Early Television Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 24 July 2000 |
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| Location | 5396 Franklin St, Hilliard, OH |
| Founder | Steve McVoy |
| Owner | Early Television Foundation |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
The Early Television Museum is a special place that shows off old television sets. It is located in Hilliard, Ohio, which is a town near Columbus, Ohio. This museum helps us understand how TV started and how it changed over time.
Contents
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has a huge collection of more than 150 different TV sets. Many of these old TVs still work! It is the biggest collection of early televisions in the United States.
Mechanical Televisions
You can see very old mechanical TVs from the 1920s and 1930s. These TVs used spinning discs to create images, which is very different from how modern TVs work.
TVs from Before World War II
The museum also has TVs made just before World War II. These include British sets from 1936 to 1939 and American sets from 1939 to 1941. These TVs were some of the first electronic models.
TVs from After World War II
After the war, TV technology grew quickly. The museum displays TVs from 1945 to 1960 from America, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. You can see how TVs became more common in homes during this time.
Early Color Televisions
The museum also features some of the very first color TV sets. These were made between 1953 and 1957. One famous example is the RCA Victor CT-100, which was an important step in color television history.
Special Exhibits and Equipment
The museum has more than just TV sets. It also shows how TV shows were made in the early days.
Cathode Ray Tubes
You can find the Dave Johnson collection of early television cathode ray tubes here. These tubes were the main part of old TV screens, creating the pictures you saw.
Vintage Studio Equipment
The museum also has old TV studio equipment. This includes a working 60-line flying-spot scanner TV camera. This camera was used to film things for mechanical televisions.
Experience Early TV
Visitors can even stand in front of this old camera. You can see how you would have looked on a mechanical television screen back in 1931! It's a fun way to imagine what watching TV was like almost a hundred years ago.
About the Early Television Foundation
The Early Television Museum is run by a group called the Early Television Foundation. This foundation is a non-profit organization. This means they use any money they make to keep the museum running and to teach people about early television. They also hold a yearly meeting at the museum for people interested in old TVs.
