Early Television Museum

The Early Television Museum is a technology museum in Hilliard that displays over 150 historic television sets spanning decades of technological development. The collection ranges from mechanical models to early color receivers, showing how screen technology and internal circuitry evolved over time.

The museum was founded in 2000 and holds mechanical television sets from the 1920s as well as early color models from the 1950s. These pieces document how rapidly the technology advanced during television's earliest years.

The collection features television sets from multiple countries, each reflecting how different regions approached the challenge of bringing moving images into homes. Visitors can observe how engineering traditions and local broadcasting standards shaped the design of receivers around the world.

The museum is open Saturdays from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sundays from 12 PM to 5 PM and is located on Franklin Street. Check ahead about any reservation requirements, as access may be limited at certain times.

Visitors can actually operate many of the displayed television sets using wall-mounted buttons and watch them work. This hands-on approach gives direct access to the technology rather than just viewing it behind glass.

Location: Hilliard

Inception: 2000

Address: 5396 Franklin St, Hilliard, OH

Website: http://earlytelevision.org

GPS coordinates: 40.03470,-83.16180

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:11