new hampshire telephone museum

ElizabethM805

Am one of the lucky ones to live close to this wonderful museum. So very interesting and informative.

NHmomUSA

Nice combination of do not touch and DO touch displays. Just a mile or so away from the Kearsarge Indian Museum, so if you're going to one, definitely go to the other while you're in town.

rizzo0904

This is a fun little museum. Lots of older telephones to check out. Only a small portion is hands on so make sure little ones know what areas are "eyeballs only". My kids enjoyed the phone booth.

Hallie46

I must say I entered with apprehension...I mean what is there to learn or see about phones! You use them to call! Well let me tell you there is a lot to learn and see about phones. What a nostalgic fun way to see how history has passed right in front of you. Laughter at the thought of getting the first "princess" phone...or not having to listen for the "other party on the line"...and kids have such a delight in realizing that you actually had to stand in one place and talk. Fun for the whole family and in a charming town in wonderful New Hampshire.

714jillr

How often does one tour a museum and see signs that say Please DO Touch! The New Hampshire Telephone Museum has several displays that offer this opportunity. (Of course there are other displays featuring fragile items which ask one not to touch).The staff welcomed our group, and gave a brief over view of the museum, how it was started, what to look for, etc. We were then free to explore on our own. The displays had clear explanations, so that one could tour independently. I had several retired telephone employees with me, and they were thrilled to see equipment that they use to use on a daily basis. The museum inspired many fond memories. As a non telephone employee, I also found plenty of interest to see at this museum. The museum is handicap accessible.

DiScott

Thanks for your review!! We are glad you enjoyed your visit!!

davidv82

While in the Warner NH area be sure to stop at the New Hampshire Telephone Museum! As you would expect from the name, there are items from all aspects of telephony covering the period back to its invention. The telephones from different eras help you understand both how the technology has changed as well as how our use of the phone has changed. Plus you will see several examples of early telephone switchboards from back in the "number please" era of the telephone. One section is devoted to tools used by telephone linemen and another to testing equipment.Plus, there is also an exhibit about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) presence in Warner back in the 1930s and an exhibit about the USS Kearsarge, a US Navy ship, in its many incarnations.(As a disclaimer, the Museum was started with my Dad's collection and is headed up by my brother.)

DavidBOkinawa

To be honest I wasn't expecting much, but my wife wanted to go. When we arrived we found out they were closed that day, but they graciously opened up and gave us the tour. They walked us through the years showing the development of phones over time - an eye opener. The collection is comprehensive and not just limited to phones. By the end of the visit I was duly impressed and considered it one of the best stops of our trip. "Thanks honey, great idea!"Just across the street is a wonderful public library built in 1892 - also worth a visit.

RoadTrips3733

Beautifully displayed and laid out. Friendly and personally vested staff. A beautiful piece of history with a humble story. Loved it! They had a movie night too! Check them out! You'll learn that the first female operator had a hilarious name...Across the street is the Pillsbury Public Library and it is an impressive building with friendly and helpful staff.

786davidz

I am a Telephone guy,I collect telephones -I have discovered that there are Telephone Museums all over our beautiful country.In this case this museum is made up of an Elderly mans personal collection,I was in Vermont for a few days & on the way home drove into New Hampshire just to see this phone museum, The owner a kind older gentleman opened the museum just for me & my fiend;We both enjoyed & he could not have been any nicer;I recommend anyone to go to any & all phone museums to see where it all became & not to take for granted that little cell phone / Smart phone in their pocket;While there he showed us around I got myself a souvenir shirt took a few pictures & we were on our way.Truth is I was at this Museum back in 2006 - But just got into doing reviews on Trip Advisor & Noticed not to many on the phone museums, so here I am . .

JohnFAdrian

We enjoyed our visit to the New Hampshire Telephone Museum immensely. It has a great many telephones from around the world, beautifully displayed. A lot of thought, and many, many hours have gone into its creation.I grew-up in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, where New York Telephone, a Bell operating company was it. It was only as an older teenager and as an adult that I realized that Western Electric wasn't the only manufacturer of telephones in the world, and that many of the non-Bell manufacturers were far more innovative and flexible that Ma Bell.The New Hampshire Telephone Museum displays much of that non-Bell innovation and flexibility.Bravo!

LucilleC8

What a great location for the New Hampshire Telephone Museum. It is located in a small quaint New Hampshire town. From the moment we walked in the door & were greeted by Laura, we knew our visit to the museum would be interesting & fun. It is amazing to see all the telephone equipment & memorabilia that has been collected in the museum. Thanks to Mr. Dick Violette as well as Laura for sharing this with us. Having worked in the telecommunications business for many years, I found this visit interesting, educational & fun! We enjoyed looking at all the old telephones as well as the demonstration by Laura of how the 100 cord board works. Looking at all the old tools & equipment was fascinating to us. Our visit brought back a lot of pleasant memories.

0garyg

Five telephone collectors, four from California, visited the museum on June 3rd and were hosted to a great tour by one of the long time docents and retired local telephone company management. The museum collection and the manner in which it is displayed is second to none, and the number of unusual and rare pieces is amazing. The care and attention to detail is terrific, reflecting a huge commitment on the part of the staff and volunteers for authenticity. They also offered some unique collectible items in their gift shop which were top quality. From what we viewed and what we were told, this museum continues to be a developing one, with new additions appearing all the time. They even have plans to created additional special interest areas. The trip to Warner is beautiful, perhaps typical of travel in New Hampshire, but it was surely a treat for all of of us. Though we visited other museums on this trip, private collections, and warehouses full of telephone equipment., this venue was surely near the top our list, a venue that we can heartily recommend to anyone interested in the history of telephony.

992kathleens

Fantastic collection of telephone memorabilia displayed in a beautiful building. Friendly, helpful staff. Small enough to keep the kids from getting bored, but crammed full of old telephones and equipment that the adults will remember from their childhoods. A great experience!!Have lunch across the street and check out the local shopping. Indian museum (also started as a private collection) nearby, and Mount Kearsage too. Warner is definitely worth a stop when you are in New Hampshire.

Skiers17

This was a great museum! It was a very nostalgic visit for me as I am a retired Bell System employee. I worked for Western Electric for seven years installing various types of Central Office telephone switching equipment and then for an additional twenty five years with AT&T in a variety of positions. My time with Western Electric gave me the opportunity to work on many different types of switching equipment, some of which was on display in the museum. The museum brought back many pleasant memories of people and places from times past. My wife and I didn't have enough time to really examine all of the exhibits during our visit so we are looking forward to a return visit to see more of the museum.