Victorian Telecommunications Museum facts for kids
The Victorian Telecommunications Museum was a special place in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia. It was located inside the Hawthorn Telephone Exchange. This museum showed off old communication equipment that people used a long time ago. These devices were first used by a government group called the Postmaster-General's Department. Later, this department became different companies like Telecom Australia and then Telstra.
Imagine seeing a working mini telephone exchange! This was one of the cool things at the museum. It had four old phones that could actually call each other. When you dialed a number, you could watch the exchange machine click and move as it connected the call. The phones even made the original sounds and rings from when they were first used!
Another amazing exhibit was a mechanical speaking clock. This wasn't just any clock; it was one of only four special machines made in England for Australia in the early 1950s. It told the time using rotating glass discs! Originally, these discs were "read" using old-fashioned electronic parts called "valves." Since those parts are hard to find now, new digital technology was created to make the speaking clock work again, just like it used to.
Volunteers lovingly ran the Victorian Telecommunications Museum. It closed its doors at the end of 2019. But don't worry, a new and exciting place called the National Communication Museum opened in September 2024 at the same location!
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Discovering the Victorian Telecommunications Museum
The Victorian Telecommunications Museum was a small but fascinating museum. It was located in the Hawthorn Telephone Exchange in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia. This museum was dedicated to showing the history of how people communicated over long distances. It displayed many old pieces of equipment.
The equipment originally belonged to a government department. This department was first known as the Postmaster-General's Department. Over time, it changed and eventually became the well-known company Telstra.
What Was Inside? Amazing Old Tech!
Even though it was a small museum, it had many interesting items. Visitors could see a fraction of the thousands of historical items collected. These items showed how telecommunications developed in Australia.
The Mini Telephone Exchange: How Calls Worked
One of the most exciting exhibits was a working mini telephone exchange. This setup had four old telephones that visitors could use to call each other. When you dialed a number, you could actually watch the exchange machine. It would manually step up and click around to connect the call. The phones even had the original dial tones and rings! This showed how calls were connected in the past.
The Amazing Speaking Clock: Telling Time with Sound
Another incredible exhibit was one of the original mechanical speaking clocks. This clock was special because it told the time using a voice! It was made with rotating glass discs. This particular clock was one of only four such machines. They were made in England in the early 1950s specifically for use in Australia.
The original parts that "read" the discs were old electronic devices called "valves." These parts are no longer available today. Because the original parts stopped working, new digital technology was created. This new tech was adapted to fit into the old "valve" sockets. Thanks to this clever solution, the speaking clock was restored and worked perfectly again!
The Museum's Journey: Past and Future
The Victorian Telecommunications Museum was managed by dedicated volunteers. These volunteers worked hard to keep the history of telecommunications alive. The museum closed its doors at the end of 2019. However, the story of communication history continues! A new museum, the National Communication Museum, opened at the same site in September 2024.
Other Cool Telecom Museums in Australia
If you enjoy learning about old communication technology, there are other places to visit!
- A similar Mark II speaking clock is still on display at the Telstra Museum in Bankstown, Sydney. This museum is located next to the Bankstown Telephone Exchange. It is open to the public every Tuesday and Wednesday. This museum is also run by wonderful volunteers.
- The Brisbane Telstra Museum is located at the Albion Telephone Exchange in Albion, Brisbane. Volunteers also run this museum. It is open to the public every Wednesday.
