HELLO? 150 years of telephony in Hoorn

Discover how the telephone changed the world in the exhibition “HELLO? 150 Years of Telephony” at the Museum of the 20th Century in Hoorn, running until August 30, 2026. Make connections using an old-fashioned telephone exchange. Experience how much today’s mobile phones weigh as much as the first mobile (car) phones. Marvel at the Hoorn telephone directory from 1915 with numbers consisting of only 2 or 3 digits. Why could you not make calls after eight o’clock in the evening in the past? Did you know that a telephone exchange factory once stood in Hoorn? What are those poles in the hall doing? What is a rotary dial and how do I use it? Step into a real telephone booth. Listen to a roadside emergency telephone that used to stand along the highway. What could you once hear on 06 lines? In short, discover 150 years of telephony. Visit this museum full of nostalgia with your grandparents and grandchildren!

Telephony in the 19th century

Telephony in the 19th century was developed from a plan to a fully functioning, widely used telephone exchange in less than forty years, between 1854 and 1892. Electric telegraphy allowed messages to be sent over long distances, but there was a time loss between the telegraphic message and the reply. Moreover, trained telegraph operators were required. It was therefore logical to look for ways to transmit the message orally.

The first detailed proposal for telephony came from the French telegraph official Charles Bourseul. In the magazine L'Illustration of August 26, 1854, he described how speech could be transmitted over a telegraph line. Although he also attempted to put his theory into practice, he did not succeed in producing a clearly understandable conversation.

The German physics teacher Philipp Reis came up with the first concept of telephony in 1860. His telephone – the name Telephon is derived from him – consisted of a receiver and a speaker connected by two wires. However, the devices made by Reis were not suitable for practical use. As a result, his invention fell into oblivion.

People wanted to communicate, and in the past they did so with the help of smoke signals, drums, church lights, and lighthouses. And from 1835 onwards, with Morse signals transmitted via telegraph poles. Exactly 150 years ago, Alexander Graham Bell applied for the patent for a telephone. Thanks to this, we can now make calls en masse. There are currently about 20 billion telephones worldwide. The Museum of the 20th Century is presenting the interactive exhibition “HELLO? 150 Years of Telephony” about the development of the telephone until August 30, 2026.

What did making a call look like when you first had to ask the operator to establish a connection? What did you do when you were on the go without a mobile phone? And what did a selfie look like before Instagram? Discover all this at the exhibition “HELLO? 150 Years of Telephony”: an interactive journey through the world of communication, messaging, swiping, and connecting. And, of course, you will be welcomed at the entrance by Alexander Graham Bell.

See above publication Netherlands (1962), Automation of telephone network completed. In this exhibition, visitors discover how telephony transformed from a rare luxury in the hallway or living room into an indispensable device, the smartphone, in every pocket. Themes covered include: the first telephone, the telephone as a luxury product, the mobile breakthrough, and of course, the smartphone. In addition, the societal aspects of smartphone use are also discussed. Mobile phones in the classroom or not? Join the discussion on the pros and cons. Is video calling while walking polite? What do you think?

The exhibition is full of nostalgic recognition, surprising facts, and humorous moments. See above the telephone cards with images by Joost Swarte (1992). To conclude the exhibition, you take a journey back to the past using an XXL smartphone. After all, which objects and utensils from the past are now inside your mobile phone? Prepare to be surprised, because many devices from our museum collection are now in your phone! Discover the luxury and richness of your smartphone.

Click here to view stamps with the theme Telephony in the Freestampcatalogue.

<strong> More info: </strong>

Exhibition 'HELLO? 150 years of telephony' at the Museum of the 20th Century in Hoorn until August 30, 2026:

https://www.museumhoorn.nl/pg-5548-7-7380/pagina/exposities_museum_van_de_20e_eeuw.html#!section

Recent and older museum blogs: https://www.freestampmagazine.nl/tag/made-in-holland/