Inside Frankfurt Museum of Communication
The Museum of Communication in Frankfurt, Germany, explains the history of communication with a strong focus on postal services and telecommunication. A lot of old telegraphs, phones, fax machines, radio and TV sets are on display. The museum also has a small but impressive art collection. The most curious among these are the Telephone Sheeps designed by Jean-Luc Cornec, which are made exclusively out of telephone and telephone wires.
Founded in 1958 as the Federal Postal Museum, it is one of the oldest museums on the Main riverbank. As the Museum of Communication, in 1990 it moved into a transparent and open new building that invites journeys of discovery on four floors. Stories to be astonished by and to experience, technology to interact with and comprehend .
The section “Signs, Writing, News” shows the path from Mesopotamian writing tablets up to the invention of the postal service. The “Letter and Package” area explains about freight transport and travel. “Telegraphy”, “Telephone”, “Radio”, “Television” and “New Media” exhibit communication in all its technical, cultural and societal developments and aspects. The art collection includes paintings, sculptures, photography and new media art from the 17th to the 21st century. Temporary exhibitions supplement the presentation with additional aspects. Guided tours, readings, films and events round off the offering. For children older than pre-school age, school classes and families, the museum offers a varying programme with interactive tours, and workshop that encourages visitor participation, and events ranging from holiday games to birthday parties.
Old postal signs
A collection of ancient postboxes.
A postal horn used by mail delivery men to announce his arrival.
Vintage postal carriages.
Different communication equipment like radios and television sets of the days of yore are on display.
Cryptographic Enigma typewriter used in 1936.
Signs for pay phones
An array of different models of street phones
German phone booth of 1927
Mail delivery men’s bicycle
