2MPast and Present

Museum

Hi. I’m Lucy.Welcome to the Museum.Today I’m your tour guide.Click on a picture to explore a topic.

Oh, if you get lost or are finished looking at something.just click on the exit sign to go to the museum map.

Have fun learning!

Click on a phone to hear it ring!

The first telephone was cranked by hand. Using the pushing force of the hand, the crank made the energy to power the phone as most homes did not have electricity.Look at the first 2 phones, they don’t have buttons! To ring your friends you pushed the arm on the side and held the ear piece to your ear. You would have to speak into the mouthpiece and ask an operator to connect you to the person you wanted to call.This was a lot easier in the past when not many people had phones.

This is the Telephones Exhibit.Here you can see how telephones have changed since they were first invented.The telephone was first used successfully by Alexander Graham Bell.That’s Mr Bell behind me!

Telephones

Phones eventually became more portable so we could move about with them.The cordless phone meant that we could walk around the house while talking.Now we have very mobile phones, that do much more than just call people.We can write texts, listen to music, take photos , connect to the internet and play games all from our phones. Mr. Bell would be speechless!

Before they had buttons of touch screens phones had a rotating dialler.You would put your finger in the hole for the number you wanted to dialand spin the dialler counter clockwise. Phones 3 and 4 have rotary diallers.

Communication

This is the Communication Exhibit.Here you can see the different ways people have communicatedwith each other using written text.In the past they have used Quill (a bird feather) and ink pot, chalk and slatepen and paper. These methods took time and often days to arrive at theirdestination. Now we can simply send someone an email or text messagewhich they can receive instantly!

Toys

This is our Toy Exhibit.On this wall you can see many toys that were used before technology allowed us to invent video games and other electronic fun. All of these were powered by the children playing with them. Spinning tops were pushed, robots could be wound up and bubbles blown. All of these toys still exist today.Do you have any?

Around the house

Here, in front of our library, we have some pictures of different things from the past that were used around the house. As you can see before technology and electricity everything was done by hand. Fire was used to cook in big pots, washing was done by hand and rolled in special machines to get the water out and cars were often cranked by hand to make them go. Technology has made home life so much easier.

Telling time

Welcome to the Hall of Time.This is where we keep all our time keeping devices.

The first time keeping device is an hourglass.It works by letting sand fall from one chamber to another through a very small opening. The amount of sand used depends on how long you want the hourglass to run for.

The next piece is a beautiful gold sundial.The sundial works by being placed out in the sunlight.When the sun hits the dial, the fin in the middle casts a shadow.The shadow points to the time on the disc.

On the blue stand is a Pocket Watch.The pocket watch is a small clock with a cover and chain.They were commonly carried by wealthy men in the past.

Next is the BIG grandfather clock.Grandfather clocks can be very tall and very heavy. They are made of wood and have a clock face at the top.Behind the glass is a swinging pendulum which helps it to keep time.Grandfather clocks often make loud chiming sounds each hour.

Next is the digital watch.You’ve probably seen these before!They have a band to sit around your wrist and a face that showselectronic numbers. The digital watch is the newest of or time keepers.

Last we have our oldest time keeper, the merkhet.Using hanging line the ancient Egyptians could calculate time at night, provided the stars were visible.By observing certain stars as they crossed the line created with the merkhets, they could accurately gauge time.

Now Showing

Cinema 1: Phones throughout history.Cinema 2: How toys have changed.Cinema 3: Changes around the house.Cinema 5: The journey of a letter with Australia Post.

Theatre Telephone

Theatre Toys

Theatre technology

The journey of a letter

Museum Map

Cinema