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Hilliard, Ohio: Early Television Museum

Nowhere else on earth has so many ancient working TVs. The personal collection of TV-obsessed Steve McVoy. "Visitors can see their friends as they would have appeared on mechanical television in 1930."

Address:
5396 Franklin St., Hilliard, OH
Directions:
Downtown. I-270 exit 13B. Drive west on Cemetery Rd toward Hilliard. After going under the second railroad underpass, turn right (north) on Main St. In three blocks turn left (west) onto Franklin St. The museum is one block on the right.
Hours:
Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
614-771-0510
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
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Early Television Museum.

Early Television Museum

The Early Television Museum has more than 150 models on display, from the 1920s through the 1960s. The museum was started by Steve McVoy who worked at a television repair shop as a teenager. He became fascinated with televisions and started collecting them. When he ran out of space at home he decided to open a museum so that others could enjoy his collection.

The museum also displays television tubes, studio cameras, a video jukebox used in diners, and a mobile television truck. One of the more unusual sets is a Kuba Komet, over five feet tall, manufactured in Germany, that looks like something the Jetsons would own. There are also two British sets with purple tinted screens, a popular fad at the time. A few of the sets are set up to show vintage programming, but most of the sets are not turned on since it would be impossible to find picture tubes for a lot of them once they burn out.

Ironically, a lot of the early models have screens not much bigger than those that people now watch on their smartphones. So much for progress!

[signmanjoe, 02/19/2016]

Early television.

Early Television Museum

Pretty cool little museum with tons of really old televisions (even 1920s tvs).

[Jake Mitchell, 05/16/2015]

Dumont television.

Early Television Museum

Neat stop for early television geeks -- includes cameras and British models from the early, early days. Worth a look, but you're on your own; no guided tour.

[The Wanderer, 02/04/2014]

RCA TV display.

Early Television Museum

A mind-boggling number of old TVs from the late 1920s up to the 1960s. You can take your time as you wander from room to room, activating motion sensor lights that magically illuminate each collection of TVs. Many accompanied with details on year made, price etc as well as marketing materials. Old television cameras, old tubes and bulbs and even a giant television broadcasting news truck are on display. You can get inside the truck and behold the ancient technology. Some of the televisions you can turn on.

Sadly the projection room was out of service. Just a donation box at the door and no guide.

[KentuckYeti, 04/25/2011]

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