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Edison's Legacy: When Machines Learned to Speak – A Permanent Exhibition of Phonographs and Gramophones in Vienna

Explore the fascinating evolution of audio technology, from early tin foil phonographs to gramophones and shellac discs.

Delve into the rich history of sound recording and playback technology at this extensive Vienna exhibition. Journey from the pioneering inventions of Thomas Edison and Emil Berliner to the widespread use of gramophones between 1877 and 1939. Explore over 1,000 unique artifacts, many demonstrated, illustrating the evolution of audio devices and music history.

About Edisons Erbe – als Maschinen sprechen lernten – Phonographen und Grammophone von 1877 bis 1939 at Hernals District Museum in Vienna

Read curatorial context and practical visitor information for Edisons Erbe – als Maschinen sprechen lernten – Phonographen und Grammophone von 1877 bis 1939 at Hernals District Museum in Vienna

Exhibition summary

This permanent exhibition showcases the evolution of sound recording and playback technology, from the earliest phonographs and gramophones to modern vinyl records. Visitors can explore the pioneering achievements in audio technology through a collection of over 1,000 exhibits, many of which can be demonstrated.

Curatorial context

The Phonomuseum's permanent exhibition, 'Edisons Erbe – als Maschinen sprechen lernten,' chronicles the fascinating journey of sound recording and playback technology from 1877 to the present day. Spread across nearly 400 square meters, the exhibition houses a collection of over 1,000 artifacts, including early phonographs, gramophones, radios, and mechanical music devices. Visitors can learn about the pioneering innovations of figures like Thomas Edison and Emil Berliner, witnessing firsthand the transition from wax cylinders to shellac discs and eventually to vinyl. The main hall, 'Edisons Erbe,' specifically highlights the development of phonographs and gramophones from 1877 to 1939. It features significant items such as early tin foil phonographs, the Edison Class-M Phonograph (originally a dictaphone), and the Edison Peerless Motor Phonograph. The exhibition details the technical challenges and advancements, including the struggle to develop durable recording media and the invention of the gramophone with its pressable discs. It also traces the path through the development of shellac records and their eventual replacement by vinyl, and finally the digital age ushered in by the Compact Disc (CD).

Admission and ticket notes

The museum's opening hours are Wednesday from 3 PM to 7 PM, and by appointment. Further contact details and special opening hours are available via a provided link.

Edisons Erbe – als Maschinen sprechen lernten – Phonographen und Grammophone von 1877 bis 1939 key exhibition facts

Review exhibition status, schedule, venue context, and attribution details for Edisons Erbe – als Maschinen sprechen lernten – Phonographen und Grammophone von 1877 bis 1939 at Hernals District Museum in Vienna

Venue
Hernals District Museum
Current status
Open now
Exhibition schedule
Information not currently available
Artist line / attribution
Information not currently available
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