Pavek Museum of Broadcasting facts for kids
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| Established | 29 October 1988 |
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| Location | St. Louis Park, Minnesota |
| Type | Telecommunications museum |
| Founder | Joe Pavek, Earl Bakken, Paul Hedberg |
The Pavek Museum is a special museum located in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. It holds one of the world's most important collections of old radio and television equipment. The museum started with the collection of Joe Pavek. He began gathering unique radios in 1946. At that time, he was a teacher at the Dunwoody Institute. Joe was worried that old radios given to students might be destroyed. So, he started saving them.
How the Museum Started
Joe Pavek's collection grew a lot through the 1970s. He then looked for someone to take over his amazing collection. It was hard to find the right person. In 1984, Joe was about to sell everything at an auction. But then, Earl Bakken stepped in to help. Earl Bakken was the person who started the company Medtronic. He also invented the first small, wearable pacemaker. A pacemaker is a device that helps a heart beat regularly. Earl had also spent many years fixing old radios and TVs. He shared Joe's love for vintage, or old, electronic devices.
Joe Pavek and Earl Bakken joined with Paul Hedberg. Paul was from the Minnesota Broadcasters Association. Together, they created a nonprofit organization. A nonprofit group uses its money to help a cause, not to make a profit for its owners. This organization became the parent group for the new museum. The Pavek Museum officially opened its doors on October 29, 1988. That day was even honored by Governor Rudy Perpich as "Joe Pavek Day."
Expanding the Collection
Joe Pavek passed away about a year after the museum opened. Earl Bakken then took over as the leader of the organization. In 1990, the museum's collection became much larger. It added the collection of John T. "Jack" Mullin. Jack Mullin was a veteran from the Army Signal Corps during World War II. He brought some special AEG Magnetophon tape recorders back from Germany.
Jack Mullin used these German tape recorders to record Bing Crosby's radio shows. This was the very first time magnetic tape was used in American broadcasting. Over many years, Jack Mullin collected other recording devices. He eventually built a collection that was famous around the world.
The Pavek Museum has offered educational classes since it first opened. These classes are for both children and adults. They help people learn about the history of radio and television.
Other Museums Like This One
- Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, Illinois
- Museum of Broadcast Technology in Woonsocket, Rhode Island
