Take a look at some scientific and technological treasures from our collective past.
Treasures from the Collection
This telephone was connected to the Lorimer automatic switching system. Invented by Canadians around 1900, the system enabled callers to establish a connection without going through an operator.
Canadian-made portable hairdryers first appeared during the 1960s and provided a quick way to tame your hair.
The exterior ring on this bronze double sundial marks intervals of ten minutes. The interior ring marks intervals of five minutes. The design was invented in 18th-century England by William Oughtred, who also invented the slide rule and the multiplicat...
This cast - iron wood stove was a very efficient way to heat rural homes. Its cylindrical form and decorative style are typical of the period.
The steam buggy is the earliest known passenger vehicle built in Canada. It was made by Henry Seth Taylor in 1867. Fueled by a coal-fired boiler, the buggy could reach a maximum speed of 24 km/h.
Nocturnals were used by sailors to determine the local time at sea and to calculate tides. This one was made for use in the northern hemisphere. It was designed to align Polaris (the North Star) with either Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.
Canadian Hugh Le Caine was a pioneer of electronic music. He invented the first voltage-controlled synthesizer in the mid-1940s. In 1970, he built one of the era´s most advanced synthesizers, the polyphonic synthesizer, which allowed musicians to play ...
This model of the Port Huon was ordered at the same time as the ship itself, in the mid-1920s. The Port Huon was a refrigerated cargo ship that sailed between the United Kingdom and Australia, transporting fruits and other foodstuffs as well as general...
When transmitting messages, teleprinters emitted clicks. Made in 1939, this analog model worked like a manual typewriter. It featured a type wheel, and a roller and the paper moved when the user typed in words.
This iron from 1870 was heated by filling the hollow interior with hot coals. The temperature could be controlled by opening or closing a vent on the back.
The Commodore 64 was the best-selling home computer of the 1980s. Its programmable console held 64 kilobytes of RAM. Used for games and word processing, it was manufactured in 1983 and helped popularize home computers.
Built in 1889 and later restored, the sled could carry up to four passengers. This model was originally made for fox hunting.
This Hippy FabuLLOYD transistor radio was made in Japan circa 1970. Its small size meant music lovers could listen to their favourite songs anywhere they went.
To measure the height of the cloud ceiling, weather stations and airports use a ceilometer. It measures distance by emitting laser impulses that reflect off clouds.
This model K 35mm film projector was manufactured in Chicago by Motograph, circa 1938.
High-speed cameras can record fast movements. This 16mm HYCAM manufactured circa 1951 can film up to 8000 images per second. It was used to film a pulp and paper factory´s assembly line for quality control.
This three-dimensional model of a walking beam engine is fully functional. It is made of steel and brass. It was made by an amateur Toronto model maker circa 1940.
"The 1890s marked the birth of the modern bicycle with the advent of the diamond frame. "
This is a replica of a sealed glass thermometer from Florence, circa 1654. It measured air temperatures from 0 to 40 degrees.
"An anemometer measures wind speed and direction. The first anemometers were made in the 15th century. A new anemometer was designed by the Canadian John Patterson during the 1920s. "
"This model used a black mirror to reflect the images of clouds. Using the compass points and a graduated scale, it measured cloud movement as an indicator of meteorological conditions. "
To play the theremin, all you have to do is wave your hands.
Arcade-goers could play mechanical baseball on this pinball machine.
