Communication Museum (Museum für Kommunikation), Frankfurt

The history and the story of communication are told through the exhibits in this museum located on the banks of the River Main in Frankfurt. The interactive gallery showcasing the postal and communications evolution, ranks third among the favorite museums of visitors to the city.

The idea of a communications museum was first conceived in the 19th century by Heinrich von Stephan. He established an art museum devoted to postal communication in Berlin. After the division of Germany, a new postal museum was opened at a villa on the banks of the River Main in 1958. In 1990 a modern building was constructed with a glass façade and a three floor open plan and the old villa became the administrative office of the new communications museum.

Exhibits at the museum include the history of communications from Sumerian tablets to the modern electronic communication devices. Early telephones, televisions, receivers and fax machines are on display. Unique art and sculpture relating to communications including telephone sheep created by Jean Luc Cornec made using telephone wires and telephones make interesting exhibits on view at the museum. Two permanent exhibits are the Titanic telegram that reached too late to save the sinking ship and Orson Welles radio play, The War of the Worlds that caused panic in the 30s in the US.

The museum also holds several unique communications related temporary exhibits to hold the interest of visitors especially children all year through.