up with different museums and groups, Connected Earth helped protect these important parts of history for young people today and in the future.

Who Were the Partners?

Many different places worked with Connected Earth. These partners included museums like Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre, Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, and the Science Museum. Other partners were places like Bawdsey Radar, BT Archives, Milton Keynes Museum, and the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum. Each partner focused on a different part of communication history. Some museums even had special galleries just for Connected Earth exhibits.

What Did They Collect?

Together, the Connected Earth partners aimed to tell the whole story of how people communicated in the UK and with other countries. They collected many different kinds of historical items. These included old machines like the Hughes printing telegraph and early electrophone tables. They also preserved parts of famous places, like the tuning coil from Rugby Radio Station. Even classic red telephone kiosks and pieces of the first transatlantic telegraph cable were saved.

The partners also collected newer communication items. They worked with other groups to make sure the history of talking to each other keeps being saved. Through a project called "People's Connected Earth," they also gathered stories and memories from regular people and those who worked in the communication industry.

See also

• BT Museum